A Collection of World Games

TWGfU--Teaching World Games for Understanding | 2016 SHAPE America National Convention

TWGfU--Teaching World Games for Understanding | 2016 National Physical Education & School Sport Institute

Created by Sarah Gietschier-Hartman @GHSaysRockChalk

Around the World in 80 Games

Complete List of Sports from Around the World

Game Country of Origin Quick Description Resource(s) TGfU Categories

American Handball United States Players use their hands to hit a small rubber ball against a wall so that it bounces off in such a way that their opponent cannot return it. There are three versions of handball (four-wall, three-wall and one-wall). Net/Wall

Angleball United States Two large balls are placed atop 10-foot standards at opposite sides of a field. In a mixture of soccer and basketball, teams pass a smaller ball back and forth, attempting to knock the other team's ball off its perch with the smaller ball (normally a regulation size handball). A goal is worth one point. An offensive player who is touched by a defensive player must come to a stop and has three seconds to pass the ball to avoid a turnover. Once tagged, a player cannot shoot for a goal. If a target ball is knocked off its perch as a result of the standard being struck it results in a turnover. Angleball Video Invasion/Territorial

Australian Rules Football Australia The main way to score points is by kicking the ball between the two tall goal posts. The ball can be propelled in any direction by way of a foot, clenched fist, or open-hand tap, but it cannot be thrown. Once a player takes possession of the ball he must dispose of it by either kicking or handballing it. Invasion/Territorial

Ball Badminton India A fast-paced racket game, played with a yellow ball made of wool. Net/Wall

Bandy England A team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal. It is played like ice hockey, but like field hockey, players use bowed sticks and a small ball. Invasion/Territorial

Battledore and Shuttlecock American Indian Divide the class into groups of six to eight. Players start by forming a circle with 3-4 feet between each person. The first player hits the shuttlecock to the player to the right using an underhand hit. Variation: Players who miss their shot are "out" and join other players to start a new game. Matthew Bassett @PhysEdApps Net/Wall

Bike Polo Ireland Cycle polo is a team sport, similar to traditional polo, except that bicycles are used instead of horses. There are 2 versions of the sport: Grass and Hardcourt Bike Polo. Hardcourt Bike Polo Invasion/Territorial

Biribol Brazil An aquatic variation of volleyball. Net/Wall

Blind Snake Austria Place small obstacles around the playing area that students can go around, over, and under. Divide the class into groups. Each person needs a blindfold, except for the leader. The team stands in a single file line behind the leader, with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them. The leader makes a movement/gesture (that needs to be felt by the second person) to tell the team what to do. Each person on the team will repeat the gesture so that everyone on the team does the same thing. Example: A left turn, the leader will raise their left shoulder; a right turn, the leader will raise their right shoulder. Goal: The leader will successfully navigate their team through an obstacle course. Matthew Bassett @PhysEdApps Teambuilding

Bola Peru Divide the students into small groups. Each group needs one bowling ball and three pins. The pins should be arranged in a triangle. The head pin is worth 12 points and the other two pins are worth 6 points. The players take turns rolling the ball towards the pins, trying to knock them down and accumulate a specific number of points. Matthew Bassett @PhysEdApps Target

Bossaball Spain Similar to volleyball, but participants play on an inflatable court with trampolines on each side of the net. The game combines skills used in volleyball, soccer, gymnastics, and capoeira. Bossaball Video Net/Wall

Bo-taoshi Japan A capture-the-flag-type game, with 150 participants on each team. Teams compete to control a single large pole. Invasion/Territorial

Brännboll Scandinavia & Germany Similar to baseball, cricket, and rounders, but there is no pitcher. In this game, the batsman throws or bounces the ball (usually a tennis ball) and hits it with his bat. Striking/Fielding

