Playground games

Lots already mentioned and this one. Players stood in a circle on the playground except for one who was “On”. All sang
“I sent a letter to my love ,
And on the way he dropped it,
Someone must have picked it up
And put it in their pocket.
Thief, thief, drop it. “
One of the circle had the piece of paper hidden in their hand behind them.
The person who was “On” walked around outside of circle while everyone sang. On “drop it” the paper was dropped and the person ran - the chaser had to catch them.

So innocent.

rubysong

Regarding slides on the playground ice, a few years ago I researched the history of our village primary school and was told that, many years ago, if the forecast was for a hard frost, the headmaster would throw buckets of water down before he went home, so the children could have fun sliding the next day.

Wow! I remember the challenge about who could make the longest slide.
Now we throw sand down so they can’t even slip a bit.

🤣🤣 rockgran
I remember Jacks
Queenie, Queenie, who’s got the ball.
At a primary school recently I saw a long stretch of skipping rope with four or five boys jumping in and out, all five together at times. It was good to watch.

I was just thinking that if I’d been a man watching girls skipping like that, I’d have been suspect!!

There came three dukes a riding....
Mr Wolf
The Wind Blows High

I remember

What's the time Mr Wolf?
Grandmother's footsteps
French skipping

The version of The Big Ship sailed through the alley-alley-oo on the last day of September that I remember was very different from what everyone has described here.

We would join hands in a long line, the girl at the end held on to the chicken wire fence. Then we would skip round, the furthest girl from the end leading. She would go round under the joined hands of the first girl and the second and round the back, then, in a big circle, go round again under the joined hands of the 2nd and 3rd girl in the line, round the back, then circle round to the front, ducking this time under the 3rd and 4th girls' hands.

When everyone was joined up with their arms crossed in front of them, you formed a circle and carried on singing till the end of the next verse, shaking hands up and down in time to the music, letting go on the last note.

A skipping rhyme:

Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around,
Teddy bear teddy bear teddy bear touch the ground
Teddy bear teddy bear go upstairs
Teddy bear teddy bear say your prayers
Teddy bear teddy bear turn out the light
Teddy bear teddy bear say goodnight

G - O- O -D - N - I - G - H - T Goodnight!

There was another game like grandmother's footsteps where the girl at the top, facing the wall, would call out a letter. If the letter was in your name you took as many steps as the letter occurred. The first one to reach the wall and touch the caller was the winner, or the next one to call. I don't think we were sophisticated enough to realise that we could call letters so that our best friend could win.

I did cheat however, with the name Jacqueline I had a "Q" and if I chose I could have Jacky with a "Y", so I had most letters and some of the less usual ones.

Elastics where there were 2 girls holding the elastics, one each end and another girl jumped in and out with nifty footwork, The Big Ship skipping, fagcards, marbles, jacks, R Whites ginger beer skipping, 2 balls and sometimes 3, all coming back. At least we didn’t have our noses in iPhones,much healthier in those days.

JackyB

A skipping rhyme:

Teddy bear, teddy bear turn around,
Teddy bear teddy bear teddy bear touch the ground
Teddy bear teddy bear go upstairs
Teddy bear teddy bear say your prayers
Teddy bear teddy bear turn out the light
Teddy bear teddy bear say goodnight

G - O- O -D - N - I - G - H - T Goodnight!

That's brought back so many childhood memories!

Queenio, queenio, who's got the ball-eo?
Whip n'top
Cat's cradle
The big ship sails
French skipping with elastic
All primary.

rubysong

Regarding slides on the playground ice, a few years ago I researched the history of our village primary school and was told that, many years ago, if the forecast was for a hard frost, the headmaster would throw buckets of water down before he went home, so the children could have fun sliding the next day.

I had forgotten this we did as well the boys were better because a lot were farmers or miners sons and had hobnailed boots the miners clogs. We used to make a line and sit down on our haunches holding each other. It all stopped when one child got concussed and broke a bone. Then the playground was Gritted, I have a feeling it was not grit but ash from the school's huge stoves. My mum threw ash on the ice.

At grammar school we used to "borrow" knives from the dining room and standing opposite each other, flick the knives into the ground and you had to put your foot where the knife had gone in. First outwards then back in again. I don't remember anyone's foot ever being hurt by a knife.

Wow, this takes me back - I remember so many of them. And I bet the kids of today aren't allowed to play most of them due to H&S concerns!

Marbles
Jacks
Conkers
Skipping
Elastics
Cat's Cradle
The Big Ship Sailed
What's the Time, Mr Wolf
Grandmother's Footsteps
Tag
Kiss Chase
Red Rover, Red Rover
Football - yes, even the girls. We still played at senior school and tried to get a school team together but as it was a girls' grammar it didn't come about. Probably considered not quite the thing for young ladies to do!
Hopskotch
And most likely many more that I don't remember!

JackyB, we called that knife game split the kipper and horror of horrors, some in our group brought knives to play it with.

Chestnut.... I started saying your poem to little Grandson thinking it would be new to him but by the end of first line he was singing along. Suprised I said "Oh you know it". Reply... "yes Nanny we sing it at school" !!

We played horses with skipping ropes as reins. The older girls would choose one of us younger ones to be their horses. We held the ends of the skipping ropes in each hand and were steered by the rider who held the middle.

There were loads of pine needles and we girls used to make houses with floor layouts marked by the pine needles.

1987H2001M2002Inanny

Chestnut.... I started saying your poem to little Grandson thinking it would be new to him but by the end of first line he was singing along. Suprised I said "Oh you know it". Reply... "yes Nanny we sing it at school" !!

I don't think it has been forgotten as there are a few versions on You Tube along with many other nursery rhymes:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hX_kA5c0Zw
I suppose it's not surprising when you think that Ring a Ring a Roses and many others have been around for much longer.