Ring games

The games played by children in Jamaica is a mix of some old-fashioned games with some unique innovations that make them Jamaican. The names of some may be different but they are similar to games played around the world. Some of the most popular games played by children in Jamaica are:

1-"Brown girl in the ring

2- Dandy Shandy

3- Cricket

Dandy Shandy

Dandy shandy is an exciting ball game requiring at least three players. There are two pitchers each standing at opposite ends of the third player (in the middle). In most rural parishes, parents could not afford a ball so some the children made their own. They would stuff a used drink box with lots of paper. The game is usually played by girls but boys would sometimes play, mostly as pitchers. Some of the ruder boys might slip a stone or two in the box, especially if the one in the middle is hard to get out.

A ball is used for pitching/throwing at speeds up to 120 miles per hour at the player standing in the middle. The "ball" is usually a stuffed 1-pint juice box, stuffed fully with newspaper and the four corners are rounded off.

Dandy Shandy is the same as dodge ball only difference is that the ball is made out of a milk box stuffed with paper.  The paper has to be wet it so it would stuff properly. 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dandy_shandy 

www.ehow.com

Cricket

Cricket is a British game played for many years in the West Indies.  The game is a stick baseball game.  Follow the link for more information on Cricket. 

http://www.youtube.com

Games that are played with the singing of songs, are called the ring-games.

Here are some of them:

Brown girl in the ring 

Old Mack Donald

Punchinella little fella- www.cool-kids-jamaica.com

Farmers in the dell

These games are played by having 4-10 children form a ring, holding hands.They sing really loud while one of them dance around in the middle with vigor and excitement. They take turns of course. The ring games help the kids to bond.