Brusim, Brusim Skarice Croatia A tag game. One player takes two separate branches and crosses them over one another as though they were scissors. This is often done with a naughty grin. His task is to catch the other players – essentially, the one with the scissors is “it.” However, as long as the other players are physically touching one of the surrounding trees, they are considered “safe.” There is a rule, however, that each one tree provides safety only to one single player, the one who touched it last. This means that players can run towards each others’ trees, and by touching them, they are ridding their opponents of their safety, thus providing a chance for the catcher to find his victim. If all the players manage to change trees at least once, the scissor-yielding catcher loses. If he manages to touch a tree-less victim with his branches, the player caught becomes “it,” and the game starts anew. Invasion/Territorial

Capoeira West Africa & Brazil A martial art and game that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music. Its history originates from West Africans who were enslaved in Brazil. Capoeira Video Self Defense

Catch Your Tail Nigeria A speed and agility game. Divide the class into groups of two. Each group needs one scarf. Have one person place a scarf into the back of their waistband or back pocket. The person with the scarf will place their hands on the back of their teammate's shoulders. On the “GO” signal, the person in front will attempt to pull the other team's scarves. The person in the back will try to avoid having their scarf pulled. If a team becomes disconnected, they must stop and reconnect before starting again. Teams who lose their scarves go to a location outside of the playing area and complete a "Body Reward" (an exercise) before re-entering the game. Matthew Bassett @PhysEdApps Invasion/Territorial

Chinese Handball United States A version of American Handball. Unlike traditional handball, for a shot to be valid, the ball must hit the ground before it hits the wall. Typically a two-player game, but larger groups can play a version called Ace-King-Queen. Traditionally played with a racquetball or Spaldeen High-Bounce ball. Chinese Handball Net/Wall

Chinese Jump Rope China Two participants face each other (about 6 feet apart) and position a taut string around their ankles. The jumper (third person) completes various jumps between the string. Dance/Rhythms

Chinese Wall England Arrange 10 cones in two rows to form five parallel lines about 12 yards apart. There should be at least a yard between each line. (See Resource Image.) Select five "gatekeepers." The gatekeepers are each assigned to one of the parallel lines. Gatekeepers can only move left and right. The rest of the group lines up at the designated start line. Their goal is to get to the other side of the play area without being tagged by a gatekeeper. If a player is tagged by a gatekeeper, he becomes a Gatekeeper, as well, and must join the "line" of the person who tagged him. Players that make it across safely turn around and try to cross again in the other direction. The game ends when there is only one runner left and all the other players have become gatekeepers. Resource Image Invasion/Territorial

Chinlone Myanmar A combination of sport and dance. A non-competitive team sport with no opposing team. The focus is not on winning or losing, but how beautifully one plays the game. A team of six players pass the ball back and forth with their feet, knees, and heads as they walk around a circle. One player goes into the center to solo, creating a dance of various moves strung together. The soloist is supported by the other players who try to pass the ball back with one kick. When the ball drops to the ground it is dead, and the play starts again. Individual Pursuits

Cida-Ciskapa Croatia One player takes off his hat (or in some cases, his shoe) and puts it on the ground. He then provokes the other participants to hit it with their legs. He guards it well, but when somebody actually manages to hit it, the “guardian” has the right to catch that person. However, if somebody, in the meantime, hits the hat again, the guardian has to catch that new person, instead of the one originally hit the hat. In other words, the last person to have hit the hat is “catchable,” and if gets caught, he has to take off his hat and become a new catcher.

Circle Ball Israel Divide the class into groups of six to eight. Each group needs a ball and hula hoop. Each group forms a circle with about 6-8 feet between players. Place a hula hoop in the center of the circle. One player holds the ball, turns to their right, and bounces the ball to the player on their right. Each player keeps bouncing the ball until it gets back to the first person. Then they bounce the ball to the center of the hula hoop to one of the members of their group. Players keep passing the ball through the hula hoop. A player is awarded a point if they 1) make a bad pass, 2) drop the ball, 3) do not bounce the ball inside the hoop. Like golf, the player with the lowest score, wins. Matthew Bassett @PhysEdApps

Circle Rules Football United States Circle rules football is played on a circular field with one goal in the center and a circle rules gameball (similar to a yoga or stability ball). Each team scores through opposite directions of the same goal. Players can touch the ball with any part of their body as long