Thirteen Things about MARIBETHA memory came to mind this week, I recalled playing games in my backyard as a little girl. Today, I have fun watching my children play the same games. With spring right around the corner, I know it’s only a matter of time before we are outside playing. This week I am listing thirteen games I played as a little girl.

1… HOW MANY STEPS BEFORE THE QUEEN- SOMEONE WOULD BECOME THE QUEEN. EACH PLAYER WOULD ASK “HOW MANY STEPS BEFORE THE QUEEN?” THE QUEEN WOULD RESPOND BY SAYING DIFFERENT STEPS, EG. ONE TINY STEP OR THREE GIANT STEPS. IF THE PLAYER MOVED WITHOUT ASKING MAY I, THEY WOULD HAVE TO RETURN TO THEIR ORIGINAL POINT. THE FIRST ONE REACHING THE QUEEN WON AND BECAME THE QUEEN.

2… RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT—SOMEONE WOULD CALL OUT GREEN LIGHT GO AND WE RUN AROUND THE YARD UNTIL SOMEONE YELLED RED LIGHT STOP. IT DEFINITELY RELEASED SOME ENERGY.

3…PIE GAME- SOMEONE WOULD BE THE PIE MAKER AND THINK OF A CERTAIN FLAVOR PIE. THE REMAINING KIDS WOULD COME UP TO THE PIE MAKER AND ASK, “DO YOU HAVE LEMON PIE TODAY?” IF THE ANSWER WAS YES THE PIE MAKER WOULD CHASE THE ONE WHO GUESSED THE CORRECT PIE. IF THE PIE MAKER TAGGED THE GUESSER PRIOR TO REACHING THE SAFE ZONE, THE GUESSER WOULD BECOME THE PIE MAKER.

4…OBSTACLE COURSE- WE WOULD USE ANYTHING FROM BROOM STICKS TO SKATEBOARDS. THE PERSON WHO DESIGNED THE COURSE WOULD SHOW OTHERS WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO AND IN WHAT ORDER. WHO EVER RAN THE OBSTACLE COURSE IN THE QUICKEST AMOUNT OF TIME WON THE GAME.

5…STATUES- WE WOULD RUN AROUND THE YARD AND WHEN SOMEONE CALLED OUT STATUE, WE HAD TO FREEZE AND TAKE A POSE. THE GUESSER HAD TO TRY AND GUESS WHAT YOU WERE PRETENDING TO BE.

6… FREEZE TAG- RUN AROUND UNTIL YOU ARE TAGGED AND ONCE YOU ARE, YOU BECOME FROZEN AND CANNOT MOVE UNTIL ANOTHER PLAYER WHO HAS NOT BEEN TAGGED TOUCHES YOU, RELEASING THE FREEZE HOLD.

7… DODGE BALL-ONE OF MY FAVORITES, TRY TO AVOID BEING HIT BY THE FLYING BALL THROWN AT YOU.

8… JAIL BREAK- ANOTHER FORM OF TAG, I CAN’T FULLY REMEMBER THE RULES OF THIS ONE BUT I KNOW WE HAD A LOT OF FUN PLAYING IT.

9… SIMON SAYS- EVERYONE KNOWS THIS ONE RIGHT?

10… MONKEY IN THE MIDDLE- TWO PLAYERS TAKE TURNS THROWING A BALL OVER THE MIDDLE PERSON’S HEAD. IF THE MIDDLE PERSON CATCHES IT, THE ONE WHO THREW IT HAS TO BECOME THE MONKEY IN THE MIDDLE

11… HIDE AND GO SEEK- WHO DOESN’T LOVE THIS GAME? MY FAVORITE, I HATED BEING THE SEEKER.

12… HOPSCOTCH- WE WOULD DRAW A HUGE HOPSCOTCH BOARD IN THE ALLEY NEXT TO OUR HOUSE, EACH FIND A SPECIAL ROCK AND TAKE TURNS TOSSING IT TO THE CORRECT NUMBER. IF YOUR ROCK LANDED ON THE DESIRED NUMBER, YOU COULD HOP TO IT. HOWEVER, YOU HAD TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO HOP ON ANY OTHER NUMBERS THAT HAD ROCKS.

13… COPS AND ROBBERS- SIMILAR TO JAIL BREAK BUT NOT AS MANY RULES, IT WAS ALWAYS FUN BEING THE ROBBER, I GUESS I LIKED BEING THE REBEL.

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