Maslenitsa week is a cheerful and noisy farewell to winter, when both young and old take part in festivities and outdoor fun. They gobble up rosy pancakes with gusto, warm themselves with hot tea, and measure their dexterity and prowess. Modern street competitions for Maslenitsa for children and adults have many similarities with ancient folk games. And there is nothing to be surprised about here, because they were invented not only for pleasure, but also developed useful skills: dexterity, dexterity, intelligence. They taught friendship, mutual assistance, fostered a sense of community and collective spirit. Until now, the celebration of Maslenitsa is not complete without such entertainment.
“Catch-up burners”
Maslenitsa drives away the icy winter; traditions and comic rituals are designed to hurry up the rather annoying guest. But she doesn’t want to leave, even a hot fire doesn’t scare her. In the northern regions, Maslenitsa week ended with a large bonfire, which was laid out on the ice of the river. Clothes that had served their time, household rubbish, and uneaten and dried items were thrown into the flames. With Red Spring, a new life begins. Echoes of this cleansing ritual are reflected in the name of the youth game.
Players nominate and choose a driver. Then they break into pairs and, holding hands, stand one after another, in a column, with the driver in front. Everyone recites the little rhyme together and loudly:
Burn, flame, bright.
Let everyone get hot!
Let's count to five
Well done, run to the girl!
Hearing the command “run”, those standing in the last two from the tail rush with all their might to the beginning of the line, and from different directions. Their goal is to unite again, but in the first row. The driver is trying to catch one of them. If he succeeds, he becomes a pair with him, and his role goes to the participant who managed to dodge. A good reason to chat with the girl you like, to meet a young man. Look at others, show yourself. This is what many games and competitions for Maslenitsa on the street were originally aimed at.
"Evil Frost"
Usually at the end of February, in the first days of March, Maslenitsa is celebrated; its date is determined by the beginning of Lent and depends on when Easter comes this year. The weather at this time rarely pampers with real spring warmth, or even instead of the chime of drops, drifting snow blows, the cold gets stronger. Winter finally shows its character, but no one is afraid of it. Dynamic street competitions for Maslenitsa for adults and children are proof of this: they get the blood pumping and their cheeks blush.
On both sides of the vast area, the boundaries of “houses” are marked with a line in the snow; the players gather in one of them. In the middle of the field stands the main character - Evil Frost. He frightens the participants in the fun:
I am fierce Frost,
I'll catch everyone.
I see that no one is happy to see me here!
Well, who will decide now?
Set off on a path?
Everyone runs away, and the driver tries to slap the participants. Whoever Frost touches with his hand freezes in place. And at the end of the run, he leaves the playground. The last "not frozen" player receives a prize, a muffin or a plate. Delicious Maslenitsa holiday!
"Battle with the Potty"
In the old days, the celebration of Maslenitsa was not complete without fist fights; the entire male population of the settlement, excluding foolish children and decrepit old men, would meet wall to wall. The boys started the fight, then older guys joined them. Later, the fathers of families caught up, and closer to the end, veterans of street battles, gray-haired fighters entered the battle. The wide Maslenitsa was famous for mass “battles” no less than pancakes; traditions prescribed that they be carried out according to the rules. It was forbidden to fight out of spite, to settle personal scores with the enemy, to hit from behind, to trip, or to attack a prone enemy. The fighter who violated the ban was condemned by the whole world and was no longer accepted into his gang.
Purely masculine fun strengthened character. The Maslenitsa holiday developed courage, strength, dexterity, and the ability to stand up for oneself. Of course, you can’t include such fun in joint competitions for Maslenitsa on the street for children and adults, but the public will certainly like certain elements of the ancient joy. Moreover, no special equipment is required to organize them. At some distance (3-5 meters) a low column is placed, and a metal pan (formerly a clay pot, cast iron) is placed on top of it. Participants in turn are blindfolded with a scarf, handed a ladle (stick, plastic skittle) and asked to “deal” with the enemy within a minute. The presenter or judge counts the blows, but only those struck at the bottom of the object, from top to bottom. The winner will be the one whose “weapon” hits the target more often.
Competition conditions can vary depending on the age of the participants. Points are counted not for individual players, but for the entire team. Exciting games and competitions for Maslenitsa on the street in a large company are more fun and interesting.
Sleigh racing
In the old days, people were delighted by horseback riding harnessed to elegant sleighs, the free Maslenitsa. Its date varies, but is always determined by the date when Easter is celebrated this year, Maslenitsa week precedes Lent before the Resurrection of Christ. In the old days, carts filled the streets of villages. Merchants and landowners rode in dashing troikas, in carriages covered with expensive carpets, the sleighs of townspeople and wealthy peasants were decorated with painted scarves, ordinary people made do with multi-colored ribbons, paper flowers and ringing bells. Accordion songs sounded everywhere, and laughter was heard.
