Quick! What was your favorite way to play as a child?
Recently, some of us who work at Melissa & Doug were reflecting on how we could add more play to our lives. Reminiscing about all the ways we had fun as children inspired us to try some of our favorite, almost-forgotten childhood games! Needless to say, it was a ton of fun for us grown-ups and also for the kids in our lives who had never heard of these little gems!
What Are the Best Childhood Games?
Here are 30 of our favorite childhood games. The best childhood games are those that spread by word of mouth and are fun for all ages. From simple hand games like Cat’s Cradle to classics like Hide and Seek, most of these childhood games don't require much, if any, equipment or elaborate rules.
Side note: It’s interesting how many regional variations pop up when you start talking to people about how they played as children. Take a look at the list and see how many you remember playing, and which ones you might want to share.
30 Childhood Games We Loved and Want to Pass Along to Our Kids
1. Cat’s Cradle
2. Clapping Games: “Miss Mary Mack,” “Miss Suzie,” “Patty Cake” & more!
3. Cops & Robbers
4. Card Games: Rummy, Go Fish, Old Maid, etc.
5. Crab Walk Soccer
6. Dress-Up/Role Play
7. Fort Building
8. Hangman
9. Hide and Seek
10. Hopscotch
11. Hot Potato
12. Hula Hoop
13. Jacks
14. Jump Rope
15. Keep It Up (Keep Up the Balloon)
16. Lava on the Floor
17. Leapfrog
18. Leg wrestling
19. Marbles
20. Musical Chairs
21. Paper Football
22. Piggyback Races
23. Restaurant
24. Road Trip License Plate Game
25. Rock, Paper, Scissors
26. School
27. Secret Agent/Spy Games
28. Tag (and all its variations! Eraser Tag, Flashlight Tag, Freeze Tag, TV Tag, etc.)
29. Thumb wrestling
30. Wall Ball
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