Polish Games

A 'Taste' of Poland

 

• Poland is located in central Europe and borders with Germany, Czech Republic, Russia, Belarus, Slovakia, Ukraine and Lithuania.
• This territory of forest, plains, lakes, sea and mountains has Warsaw for capital.
• Poland means "land of fields" and its rich soils were alluring to enemies since the country's beginning in 966. Its history is filled with wars and invasions.
• Courageous soldiers, especially it's famous cavalry, sustained Poland's survival.
• Christianity is well established today; in the past, it sustained people's hope and strength in struggles for a free country.
• Poland is not only known for it's colorful folk dances and delicious cookies and sausages. It is also a mother country of such famous people like Pope Jan Paul II, a pianist and composer Frederick Chopin , and a Nobel prize scientist Maria Curie-Sklodowska.

(drawing by Zuzanna Kubica)

Click on the title of the games below to view them.

• Green Leaves
• Green Leaves Translation in Polish
• Green Leaves Translation in French
• Blind Woman
• Blind Woman translation in French
• Everything with Feathers Flies
• Salonowiec
• Salonowiec translation in Polish
• Ciupy
• Ciupy translation in Polish

Objective

The objective of this game is to collect as much money or funds as you can.

Number of Players

Two good friends play this game. Any number higher than 2 can play this game including teams of any number.

Equipment

Not many things are needed to play this game. All you need is a friend and somewhere to pick up a fresh green leaf.

How to Play

1. Each player should have a friend
2. Each player or team can ask to see the others persons green leaf whenever they wish.
3. If the person does not have the green leaf requested, he must pay a fine that is established before the game. 

SOURCE: Knab, Sophie Hodorowicz. "Polish Customs, Traditions and Folklore" Hippocrene Books, Inc., 1993. p295

Back to top

Green Leaves Translation in Polish

Gracze: 2 lub wiecej.

Do tej gry potrzebne sa zielone liscie lub trawki ( zywe, nie sztuczne).

W Polsce gra ta byla znana juz w XV wieku ( z zapiskow historyka Dlugosza) i grana najchetniej wiosna, po dlugiej zimie. Gra moze trwac dzien , tydzien , miesiac - zalezy od umowy.

Zasady:

W dowolnej chwili i miejscu jeden gracz moze poprosic innego gracza o zielone wolajac "raz, dwa, trzy zielone". Gracz musi pokazac cos zielonego (kawalek listka wystarczy) albo daje fant. Zgodnie z wczesniejsza umowa fanty moga przejsc na wlasnosc nowego wlasciciela albo po skonczonej grze odbywa sie wykupywanie fantow. Czesto oznacza to wykonanie przyslugi.

Radosc zabawy polega na wynajdywaniu sytuacji, w ktorych gracz nie ma zielonego przy sobie.

Green Leaves Translation in French

Number of players

The more of players for this game the better because it is more fun to play that way.

Equipment

The equipment needed for this game is something to cover someone eyes.

How to Play

1. Take away anything that can break or get damaged.
2. Choose someone to be the Blind Woman and cover his/her eyes with a cloth so that the chosen person can not see.
3. All the players try to escape the "Blind Woman".
4. If the "Blind Woman" touches anybody, the person touched becomes the new "Blind Woman".

Advice

When you choose a cloth to cover the persons eyes make sure that the cloth is dark. Take away anything that can break or get damaged.

Blind Woman Translation in French

Back to top

Number of players

This game is played with a minimum of 5 players and a maximum of 10 players.

Equipment

This game is played on a flat surface usually a table.

How to Play

1. The players choose a leader for the game who will call out a animal.
2. If that animal has feathers the other players should hit the table and repeat the name of the animal said. If someone hits the table when an animal without feathers is called out he/she is eliminated.
3. The last person left is the winner and becomes the leader for the next game.

(picture taken by Ewa Zietkiewicz)

Equipment

A flat surface to be able to lean on.

Number of Players

This game can be played with as many as 7 players and a minimum of 3 players.

Instruction

1. Choose a person to start the game.
2. The chosen person bends over the table and closes his eyes.
3. All the other players crowd behind the person.
4. One of the people behind him raps his/her back.
5. The rapped person turns around and tries to guess who did it.
6. If he guesses correctly, the person who tapped him takes his place. If he does not guess correctly then they keep on rapping his back one person at a time, until he guesses correctly.

Advice

This is a good family game. It is a chance for you to get even with your dad who finished the cookies without you, or your little sister who lost your Gameboy. But watch out! You might be surprised how they enjoy rapping you if you were not always nice !

Back to top

Salonowiec Translation in Polish

Gracze:

3 lub wiecej. Wiecej graczy wiecej zabawy.

Gdzie:

Wszedzie mozna, ale nazwa sugeruje, ze kiedys ta gra towarzyska bywala grywana w salonach.

