5 Timeless Games To Play With Your Kids

You probably remember your little legs running up the stairs to find a hiding spot just as your sister says, “ready or not, here I come!” You probably remember those endless summer days with your band of neighborhood friends, playing jumprope, tag and any other game your childhood brains could imagine. You spent those days laughing, giggling and having complete joy in the fact that you merely existed to play. And what joy that truly was.

Now, as parents, joy comes from teaching and enjoying the same timeless games you once played, with your own children. Sure, life can get in the way. But if we prioritize our kids, and give them our full present attention, they can create their own memories of laughing and giggling and having joy in the fact that they merely existed to play!

Hide-And-Go-Seek

Hide-And-Go-Seek is the perfect summer day activity to play with your kids. This popular game doesn’t require anything, but a house or backyard to hide in and a full imagination. Watching your kids play will surely bring back the nostalgia of huddling up and disbursing to fight for the most coveted hiding spots: the top shelf in the closet, under the first shelf in the kitchen pantry, inside the laundry room dryer, etc. 

The fun and happiness Hide-And-Go-Seek offers is timeless, but so is the actual game. We recently asked ourselves when the popular game was invented, and we’re surprised to learn that it originated in the second century.

Julius Pollux, Greek writer and founder, originally named it apodidraskinda. Now, In the 21st century, children throughout the world play Hide-And-Go-Seek with their family and friends, just as children did more than 1900 years ago. What’s more timeless than that?

Sardines 

Much like hide-and-go-seek, sardines also originated from Julius Pollux. After he invented hide-and-go-seek, over time children started adding there own spin on the game.

Normally, every player hides, while the person it seeks. But in sardines, the person it hides while everyone rushes to be the first to find them. The last player to find the spot, gets to hide the next round.

Add sardines to your arsenal of games, whether it’s rainy, sunny or snowy weather. Children love it and will love you for playing it with them. 

Tag

Freeze tag, underdog tag, flashlight tag, Marco Polo; you name it, and kids will find a way to make tag their own. But all of tag’s unique spin-offs come from, once again, Julius Pollux in the second century. He set up the rules by having two teams play the game. One team chases, and the other team runs.

To simplify, let your kids choose one chaser. When the chaser tags everyone, another another child gets to chase. Tag is both active and engaging, which means your children will leave exhausted and ready for a good nights rest! It’s a win win for both parties.  

Charades

Charades is another timeless game that originated hundreds of years ago in the 1700’s. This game will not only entertain you and your kids, but will push them to think outside the box and get outside their comfort zones.

To make the game as simple and as interactive as possible, place paper and colored pencils in front of your kids, and invite them to write down any noun that comes to mind: dog, cat, water, book, duck, roller coaster, etc.

Once everybody is finished, cut and fold the paper into small pieces, and put them in a small bowl. Choose one player to pull from the bowl, and act the word out. The child who guesses correctly wins the game and gets to act next. 

Jump Rope

Do you remember the thrill of anticipation you felt as you counted “one...two...three...,” to see how many jumps you could take without tripping over the rope? Make the same memories you had with your kids! This popular activity excites children, but also burns off their extra energy, while increasing their body coordination. Added bonus. 

Children over the years have experienced these benefits since the 1600’s when the Egyptians started using vines as rope. We don’t have pictures of them playing jumprope, but it is fun to imagine girls and boys jump roping in front of the pyramids and laughing together with their parents just as kids do today. 

 * Photo designed by Freepick.