Peru is well-known for its stunning ancient ruins, tasty food, and breathtaking landscapes. However, there’s something else that makes Peru special: its wonderful tradition of games! For many years, both children and adults have enjoyed these games, which are fun, creative, and steeped in history.
Some of these games even date back to the Inca Empire, while others have evolved as communities have come together. Due to today’s advanced technology, which everyone has access to, these games are falling into oblivion. However, they still got the charm they had years ago.
Join us as we see the story of these fascinating games, their importance, and, whether you’re a grown-up or even a parent, why you should try these games with your family. If you’re curious about different cultures or just looking for a new and enjoyable activity, these games are perfect for you!
Trompo (Spinning Top)
The “trompo” is a wooden spinning top that children spin using a string. The game involves skill, balance, and sometimes competition to see whose top spins the longest or knocks other tops over.
How to Play
Wrap the string tightly around the top.
Hold the string and throw the top onto the ground with a quick flick of the wrist.
Watch it spin! Players can compete to see who spins their top the longest.
History and Fun Fact
Peruvians have been playing trompo for generations. Besides Peru, you can find trompo in many countries across Latin America. Traditionally, tops were handmade from wood and decorated with bright colors.
Today, children (and your favorite blog writer) still love this classic game, and it’s a great way to practice coordination and focus.
Tiros (Marbles)
Tiros, marbles in english, or canicas, as most people in Latin America know it, is a game played with small glass or ceramic balls. Players use one marble to try and hit others out of a marked circle.
How to Play
-Draw a circle on the ground.
-Place several marbles inside the circle.
-Players take turns flicking their marbles toward the circle, trying to knock other marbles out.
-Whoever collects the most marbles wins!
History and Fun Fact
Canicas has been played for centuries and was popular among children in both cities and rural areas. In Peru, marbles are often handmade or brightly colored, making them both beautiful and fun to play with.
Yajes (Similar to Jacks)
“Yajes” is a game similar to “jacks,” where players throw small stones or metal pieces in the air and try to catch them. It requires skill, speed, and hand-eye coordination.
How to Play
Players start by throwing one piece into the air.
While it’s in the air, they must pick up another piece from the ground and catch the first piece before it falls.
The game gets harder as players try to pick up more pieces in a single throw.
History and Fun Fact
Yajes has been played for years in the Andes and around Peru. Although adults said that this game was aimed at female children, also male children can play it. The game helps improve hand speed and focus, making it both fun and educational.
Avioncito (Hopscotch)
Rayuela, or hopscotch, is a classic game where players hop through a series of numbered squares drawn on the ground.
How to Play
Draw a grid with squares numbered 1 to 9.
Players toss a small object, like a stone, into one square.
They hop through the squares, skipping the one with the stone, and pick it up on their way back.
Whoever finishes all the squares first wins.
History and Fun Fact
In many countries, especially children play it but in Peru, it often involves beautifully decorated grids and creative rules. It’s a game of fun, balance, and coordination.
Gayado (Inca Hockey)
Pachacútec, the remarkable Inca emperor, not only expanded the empire but also reorganized the state and encouraged vibrant religious festivities and collective rituals. One of these was the exciting sport of gayado. This ball game similar to hockey has deep roots, tracing back to the Mochica culture (0-600 A.D.).
How to Play
The game included physical challenges like races and endurance tests and was a part of larger ritual celebrations. Played on special occasions, it brought communities (ayllus) together and reinforced the Inca spiritual values and traditions.
Some sources suggest it might have started as a simple pastime, but its social and cultural importance is quite evident. Teams of men and women played the game using wooden sticks to move a ball weighing up to four kilograms, made from camelid hides.
History and Fun Fact
Gayado, which was played in ancient Peru had many regional versions. The Inca game played a role in culture and society, much like soccer does today. We learn about gayado mainly from 16th-century Spanish chronicles by Juan de Betanzos and Cristóbal de Molina.
Matches took place in open plains, often accompanied by chicha to enhance the festivities. Gayado was especially popular around the powerful Inca empire. Today, we can still see elements of this ancient game in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where its cultural legacy continues to thrive.
Mata Chola
To play mata chola, you need a long rope and a sock filled with rags and sand, which was tied to a light post. The objective was to hit the mata chola with your hand and spin it around the post until it became completely tangled. The person who managed to wrap it fully around the post is the winner. Common terms used during the game were “pitazo,” “seco,” and “doble.”
How to Play
The light post near the neighbor’s little store was always the chosen spot because it offered enough space to move freely and play with ease.
However, playing there had its drawbacks, as the mata chola would often get tangled in the overhead cables, marking the end of the game.
History and Fun Fact
Although this game was popular among children, in recent years, at least in Peru, people lost interest in this game and no longer play it. As we said before, Mata Chola and almost all the games we mention in this blog are in danger of fading away with time.
Sapo (The Toad Game)
“Sapo” is one of the most popular traditional games in Peru. It involves tossing coins or small discs toward a target—a bronze frog sitting on a table with several holes. The goal is to get the disc into the frog’s mouth or into one of the surrounding holes to earn points.
How to Play
Players take turns throwing discs toward the toad’s mouth.
Each hole is worth a different number of points.
The frog’s mouth is the hardest to hit and gives the highest points
After everyone has thrown their discs, the player with the most points wins!
History and Fun Fact
The toad game has its roots in an ancient Inca legend that tells of an offering practice to Lake Titicaca. According to oral traditions, the Incas would throw gold objects into the lake as offerings to appease the spirits and earn their favor.
This symbolic act, deeply spiritual and reverent, has evolved into the recreational game we know today. In the Andean cosmovision, people see the toad as a guardian of life and a mediator between the aquatic and terrestrial worlds.
It can live in both spaces, so, it symbolizes adaptability and resilience. The Andean people value these qualities. The Incas also linked the toad to Pachamama, as they believed it had powers of fertility and regeneration. So, the toad played a central role in rituals and festivals.
Traditional Games of Peru: A Cultural Treasure Worth Preserving
Traditional Peruvian games are more than entertainment: They are windows into our country’s rich culture. These games connect people of all ages to their history and values. They also build skills like teamwork, creativity, and patience.
For children, these games also offer a joyful way to stay active and enjoy time outdoors. In today’s digital age, video games and tech dominate, but these simple, meaningful games remind us of the power of human interaction and creativity.
They carry stories of Peru’s diverse regions, reflecting local beliefs, customs, and traditions. Each game, whether it’s the precise toss of a sapo or the strategic moves of a trompo (spinning top), embodies a piece of Peru’s cultural mosaic.
More than just play, traditional games serve as bridges between generations, preserving customs and shared experiences. They reveal universal truths about human nature: our innate desire to compete, cooperate, and find joy in the moment.
Conclusion
These games show how to turn challenges into fun. They teach strategy, creativity, and resilience. Throughout this exploration of Peru’s playful traditions, it is clear that these games have stood the test of time and adapt to modern changes but keep their essence.
Whether young or old, engaging in these activities is a meaningful way to celebrate Peruvian culture. So, why not try a game of sapo, spin a trompo, or draw a hopscotch grid? In doing so, you’re not only having fun—you’re helping keep Peru’s traditions alive for future generations.
To learn more about culture, traditions, places, and Peruvian food, you can keep reading our blog! We also invite you to Peru to unveil and discover these rich traditions for yourself! Also, remember that when in Peru, choose Viagens Machu Picchu. Contact us to take the first step into your new adventure!
Viagens Machu Picchu, journeys that inspire, moments that last.