Whenever we talk about playing games, there are people that would say video games name such as Genshin Impact, PUBG, Free Fire, Mobile Legend and many more but before all of these video games existed, most Malaysian kids in the past were filled with simple yet exciting games to play together. Let’s reminisce these 20 Malaysian Childhood games!
20 Malaysian Childhood Games
1. Batu Seremban
Let start with the ultimate Malaysian Childhood Games where we always catch and toss, Batu Seremban.
Batu seremban is a game where you need to use speed and agility to catch the ‘stones’ as you toss them. The ‘stones’ are normally five stones, where each round has its different ways of catching and tossing it.
This Malaysian childhood game is perfect to play alone, but it will be so much fun and exciting to play in a group of people, where you take turns to play and only skip to the next person if you lose the round by accidentally moving the other stones or dropping the stones out of your hand.
Back in the days, they use real stone to play but nowadays, the stone has been replaced to five cute sewn cloth beg or also known as sand bag. The sand beg could be filled with sand, seeds, beans and many more.
2. Congkak
If you are reminded by the Malaysian horror film Congkak, do not fret, not all congkak is haunted like that.
Congkak is a Malaysian childhood games that often played casually with friends, and it is recommended to play at your kampung where you are surrounded with family, this may or may not kick in the competitiveness in you.
Besides, the exciting part of Congkak is whoever has the most marbles will win the game.
3. Ketingting
Ketingting is definitely a Malaysian childhood games. This game is commonly played around the neighbourhood, especially with friends and any ages as well.
The only way to play this game is to follow the number and rules and most importantly, do not fall, or you need to start all over again.
4. Gasing
The new generation plays with BeyBlade, but during the old days we have gasing.
Gasing is the Malaysian childhood game that feels like a battle even though you are playing with your friends at school, because the last spinning top standing is the winner of the game.
The excitement and anxious of looking at the spinning tops while it spins just sparks the reason to play it every day.
5. Lawan Pemadam
Erasers are important in school to erase the mistake we did on paper, however, some erasers are used for fights.
This game could be played anywhere and with many people. Lawan Pemadam is a game that you play when the teacher is around, but you don’t want to get caught.
If your eraser lands on top of your opponent’s eraser, that’s a victory, and you won the fight. Hence, this definitely a Malaysian Childhood game that you can enjoy any day and anytime.
6. Thumb War
To play this Malaysian Childhood games, you don’t have to search for any tools. Just your thumb.
Thumb war could be played by anyone at any time. It’s a simple game that required for you to beat your opponent by putting your thumb first on the opponent’s thumb, and you won the bragging rights of beating your friends.
Playing this in school with your friends or siblings is the best way to play.
7. Card Games
Card games are the best, and each type of card games has its own fun even though it’s not from Malaysia, but it was very popular among kids back then.
Happy Family
This is one of the Malaysian childhood games that you must play in a group. The only goal is to complete your family by finding them among your friends. This game consists of luck and the ability to memorize.
Playing with friends and guessing which person has the family members you want is just intoxicating and drives you to play more.
Snap
The only way to describe this card game is battlefield. Hands are thrown aggressively to snap the at the similar cards to win the most cards. Snap is the Malaysian childhood games that you can enjoy with a group of people or only as a duo.
Donkey and Old Maid
Donkey and Old Maid card games have causes trust issues between friends during playing it. Both of this card games has the same rules and ways to play.
The only way to win is to never get the old maid or donkey card. If you do, you have to maintain a poker face and pray for someone else pulled the card away from you.
8. Pick Up Sticks
Playing this Malaysian Childhood game, you need to have steady and stable hands to win all the points. You will lose your turn if other sticks are moved as well. This game is similar to Jenga Game and Tumblin Monkeys. The ultimate way to have fun while playing this game is to play with a bunch of friends.
9. Zero Point
Zero Point is basically skipping rope, but the twist is the skipping rope is made out of rubber band. Back in the days, this Malaysian childhood game will be play every time during recess, and you will see them jumping across the skipping rope.
10. Ice And Water
Ice and water game involves with running as hard as you can to avoid being ice, and you can only move after your friend tag you and said “WATER”. Most of the time, this game is play during recess and even during waiting for their parents to pick them up after school.
Ice and Water could only be played when there are many people so that the chasing can be more fun and thrilling. This game is similar to ‘Tag You’re it’ game.
11. Main Tiang
Main tiang are commonly played in school during recess time. This Malaysian childhood game gives an adrenaline rush to kids who play it because the moment you don’t have a pole to hold, you’re out of the game.
12. Galah Panjang
The perfect Malaysian childhood game to play with a group of people. You need to pass through obstacles without getting caught by the opponents. Galah panjang will definitely make you run fast as if you’re being chased by a puma.
13. Pepsi Cola
Other than being the name of a soft drink, this was the favourite Malaysian childhood game to play. This game will be more intense, especially on Monday, when the school shoes are clean and pearly white.
14. Musang And Anak Ayam
This game is also known as eagle and chicks where the only thing you do is avoid getting caught at the hand of the predator which is the fox. This game consists of screaming and will pump your energy to avoid being latched by the fox.
15. Baling Selipar
Baling Selipar is literally throwing our slippers onto a stack of slippers made by our opponents. This Malaysian childhood game brings out the hidden power within us to knock down their stack and win the game.
16. Bottle Caps Or Ceper
In the old days, they would collect bottle caps of beverages to play this Malaysian childhood game. The way to play it is very simple: just flick the bottle cap and sometimes if they flick it too hard the bottle caps might just fly far away.
17. Layang-layang
Layang-layang is the Malaysian childhood game that is played within all ages. Running as hard as you can while throwing the layang-layang in the sky to make it fly higher is just a joy and peaceful feeling.
18. Paper Fortune Teller
“What colour do you want? Red, Green, Yellow or Blue?”
Those are common sentences while playing paper fortune teller and behind every colour, there’s another choice for you to choose and whatever you get in the end is supposedly your future.
This childhood game is definitely interesting to play with friends and laugh at the results.
19. Dress Up Paper Doll Games
Nowadays, we have online games where we just click and dress the character up. But, this Malaysian childhood game requires us to choose, match and even wear it on them.
This dress up doll paper game is usually bought by girls after school, and they would play together as a group and imagine themselves as the doll.
20. One Two Jus
One two jus is used for all purposes. If you have problems in decision making between you and your friends, play one two jus. Even until now one two jus is being used, but it is called by another name which is rock, paper, scissors.
These are 20 Malaysian childhood games that we truly enjoy and had fun, while we’re at it, here are 10 Classic Malaysian Snacks for you to reminisce.
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