Playground games in French

Playground games in French
More games are described on these websites:
www.pbmedias.free.fr/jeux/rubriques/jeu de recreation.htm
www.webalain.ch/jeux
www.cslaval.qc.ca/Prof-INet/anim/fiche
La Marelle
(Hopscotch)
On joue à la marelle.
Pupils start from la terre (earth). They take it in turns to throw a
stone, aiming for the numbers in sequence. If they miss a number,
they lose their turn. If they touch a line, they have to start again.
They must not land in l’enfer (hell). The first child to reach le ciel
(sky) is the winner.
Jeu de l’épervier
(Sparrowhawk game / It)
One child is l’épervier and stands in the middle of the playground. The other children stand at
one end. When the sparrowhawk calls out j’arrive, the other children have to run across the
playground without being caught. If the sparrowhawk catches them, he calls out attrape and
they become sparrowhawks too.
Un … deux … trois … soleil
All the children stand on a line apart from one child, who stands on the opposite side of the
playground with his back to them. They try to move forwards as he says Un, deux, trois …
soleil. He turns round, and any child still moving is out. The first child to reach the speaker and
touch his back is the winner.
Pauvre petit chat malade
(Poor little sick cat)
Children sit in a circle. One child pretends to be a cat and goes to another child, who has to say
Pauvre petit chat malade without laughing. If he laughs, he becomes the cat. If not, the cat
goes to another child.
Cache-cache
(Hide and seek)
On joue au cache-cache.
When the seeker has finished counting, he says J’arrive.
Les loups et les moutons
(Wolves and sheep)
The playground is divided into 3 sections. 3 wolves stand in the middle section la forêt des loups
(wolves’ forest). The other children are sheep and stand in one of the end sections le pré
(meadow). When a signal is given, the sheep have to run across to la bergerie (sheepfold)
without being caught by the wolves. Any sheep caught is out. When only 3 sheep are left, the
game is over and they become the wolves in the next game.
Counting out game
Une oie - deux oies - trois oies - quatre oies - cinq oies - six oies - sept oies
(sept oies is pronounced like c’est toi - it’s you)
Le fermier dans son pré
(The farmer’s in his den)
Le fermier dans son pré,
le fermier dans son pré,
ohé, ohé, ohé,
le fermier dans son pré
(The farmer in his meadow)
Le fermier prend sa femme,
le fermier prend sa femme,
ohé, ohé, ohé
le fermier prend sa femme
(The farmer takes his wife)
La femme prend son enfant … (The wife takes her child)
L'enfant prend sa nourrice …
(The child takes her nurse)
La nourrice prend son chat … (The nurse takes her cat)
Le chat prend sa souris …
(The cat takes its mouse)
La souris prend son rat …
(The mouse takes its rat)
Le rat prend son fromage …
(The rat takes its cheese)
Le fromage est battu,
le fromage est battu,
ohé, ohé, ohé
le fromage est battu
(The cheese is beaten)