The best games that shaped our childhood before phones arrived

Marbles is a game of skill that requires precision and strategy to knock opponents' marbles or knock them into a hole. It encourages concentration and friendly competition among players.

• Allows you to enjoy a classic game with friends

• Offers fun moments

• Practicing this game brings great benefits.

The spinning top, or Top in English, was a classic toy that fostered friendly competition and manual skill among children before the digital age. Its simplicity and the excitement of watching it spin made it a captivating and shared entertainment.

• Improves coordination and precision of movements

• Promotes socialization and social skills

• Develops hand-eye coordination, dexterity and concentration

"The English hideout" was an active social game that encouraged face-to-face interaction and the excitement of movement, key elements of childhood before the digital age. Its simplicity and the need for coordination among friends made it a memorable and formative experience.

• Hide and seek variant

• Simple and requires little space

• Perfect for working on reading and writing skills in children aged 5 to 8.

Bottle cap games (Chapas) were a simple yet exciting game that fostered creativity and friendly competition among friends. This game, which used decorated bottle caps and improvised circuits, was a popular form of outdoor entertainment that brought children together before the digital age.

• Encourage fun

• Ideal for working in class

• Suitable for children and adults

This is a classic hand game that requires little to no preparation, making it perfect for playing anytime, anywhere with friends. Its simplicity and reliance on chance make it a fun and nostalgic option.

• Simple and fun game

• It is played two by two

The Broken Phone game, also known as

• Simple, non-competitive game.

• It provokes laughter.

Dodgeball, also known as burn ball, was a fundamental game in playgrounds before the digital age, fostering physical activity and direct social interaction among friends. Its competitive nature and the thrill of dodging and throwing balls created lasting memories and strengthened friendships, making it an essential childhood experience.

• Improves agility and reflexes: helps develop reaction speed, precision, and motor skills.

The 'Burro' (Donkey) game was a classic social pastime that required a group of friends and a deck of cards, fostering face-to-face interaction and shared laughter, essential elements of childhood before smartphones. Its competitive nature and the thrill of avoiding being the 'Donkey' made it a memorable and fun game to play with friends.

• Game played in groups

• Children's game

Blind Man's Bluff was a fundamental social game in childhood, fostering laughter and physical interaction without the need for technology. Its simplicity and the excitement of chasing friends while blindfolded made it an unforgettable classic before the digital age.

• Allows you to recognize a blindfolded partner

"Churro, media manga, mangotero" was a game that encouraged physical interaction and coordination among friends, key elements in children's social development before the digital age. Its competitive nature and the need for synchronization made it a memorable and fun outdoor activity.

• Traditional childhood game.

• It is played between friends.

"The Handkerchief" is a classic game that encourages physical activity and social interaction, key elements in children's entertainment before the digital age. Its simplicity and the need to run and coordinate with other players made it a favorite in playgrounds.

• Team strategy game

• Promotes friendship

"A la zapatilla por detrás" (To the sneaker from behind) is a simple game that encouraged physical interaction and outdoor fun, key elements of childhood games before the digital age. Its social nature and the need to run and hide made it a memorable and entertaining activity for groups of friends.

• Very fun activity

• Mass participation

• Working in a large group

Jump rope was a social and active game that fostered coordination and friendly competition among children before the digital age. Its simplicity and portability made it a popular option for playing outdoors with friends, creating lasting memories.

• Prevents anxiety and depression

• Train your vision

• Helps improve leg and arm coordination

• Strengthens the cardiovascular system

Hopscotch is a classic game that encouraged social interaction and physical activity outdoors, essential elements in childhood before the digital age. Its simplicity and the need to draw the board on the ground made it a creative activity shared with friends.

• Aerobic activity by jumping and skipping

• Teaches how to deal with frustrations

• Develop resilience

• Improves coordination

'Tag' promoted physical activity and direct social interaction, key elements of childhood before the digital age. Its simplicity and the need to run and chase others made it a universally appealing and memorable game.

• Chase game

• You can play with friends

“Cops and robbers” was a simple game that encouraged physical activity and social interaction outdoors, key elements of childhood before the digital age. Its competitive and chase nature generated excitement and camaraderie among the participants.

• Children's game of chase and capture

• Promotes social interaction

The sack race was a classic game that encouraged laughter and friendly outdoor competition, essential elements of childhood before the digital age. Its simplicity and the inherent clumsiness of jumping in a sack made it a memorable and fun activity to share with friends.

• Promotes physical exercise

• Amused by the falls

• Very popular game among children and adults

The rubber band game was a popular pastime that required the participation of several children, encouraging social interaction and outdoor physical activity. Jumping and coordinating movements with the elastic promoted creativity and cooperation, creating lasting memories shared among friends before the digital age.

• Helps develop social skills

• Helps develop cooperation

• Improves vestibular sensory perception

• Improves gross motor skills

Musical chairs is a classic game that fostered social interaction and friendly competition, key elements in children's entertainment before the digital age. Its simple and fun nature made it a staple of parties and gatherings, creating lasting memories among friends.

• Competitive game for the family

Hide and seek is a chasing game that encourages physical activity and strategy in finding the best hiding places. It is ideal for large groups and encourages cooperation and outdoor fun.

• Helps to resolve situations

• Enhances cognitive development

• Organized rules game very popular among children

Bounce-bounce was a community game that encouraged physical activity and direct social interaction, key elements of childhood before the digital age. Its simple and adaptable nature allowed large groups of friends to participate, creating lasting memories and strengthening friendships.

• Encourages hide and seek

• Requires physical activity (running and kicking)

• Use simple materials (can or tin)