Shrovetide games for children and adults

Shrovetide is a cheerful national holiday that marks a change of seasons. Frosty winter gives way to a warm, blooming spring. These days, it was customary to walk around the guests, there are hot pancakes resembling the sun, and participate in many fun. Shrovetide games are ceremonial and designed to help spring cope with the boring, harsh winter.

Traditional folk entertainment

Sledding and horseback riding, songs, round dances are characteristic attributes of the Maslenitsa holiday. Everyone participated in the games, with the exception of infants and decrepit old people. Here are some of the entertainments:

• "Cock-fights". A circle was drawn in the snow. Two fighters stood on one leg, the second was held by the hand. It was necessary to push the opponent out of the circle with his shoulder.
• Wall-to-wall battles. Men from neighboring villages stood in line against each other. It was possible to beat the opponent with fists, legs were allowed to set sweeps. It was forbidden to strike in the face and below the solar plexus, as well as to beat the fallen. The task was to drive the enemy over a certain line.
• "The capture of the snow fortress." A wall with a gate was erected from the snow, watered. The players were divided into two teams: forwards and defenders. Snowballs were used. The defenders could use brooms and branches to protect them. The winner was the one who was the first to break through the gate. In the final, the fortress was destroyed to the ground.
• "The ice pillar." Six were doused with water and hung gifts at different heights. Anyone could climb on it and win a prize.

Shrovetide Games for Preschool Children

Young children, due to their age, cannot take part in the above games. At Shrovetide, they can offer other entertainment:

• "Sweet tree." Sweets, candies, gingerbreads are hung on branches. Toddlers must bounce and take the prize off the tree.
• "Tape carousel." Colorful ribbons are tied to a wooden pole. They should slide well along the base. Children take them and run in a circle, forming a carousel.
• The trickle. Children stand in pairs in a row and raise their clasped hands high. The driver walks along the educated corridor, chooses the one who is attractive to him, and becomes with this baby in front. A child left without a couple becomes a new leader.
• "Snowdrops". Paper flowers to be collected are scattered on the snow. The child who has more of them wins.

Shrovetide games for students

Older children can take part in more complex games that require the use of force, ingenuity, perseverance. For example, such:

• Tug of war.
• Running in bags.
• "King of the hill." One child climbs a snowy elevation. Others try to take his place, pulling the brave man down. Holding out the longest becomes the "king of the hill."
• Shooting snowballs on painted targets.
• "Pancakes in the pan." Draw a circle in the snow, children stand along its borders, holding hands. Purpose: to force a neighboring player to step over the line. Then the “pancake” is considered “baked”. The winner is the one who has never been in the "pan".

Entertainment for adults

Games on Shrovetide on the street is a test of their strength, agility, accuracy, speed. Adult participants can take part in the following activities:

• Panicle throwing. You can simply throw them at a range, or you can knock figures out of the snow. For the game, it is more convenient to use brooms without a pole.
• Sledging. Men organize races, carrying sleds with children sitting on them.
• "Bathhouse". This is a doubles match. Opponents get bath brooms and hockey masks. The winner is the one who quickly beat the leaves from the battlefield.
• "Pancake week relay race". It is necessary to run the distance, completing the tasks on the way: put on a shirt, gird, eat pancake, pour compote into a glass and drink it, kiss the beauty on the cheek.
• Fight with bags stuffed with straw, or pillows. Competition conditions may vary. Sometimes a log is set on an elevation, the soldiers sit on it and try to knock each other down. Another option: draw a circle, beyond which you need to kick the opponent.

Indoor games

It is not always possible to spend a holiday in the fresh air. What Shrovetide games can be organized indoors? In fact, there are not so few options:

• Eating pancakes for speed. Lead pinpoints a minute. Before the participants is a plate with pancakes. Who ate more, he won.
• "The radiant sun." A circle is drawn on the sheet. One of those present is blindfolded, given colored strips of paper and glue stick. He must glue the rays to the sun, following the prompts of his comrades. The game can be made a team.
• "Air battles." Participants are awarded with long balloons. The task is to push the opponent out of the court. It can be drawn in chalk or marked with ropes.
• Arm wrestling.
• Throwing paper pancakes at the target (empty box).
• "Pancake". In the room hide a lot of paper pancakes on which the letters B, L, I, N. are written. The team that will be the first to add the word BLINK from the found blanks will win.

Shrovetide games help to build an appetite, relax well and forget about problems for a while. Have fun, because spring is ahead - a time of new beginnings and hopes.