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Popular Filipino Street Games Every Child Needs to Try

Posted 6 Mar '20


I recently had a chat with my cousin where we talked about a lot of experiences from childhood. One topic that had us giggling in laughter was the memory of playing on the streets. As a Filipino millenial born in 1989, the thought of Filipino street games bring back nostalgic memories from a great childhood. Coming home from school, I'll find my friends calling for me from outside our gate. That simply meant, it's time to hit the street and play games with the buds. 

While it's a sombering thought that most of the street games I've experienced as a kid doesn't appeal much to the Filipino youngsters today, the benefits of these street games far outweighs how kids associate "fun" games while being locked up and hunched on a seat over online games and mobile phones at home. Filipino kids need to enjoy outdoor play as much as they like being on their tablets and game consoles. Connecting with peers is also a good way to truly enjoy their childhood and these street games can do both.

The Most Remarkable Filipino Street Games You Can Try For Fun

  1. Patintero. This is probably my most favorite street game in the list. Pantintero is easily played between two equal number of players. The mechanics of the game is simple. One team becomes the defense team and the other team stands as the offense team. The players on the defense team stands on the lines drawn in the ground. The goal of the defense team is to stop all the players from the offense team to get across the other side of the playing field and come back to the starting area. If a player from the offense team gets tagged while crossing the lines, that players is out. This game needs the player to be quick and strategic in their moves to win the game. Another street game similar to patintero is step-in. While patintero must avoid touching any lines inside the play area, step in does exactly just that. The player needs to step in the line and the person from the opposite team will have to try to tag the other player to get the turn in the game.

                            Video courtesy: TBA Studios

  1. Tumbang Preso. Like Patintero, tumbang preso is quite a popular street game most Filipino adults are familiar with. To play this game, the group selects an "IT" who will have to stand next to the empty tin can to guard it. There is a small circle drawn around the can. The group will have to stand to the base line and try to hit the tin out of the circle using one of their thongs. All the players who failed to hit the can will have to stay where their thongs have landed and wait until one of the other players from the base line hits it. Just then, the stranded players of the group can run back to the base line. On the other hand, the "it", after putting the tin can back to the circle will have to tag the escaping players running towards the base line. If the "it" gets to catch one, that person becomes the new "it" and will have to stand next to the tin can to guard it. The more people are involved, the greater the fun this game will be. A little side note: Make sure to keep both of your thongs after the game. I usually lose mine, so I ended up going home with a missing pair and get scolded for it.

                            Video courtesy: ArtjaeChannel

  1. Syatong. You may also hear it called "siato". This is played using two sticks -one is a forth of the size of the main stick. The game is played between two teams. One team becomes the first to go for scoring. Basically, each player of the team must hit the little stick with the big stick. It is pretty enjoyable to play with your friends and it helps you learn to focus and hit a target with accuracy. The team who scores most becomes the winner of the game.
  1. 10-20. I think this must be every girl's favorite street game. Idealy, this game is played with at least 3 people, but would be better to play in pairs. The "it" team will have to stand their players parallel to each other wearing the "garter" or usually, a long piece of elastic tied to create a continuous loop,  in their body. The other team's player can each have their turn. Once the team finishes the first level, the "garter" starts to go higher (ankle, knee, thigh or hip, waist, chest, neck level) which make the game very challenging. If you are pretty flexible, you will enjoy this game a lot. 

                            Video courtesy: Team Yay

  1. Piko. This is known to be the game "hopscotch" in many parts of the world. However, unlike the typical hopscotch game, the Philippine version of this game has a dfferent diagram, yet the mehanics of the it are very similar. 

  1. Luksong Tinik. If you've gotten tired playing a lot of street games, luksong tinik gives the the player a lot of time to just sit down and relax. The game is played while sitting opposite your team mate, allowing one of your foot's sole resting on your team mate's foot. You will be building some sort of a tower using your foot and fingers. The other team will have to jump over the structure to win the game. A word of caution though: Be sure to keep your face away from the skipping person's limbs as much as possible. Getting hit by a swinging arm or leg would definitely hurt.  

                            Video courtesy: District 7 of Find, inc.

  1. Luksong Baka. Luksong baka is literally translated as "skipping cow". This is a fun street games that might be really good to do in an open field, more than in a cemented road. The main aim of the game is to skip on the back of the "it" who will be kneeling on all fours or a tabletop position at the start of the game. As the game progresses, the "it" moves up to a halfway lift up to a mountain pose (I'm using yoga poses to describe what the positions look like.) 

                             Video courtesy: BecomingFilipino

  1. Agawan Base. To play this game is simple -two teams have their own "base". The goal of each team is to invade the other's and while it seems easy, the opposing team can keep your team member their captive if the former get to be tag by the latter. Now, the simple goal of conquering the other team's base becomes a little more challenging as you also need to save your captive team members. There's a bit of that heroism theme coming to play in this street game so it can be tricky yet so much fun!

                            Video courtesy: Oyayi TV

  1. Langit Lupa. The central idea of this game is to get yourself on higher ground so not be tagged by the "it". You can run around and find anything you can climb onto and step onto - a tree, your neighbor's gate, an empty can -just to keep yourself from the "lupa" or the ground. Once the "it" tags a player who hasn't got into "langit" (literally translates "heaven" or that elevated object to keep you off the ground), that player turn to be the "it" now.  

                            Video courtesy: Mich Magallanes

  1. Taguan. This is probably the most popular game in this list. Taguan is basically the famous "hide and seek" street version. The mechanics is exactly the same but what makes this extremely enjoyable is that we could hide up in the trees or squish in inside the bushes. I had a lot of fun playing with my friends.   

What I love about these games are that they have simple rules and everybody can join in. Regardless of your social status, your grades in school or whether it's your first time to try it, you can easily be part of any of these games with little effort (or some might need a lot). Moreover, most of these games do not involve spending money at all. You don't need to think of rising electricity bill from constantly charging your devices or too much blue light exposure. You get a physical workout without even consciously knowing it and you connect and build bonds with your friends as well. Most importantly, you'll have the best laughs, giggles and even some short temper tantrums (haha) to go along with it, but at the end of the day, you get to be friends all the same with your buds.


 STORY | 18 Nov '20

Intramuros, 1936

Intramuros looking northwest, Manila, Philippines, 9:15 AM, July 13, 1936 War Department. Army Air Forces, US National Archives © John Tewell



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