Like kids all around the globe, Danish children love to play. Even with the advent of so many computer games, kids in Denmark usually spend a lot of time playing outdoors – in schools or in neighborhoods. Many Danish games have similar counterparts in other areas of the world, but some are unique to the country.
Gemme is Popular in Denmark and Other Countries
Gemme is the Danish name that kids have for the universally loved game of hide-and-go-seek. One person is chosen to be IT and boundaries are set up to establish an area where the other children can hide. The person who is IT closes his eyes and counts aloud to 100, while everyone else playing the game runs and finds a hiding spot.
Once the seeker reaches 100, he tries to find one of the hidden kids. Whoever he finds first becomes IT for the game's next round and also joins the person who found him to look for the others. This goes on until the last child is found.
Catch Me is a Danish Kid Game for All Ages
Danish kids love to play tag, and several variations of this type of game that are popular in the country. In standard tag, one person is IT and his job is to chase and touch one of the other players. Whoever he touches becomes IT for the next round.
In another version, sometimes called Laenkfange, when the person who is IT tags another child, the two join hands and continue trying to tag other kids, who will then join the chain and the hunt. When four children are linked by hands, they split into groups of two, and both groups continue trying to tag others.
Danish Longball a Cross Between Cricket and Baseball
This Danish game is similar to cricket, but it's played with many more kids. Players need a bat, a ball and markers to outline a large rectangular field. The object of the game is to score the most runs. Children divide into two teams of hitters and fielders, and the game begins with a batter who tries to hit a ball rolled by a bowler from the middle of the field.
The batter has three chances to hit the ball and run to the other side of the field. Fielders can tag him out only by hitting him with the ball. A batter scores when he makes it across the field and back, though he can take a rest at one end of the field. Once he scores, he rejoins the batting lineup.
Mus is a Traditional Danish Eating Game
Pebernodder, a German cookie, are a traditional Christmas treat in Danish households. The game of mus, or mouse, is a fun way for kids to eat them. Three or more children line a table with 10 pebernodder and take turns being IT.
The person who is IT closes his eyes, and the other players choose one of the cookies to be the mouse. Eyes still closed, IT eats one cookie at a time until he reaches the mouse, at which point everyone yells, "Mus!" and his turn is over, and another child gets to be IT.
Gemme, Catch Me and Mus are fun games for toddlers and school age children, and Danish Longball can be played from grade school through the teenage years. Although many of these games originated in Denmark, Danish games can be enjoyed by kids of every age all over the world.
Janice Fahy - Janice Fahy is a freelance writer who is comfortable researching and writing on just about any topic under the sun.
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