| FangBao Game | |
When I was a kid, to have a toy as a birthday gift was almost never
happened. In those days, kids had no expectation to get
toys on birthdays. While toys were really seldom seen, we created our own toys to play
many games. I am going to introduce a few traditional Chinese games for kids
from the old days in this series. They are easy to learn and fun, and
need some work from kids.
The first game in this series is a simple paper game
and I don't remember if there is a name for it. Let us call it FangBao.
Fang means square and Bao means treasure. This game is for kids 5 to
10 years old. It is usually played by two kids.
Making Fangbao
Fangbao is very easy to make. Just follow the steps below.
Play the Fangbao Game
Let's say two kids playing the game. Each kid has 5 fangbaoes.
If two kids play this game against each other,
each kid should make at least 5 fangbaoes.
We will have new games for kids over next a few weeks, so please come back!
The best place for the game is on a cement ground in the backyard or near the front door.
Draw two lines 3 to 4 feet apart, one line as the starting line and the other as the
ending line. If you have a down step, it will be perfect for the ending line.
Each kid places one fangbao on the starting line. They will hit each other's fangbao towards
the ending line using their fangbaoes. They play in turn, i.e., a kid plays
once each time. The fangbao will hold where it is after it is hit and will start from there
on the next play. If the fangbao passes the ending line or fall down the step as a result
of your play, you will keep that fangbao. The kid who lost the fangbao will place a new
fangbao on the starting line. At the end, the kid with the most fangbaoes wins the game.
The trick is to try to hit the edge of the fangbao on the ground using your fangbao.
Hold the side of your fangbao by putting your thumb under your fangbao and your other four
fingers on top of the fangbao. Then swing your arm cross your body quickly to give the
fangbao certain speed before you let it go to hit the fangbao on the ground. Keep in mind,
the hitting angle of your fangbao is also important for best results.