Weird Kids’ Games

The Picnic Wasp · February 24, 2023, 11:38:26 AM

I was just reminiscing earlier about a couple of the strange ritualistic pastimes that were about when I was primary school age, and wondered if there were different or regional variations to these brutal practices. For example, if you were walking with a friend and you happened to see a Morris 1000 traveller or Mini equivalent, with the Ash hardwood rear framework, you would shout, "Beaver" and punch the person you were with as hard as you liked on the arm. However, when you shouted this, you also had to add "No back backers" or you could also be punched. Similarly, if you were unfortunate enough to make an audible fart, woe betide you if you didn't utter the fully comprehensive insurance protection word "Safety" at the same time as otherwise all and sundry could knock the stuffing out of you. Cruel things children!

Matt2112 · February 24, 2023, 03:09:50 PM

Yes, something similar from my secondary school days:

(While jabbing someone on the arm repeatedly): "Bus ont hill, 9-9-9, no returns!!"

Never partook of it myself, I always thought it was stupid.

The Picnic Wasp · February 24, 2023, 08:25:49 PM

Quote from: Matt2112 on February 24, 2023, 03:09:50 PMYes, something similar from my secondary school days:

(While jabbing someone on the arm repeatedly): "Bus ont hill, 9-9-9, no returns!!"

Never partook of it myself, I always thought it was stupid.

I like that! I'm a bit obsessed with Yorkshire at the moment after the recent Happy Valley conclusion and also binge watching Last Tango In Halifax at the moment, never having watched it before. It must be a bit like watching Taggart if you're from Glasgow, spotting local streets and buildings. I live in a quiet suburb and a very short walk away Griff Rhys Jones was in a film, a scene of which was shot in a local house. I never got to see the film. I must check it out as I think one of my classmates, Leo Sho-Silva also appeared. I'd no idea Leo was an actor. He was one of the funniest, liveliest characters you could meet. There was one of those bizarre moments when I was half listening to Griff being interviewed on TV when he was asked who had the most difficult to understand accents of anyone he had worked with in the past. He said it was Leo Sho-Silva. I was shocked but I wasn't sure at the time if I had misheard it. There was no Google then.

Slim · February 24, 2023, 09:16:08 PM

I went to a pretty ordinary junior school then a grammar school, but I can't remember anything like this. Clearly I missed out.

pxr5 · February 24, 2023, 10:02:44 PM

We used to play 'Scratchies' where we'd approach one of the school cocks (one of the best fighters) and shout "Scratchies" when said cock would then attack the nearest victim by digging his nails and fingers into the back of their necks causing pain.

Another was 'kneelies' (it has to end in ies btw lol) and it was simply kneeing the unsuspecting victim on the side on the upper leg. It fucking hurt too - it was done to me a few times, but once it was so bad I was limping for a week.

And this was at a grammar school too

Nick · February 25, 2023, 07:16:59 AM

Used to play "Charge" which I think was British bulldogs under a different name. Two safe areas either end of the playground and a guy (no girls at my school) that was "it" in the no man's land, then and as we charged from one end to the other if you were tapped you joined the middle.

dom · February 25, 2023, 07:56:45 AM

I was brought up on a council estate and we used to play a game called "MOB". One person was designated "it". His/her job was to guard a lamp post. It was always the same one right by my house. Their job was to guard the lamp post and stop everyone else from reaching it. The tactic if you were "It" was to move away from the lamp post to try and draw your adversaries out. If you just stood by the post it would get very boring.

I'm also thinking of the different football games we'd play at home or school. Could have been 20 a side or just 3 or 4 per team. When there were only a few of us a decision would be made as what type of goalie would be used.

"Stick goalie" your traditional goalkeeper. "Rush goalie", the goalkeeper was allowed to play as an outfield player. "Goalie when needed" anyone could handle the ball once they were close enough to the goal they were defending - only 1 person at a time though.

Matt2112 · February 25, 2023, 08:06:06 AM

Yep, we had "Goalie when", as it was commonly referred to.

David L · February 25, 2023, 09:28:30 AM

Out categories of goalie were: "Stick", "Fly" and "Pop-in"

The Picnic Wasp · February 25, 2023, 11:14:24 AM

Our lamp post type game was called Kick The Can. It was basically hide and seek with a twist. The can was the base you returned to to report someone caught, but if someone eluded you and managed to kick the unguarded can everyone already caught was free again. Could go on for ages and was quite frustrating. Another of our street games was the Rope Trick. Stand each side of the road, wait for a car to come past and at the last moment pretend you were lifting a rope across its path. Utter madness when I look back and the police would arrive from time to time for a chat.

The Picnic Wasp · February 25, 2023, 11:18:42 AM

Also, a very long length of thread with a button tied to it about a foot from the end. Sneak into a garden under cover of darkness and sellotape the end of the thread to a window. Carefully make sure the button didn't hit the glass until you were at a safe hiding place with your pals, and start chapping the window. Hilarious and hardly detectable in the dark.

Slim · February 25, 2023, 12:10:10 PM

We did play British Bulldogs at Scouts, and some other games. But the only impromptu self-organised game I played as a kid was footy, with a tennis ball.

David L · February 25, 2023, 12:34:30 PM

Footballs were banned in the playground of our primary school so we would use what was known as a "sock ball". Essentially a ball made of socks or other soft material stitched into a cover to resemble a ball. May well have been introduced to protect nearby greenhouses.

The Picnic Wasp · February 25, 2023, 05:10:55 PM

Quote from: David L on February 25, 2023, 09:28:30 AMOut categories of goalie were: "Stick", "Fly" and "Pop-in"

We had goalie for full time job, or backie-in who could also play outfield. If there were only three or four lads available we would always play Three And In. One lad would go in goal and the others would just play football against each other. When someone scored three goals they took a turn in goal and so on. All night usually.

David L · February 25, 2023, 07:43:46 PM

Quote from: The Picnic Wasp on February 25, 2023, 05:10:55 PM
Quote from: David L on February 25, 2023, 09:28:30 AMOut categories of goalie were: "Stick", "Fly" and "Pop-in"

We had goalie for full time job, or backie-in who could also play outfield. If there were only three or four lads available we would always play Three And In. One lad would go in goal and the others would just play football against each other. When someone scored three goals they took a turn in goal and so on. All night usually.

"Three and in" was popular with us as well. Another 'theme' was "Flukes and headers"