Anansi Stories
Tales of the trickster spider Anansi, passed down through generations.
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Banana Bush Sled
The wide, slippery base of a fallen banana tree frond or a large coconut palm branch is stripped of excess leaves.
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Bat Up and Catch
An informal, continuous variation of cricket.
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Bottle Stopper Zinger
A spinning flying disc made from a bottle cap and string.
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Box Guitar
A homemade stringed instrument built by musically inclined children.
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Brown Girl in the Ring
A singing game where children dance in a circle.
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Bull-Roarer
A simple aerodynamic toy that produces a loud, ominous, roaring sound.
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Cardboard Shadow Box Camera
A toy crafted to mimic the technology of early photographers.
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Cat's Cradle
A loop of colorful string is woven around a player's fingers.
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Catching Lizards with Grass Straws
A patient, nature-oriented game of skill.
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Chinese Skip
A stretchy elastic rope game of jumps, tricks, and quick feet.
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Coconut Stalk Truck
A pull-along toy truck carved from a dried coconut branch stalk.
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Coconut Tree Climber Race
A highly athletic, traditional test of strength played among older children in rural coastal areas.
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Condensed Milk Tin Phone
Two empty, clean tin cans have a small hole punched through the center of their bases.
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Cuffum (Water Slapping)
A rhythmic game played by children swimming in rivers, seas, or deep gullies.
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Dandy Shandy
A fast-paced chase game that builds speed and agility.
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Dominoes
The beloved Caribbean pastime — clash with friends and family.
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Elder Storytelling
Elders share stories of childhood, community, and tradition.
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Emmanuel Road
A call-and-response ring game celebrating community and rhythm.
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Hopscotch (Strepa)
Toss a stone and hop through the numbered grid without missing a beat.
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Jamaican Sayings
Everyday sayings that reflect Caribbean culture and humor.
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Jane & Louisa
A ring game passed hand to hand with song and gentle movement.
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Kite Making
Build and fly kites from paper, sticks, and string.
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Leaf Boats
During heavy tropical afternoon rain showers, children gather at the sides of the road where rushing rainwater forms miniature rivers in…
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Leapfrog
Crouch, leap, and bound over your friends in this playground classic.
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Lime and Spoon Race
A highly anticipated balance and coordination race featured at school sports days.
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Lime Football
An impromptu version of soccer played in tight spaces like narrow lanes or school corridors.
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Little Sally Water
Jamaica’s most famous courtship ring game — rise, Sally, rise, choose the one you love best, and wheel!
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Ludi
A classic Caribbean board game of strategy and luck.
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Marbles
Knuckle down and aim true — marbles is a game of precision.
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Miss Mary Mack
A widely adapted hand-clapping game across the African diaspora.
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Moonlight Shiny
A poetic version of hide-and-seek played exclusively at night under a full moon.
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Mud Brick Modeling
A creative construction pastime common in rural areas after heavy rains.
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Nanny Goat Nesting
Children locate the small, conical sand craters dug by antlion larvae in dry dirt yards.
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Needle and Thread (Target Throw)
A yard game focusing on fine-motor precision.
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Night Games
Games that come alive under the stars — flashlight tag, shadows, and more.
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Orange Peel Twister
A fragrant, creative pastime common during citrus season.
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Push Cart
A wooden cart built from scraps, perfect for hauling treasures.
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Ring-a-Roses (Jamaican Variant)
An adapted version of the traditional British nursery rhyme.
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Shadow Puppets
Under the bright light of a full moon or a kerosene lantern outdoors, children use intricate hand contortions to cast shadows of barking…
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Sling Shot (Bingy)
A forked-stick slingshot for aiming and launching with precision.
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Stink-Up
A high-speed street game combining elements of tag and hide-and-seek.
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Stuckie (Stucky Ketchy)
The Jamaican version of traditional tag.
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Twi Twi Twi
An advanced coordination game requiring flawless hand-clapping and foot-tapping synchronicity.
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Wheel an' Wiyah
A single-wheel runner built from a coat hanger and a scrap of garden hose.
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Zaki Yik and Ben
A fast-paced, highly rhythmic counting and stepping ring game where children drop their feet in and out of the circle center to match a…
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