Fun Traditional Korean Games for Children

Today, as everyone is staying at home due to the spread of COVID-19, we’d like to introduce simple traditional Korean games to play indoors.

Let’s start with gonginori (Korean jacks), one of the most popular games. It’s a traditional game that’s easy for everyone to play. In the first round, you throw up a gonggi piece and pick up each piece, one by one. In the second round, you pick up two pieces, and in the third round, three pieces. Once you complete the fourth round, you will throw all gonggi pieces in the air then catch them with the back of your hand. Then, you throw those in the air again and catch them with the palm. To learn the details about how to play, check out the video below.

Next is jegichagi (Korean hacky sack). You start by kicking up a jegi, and when it drops, kick it back up again to keep it from touching the ground. You can use both feet and kick it up in any posture you want, as long as you use your feet to bounce it back. This is more difficult than gongi, but please give it a try. 

Lastly, ddakjichigi (similar to Pogs or milk caps) is probably the children’s favorite. You can either make your own ddakji or buy them at stationery stores. Check out the video to learn how to fold one. Once you have a ddakji, the defender’s ddakji will be first placed on the ground. When the offender strikes the defender’s ddakji with hers, and if it flips, she wins.

During your stay in Korea, why don’t you try some of these exciting traditional games with your children? The materials are available at stationery stores or online, and these games are fun for anyone to enjoy.