Y My Name Is Yani

Zdravstvuyte Druz’ya

Y my name is Yani

I live in Yaroslavl, Russia

My friend’s name is Yuri

We like to play Cossacks and Bandits

We speak Russian

And now we’ll say “Proshchay“

Cossacks and Bandits

Players split into two teams. The Bandits hide while the Cossacks search and attack. The Bandits agree upon a secret password. They also draw arrows on the ground showing the direction they’re running to. Their goal is to confuse the Cossacks. While the Bandits are hiding (10-15 minutes) the Cossacks finds a place to ‘tickle torture’ their captured opponents so that they reveal the password. If the Cossacks learn the password – they win.

References

Russia Beyond

Welcome to my 2019 Blogging A-Z Challenge. Each day in the the month of April (except Sundays), I will bring you a memory of games and a jump rope song. It is similar to the classic A My Name Is… Do you recognize the chant? A world of children will greet their friends and skip through the alphabet alliterating their name, a friend’s name, and their home city. They will also state their country, the language they speak, and their favorite game. Descriptions of the games are included. I chose games that are played on playgrounds or streets where children negotiate their teams and terms. You may recognize your favorite games that differ only in name. As the alphabet progresses, it becomes apparent that the pursuit of laughter and fun are universal.

Antoinette Truglio Martin is the author of Hug Everyone You Know: A Year of Community, Courage, and Cancer. The memoir is a wimpy patient’s journey through her first year of breast cancer treatment.