Children's games

a children’s game in which one player has their eyes covered with a blindfold and tries to catch the others

a game in which children throw a ball to each other

a game in which children hold a piece of string around their hands and make patterns by moving their fingers through the string

chicken (noun)

a game played especially by children in which the winner is the person who continues doing something dangerous the longest

dodge ball (noun)

a game played by children standing in a circle using a large rubber ball that one child throws at another, who tries to avoid being hit

double dutch (noun)

informalAmerican a game of skipping rope (=jumping over a rope) in which two ropes are used at the same time

dress-up (noun)

American the children’s activity of putting on different clothes and pretending to be someone else

follow-the-leader (noun)

American a children’s game in which one child performs actions that the others must copy. The British word is follow-my-leader.

game (noun)

an activity that children do for fun that may not have rules or a winner

hide-and-seek (noun)

a children’s game in which one player lets the other players hide, and then tries to find them

home base (noun)

the place in children’s games where you start from and often finish

hopscotch (noun)

a children’s game that involves jumping on a set of squares that you draw on the ground

I-spy (noun)

a children’s game in which players try to guess what object someone is thinking of by knowing the first letter of it. The game begins by one player saying “I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with...”.

jacks (noun)

a children’s game in which you pick up small objects after you have bounced a ball and before you catch it again

keep-away (noun)

American a game in which two or more people try to prevent someone else from getting an object, usually a ball

kickball (noun)

American a children’s game similar to baseball in which players kick a large ball and run around bases

leapfrog (noun)

a children’s game in which one child bends down so that another child can jump over them

marbles (noun)

a game played by children in which they roll small colored glass balls called marbles on the ground

maze (noun)

a children’s game in which you have to find a way through a complicated structure

monkey-in-the-middle (noun)

American a children’s game in which two people throw a ball to each other and a third person stands between them and tries to get the ball

musical chairs (noun)

a children’s game in which players walk around a row of chairs and quickly sit down when the music stops. There is one less chair than there are people, and the person who does not get a chair leaves the game. This continues until there is only one person left.

peekaboo (noun)

a game that you play to entertain a baby or small child, in which you cover your face with your hands or hide behind something, then suddenly show your face, saying “peekaboo”

sack race (noun)

a race, especially for children, in which you put your legs inside a large cloth bag and move by jumping

tag (noun)

a children’s game in which one player chases the others and tries to touch them

tag (verb)

to touch another player in some children’s games

tig (noun)

British the game of tag

Synonyms and antonyms of Children's games in American Thesaurus