Como se brinca de cai?

Summary of the Article: Traditional Children’s Games

1. How to play “Caí no poço”: One participant is blindfolded and says, “Caí no poço” (I fell into a well). The blindfolded participant asks, “Who will save me?” and the others respond, “Meu bem” (My dear). The blindfolded participant then points to each child in the group and asks, “Is it you?”

2. How to play “Cai-cai balão”: The children form a circle and as they sing the second verse of the song, they pretend to slip. When they sing the fourth verse, they let go of each other’s hands and raise their arms, waving them as if trying to catch a balloon.

3. Rules for the game “Perna de pau”: Find wooden blocks with enough space for each foot. Use a hammer to attach stakes to one side of each block. Step onto the blocks with the support of the stakes and start walking.

4. How to play “Boca de forno”: The game consists of finding a specific object. If a child fails to find and bring the requested object, they must pay a penalty, such as singing or dancing a song, imitating an animal, or any other task.

5. How to play “Melancia”: The children divide themselves into the roles of the plantation owner, dog, thief, and watermelons. Those who act as watermelons crouch down. The thief tries to steal the watermelons from the plantation. They grab the watermelons (other children) and run away to hide them, while the owner and the dog try to prevent the theft.

6. How to play “Congela”: One person counts to ten before the game begins, and the other participants run. The first person caught must stand still with their legs wide open, becoming “frozen.” Another participant must then pass between the frozen person’s legs.

7. How to play “Pega a cauda”: Form two or more teams. Each team forms a line, with each participant holding onto the waist or shoulder of the person in front of them. The last person in line tucks a cloth into their pocket or belt, while the first person commands the chase and tries to grab the “tail” of another team.

8. How to play “Pique Cola”: One team of taggers runs to catch the participants of the opposing team. The participants who are caught must remain still until a free teammate touches them and “unsticks” them. When all the participants of a team are caught, the roles are reversed.

9. How to play “Pique cola americano”: One player is chosen as the tagger, and the others run within the previously established boundaries. When a player is caught, they must stay in the spot where they were caught until another player saves them. To save a caught player, the player must crouch and crawl through the caught player’s legs.

10. How to play “Carne”: This game, typical of the state of Paraná, Brazil, requires a soft and lightweight ball. One person has the ball and, within three steps at most, tries to hit other people with the ball.

11. How to play “Restaurante”: One person draws an object and the others have to guess the movie it belongs to. If someone guesses correctly, they become the next person to draw.

12. How to play “Amarelinha”: Draw a hopscotch grid on the ground and take turns throwing a small object into the numbered squares, hopping over them while avoiding stepping on the lines. The game continues until all the squares are completed.

13. How to play “Batata quente”: Pass a small object from one player to another while music plays. When the music stops, the player holding the object is eliminated. The game continues until there is only one player left.

14. How to play “Passa anel”: Players sit in a circle and pass a ring from one person to another secretly. The person in the middle tries to guess who has the ring. If they guess correctly, they switch places with that person.

15. How to play “Cabra cega”: One player is blindfolded (the goat) while the others spin them around. The blindfolded player tries to catch one of the other players. The caught player becomes the new goat.