Zasady:

Wybrany gracz odwraca sie tylem do reszty towarzystwa i wypina sie (najczesciej opierajac sie o cos). Ktos z graczy daje mu klapsa w pupe. Wtedy klepniety odwraca sie i probuje odgadnac kto to zrobil. Jesli zgadnie zamieniaja sie rolami, jesli nie znow odwraca sie i oczekuje kolejnych klapsow.

Najwiecej radosci jest gdy starasz sie uderzyc jakby to zrobil ktos inny i udaje sie. Szczegolnie jak mozesz sie odegrac na rodzince. Zreszta wystarczy spojrzec na nasza rodzinna fotografie.

Equipment

The equipment for this game is only 5 small round stones that if you put them in the palm of your hand the stones should easily fit.

Players

The number of players for this game is 2 or more.

Basic Rules

There are 6 levels. The only way to win is to complete all 6 levels. When someone fails on a level he passes the stones and the next player starts his turn. When the player fails and gets his turn back he must start from the beginning of the level. He or she failed on.

Advice

When playing, play on a flat surface. When choosing amount of players choose no more than 4 per group because the people may get bored waiting for their turn. When playing with more players than 3 you might might want to start two games of Ciupy. You may find your five round rocks on the beach or even in your backyard.

How to play

Level 1

Spread the stones by putting them in your hand and let them roll down just like when using a dice. You pick 1 and only one stone, you throw it in the air and when it is in the air you try to pick up one stone. Once you have it you must be prepared for the stone in the air because you must catch it with the other stone in your hand. Once you catch the stone, put it aside. Repeat this with each stone. If you do not mess up any time, then you have finished level one.

 Level 2

Roll the stones just like in level 1, and pick a stone to throw up in the air. Once it is thrown you must quickly pick up 2 stones from the ground and catch the stone that you threw up. Put the 2 stones aside and repeat with the two other pair.

 Level 3

Very similar to level 1 and 2. The only difference: first time pick up one stone. Second time pick up 3.

Level 4

Keep all 5 stones in your hand. Throw one - put the other 4 on the ground and catch the stone that you threw. Throw your stone again - pick up all 4.

Don't forget to catch the one that is in the air.

Level 5

This level is very hard. You are throwing all 5 stones at once.

Turn quickly your hand so at a least few of the stones land on the top of your hand. Then drop the stones between your fingers except one. Throw this stone - pick up all 4 stones and catch the stone that was thrown in the air . Uff!

Level 6

Similar to level 1 but instead of putting aside the picked up stones, keep them in the palm of your hand while throwing and catching the others.

Back to Top

Ciupy Translation in Polish

Gracze:

2 lub wiecej

Gdzie i czym:

5 kamyczkow sredniej wielkosci, zeby zmiescily sie w dloni. Gra sie zwykle na ziemi i rozrzuca kamyczki na kocu lub czyms gladkim (zeby dalo sie zbierac kamyczki). Gra sie jedna reka.

Zasady:

Kazdy gracz rzuca i lapie kamyczki w okreslony sposob. Jest 6 etapow (opisane nizej). Wygrywa ten kto pierwszy ukonczy wszystkie etapy. Gdy skusi oddaje kolejke nastepnemu, a gdy bedzie znow jego kolejka zaczyna od poczatku etap na ktorym skusil.

Etapy: 

I etap (jedynki)

Gracz rozrzuca kamyczki , wybiera jeden do rzucania.

Podrzuca go do gory tak wysoko aby zdazyc w tym czasie zebrac jeden kamyczek z ziemi i zlapac spadajacy. Odklada jeden kamyczek na bok i powtarza to samo az wszystkie cztery kamyczki sa zebrane.

II etap (dwojki)

Podobnie rozrzuca kamyczki i wybiera jeden do podrzucania (jak w etapie I).

Ale potem podczas podrzucania zbiera dwa kamyczki naraz, odklada je i za nastepnym rzutem zbiera pozostale dwa.

III etap (trojki)

Podobnie jak etapy poprzednie, ale zbiera sie kamyczek jeden a potem trzy.

IV etap (czworki )

Trzymajac w reku wszystkie kamyczki podrzuca sie do gory jeden i szybko odkada pozostale cztery na ziemi , nastepnie lapie spadajacy kamyk.

Potem podrzuca sie ten kamyk jeszcze raz i w tym czasie zbiera wszystkie cztery kamyczki z ziemi (uff!).

V etap (czworki - tak tez nazywaja sie czworki )

Podrzuca sie wszystkie kamyczki, odwraca szybko dlon, zeby spadajace kamyczki spadly na wierzch dloni (niekonicznie wszystkie ale najmniej jeden). Potem upuszcza sie na ziemie kamyczki (oprocz jednego) przez rozwarte palce. Ten jeden podrzuca sie do gory tak wysoko zeby zdazyc zebrac rozrzucone cztery kamyczki i zlapac spadajacy.

Etap VI (piatki)

Jak w etapie I , kamyczki zbiera sie po jednnym, z tym ze nie odklada sie ich miedzy rzutami tylko zbiera wszystkie do dloni.