Sledding will fit perfectly into street Maslenitsa competitions for children and adults. The older participants (mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters) will act as fast horses. The task of the little riders is to hold on and not fall out of the sled on a sharp turn. In the family relay race, the team with the best time wins. The winner is awarded a sweet prize - a large
Games and fun for Maslenitsa.
"Three Legs"
The players are divided into pairs, each pair's legs are tied (the right leg of one to the left leg of the other). Parana "on three legs" runs to the turning flag and returns to the starting line.
Team relay race, where pairing is required. One of the couple will have to become a wheelbarrow
A cargo transport with one wheel and two handles. The role of the wheel will be played by the hands, and the handles
Legs. On team player
- the “wheelbarrow” lies on the ground, focusing on his hands, and the “driver” takes his partner by the legs so that the body of the “wheelbarrow” is parallel to the ground. The “wheelbarrow,” moving on its hands, must reach the turning flag and return back, where another “wheelbarrow” is ready to move.
"Russian Broom"
Comic championship in throwing a broom at a distance. It is more convenient to take a broom without a shaft.
"Who's Faster on a Broom"
There are pins lined up on the court. You need to run like a snake on a broomstick and not knock over the pins. The one who knocks them down the least wins.
"Broom on the forehead"
Now try wearing it on your forehead for as long as possible.
"Russian beauty"
The girls first dance in a circle, showing off their costumes. Then they walk with a rocker and full buckets of water, showing off their stance and gait.
"Russian bath"
Use a dry bath broom to “steam” the enemy, see who can beat the broom on him the fastest.
Concert competitions:
Ditties (If you want to win over your girlfriend, sing a funny ditty).;
Spoon players (Try to play spoons to the accompaniment of an accordion player);
Re-dancing ("Lady", "Gypsy", "Apple", "Semyonovna").
Auction of proverbs about pancakes, Maslenitsa.
Children stand in a circle, hold their hands behind their backs, and one of the players
- "Zarya" walks behind with a ribbon and says:
Zarnitsa,
Red maiden,
I walked across the field,
Dropped the keys
Golden keys
Blue ribbons,
Rings entwined -
Let's go get some water!
With the last words, the driver carefully places the ribbon on the shoulder of one of the players, who, noticing this, quickly takes the ribbon, and they both run in different directions in a circle. The one who is left without a place becomes a "dawn". The game repeats itself. Runners must not cross the circle.
The players do not turn around while the driver chooses whose shoulder to put the ribbon on.
The game begins with a roll call between the driver and the players:
Ding, ding, ding!
Who's there?
Where?
From the city …
What are they doing in the city?
The driver can say that people dance, sing, and jump in the city. All players must do what the driver says. And the one who performs the task poorly gives away a forfeit. The game ends as soon as the driver collects 5 forfeits. Players whose forfeits are from the driver must redeem them. The driver comes up with interesting tasks for them.
Children count poems, tell funny stories, remember riddles, and imitate the movements of animals. Then a new driver is chosen, and the game is repeated.
"Give me a handkerchief of sympathy"
A goal with an inclined crossbar is installed on the site, on which colored handkerchiefs are suspended on thin threads at different heights. Competitors need to run up, jump and tear off one of the handkerchiefs, and then call the girl’s name and give her the one that was torn off.
"Cockerels"
A circle is drawn on the site. Two players stand in a circle. Each player stands on one leg, bends the other at the knee, and supports it by the heel with one hand. The players' task
Push the opponent out of the circle without using your hands and standing on one leg. (They push each other with their shoulders).
"Malechena-malechenina"
The players choose the driver.
Each player picks up a small stick (20-30 cm long). Everyone says these words:
Malechena
Kalechina,
How many hours
It remains until evening
Until winter?
After the words “Before winter?” Place the stick on the palm or any finger of the hand. As soon as the sticks are placed, the leader counts: “One, two, three, ... ten.” The one who holds the item longer wins.
The leader can give different tasks: players, holding a stick, must walk, squat, turn right, left, around themselves.
Game "Cherry"
Fun for young boys and girls of marriageable age. The main thing is to take a longer run, fly higher and further, and then the hands of your comrades will bring you to the girl, whom you will kiss. After flying through the waves from clasped hands for a couple of tens of meters, the kiss turns out to be especially sensual. Main
Slow down in time, otherwise you will fly by.
Game of slaps
Good old fashioned fun. A narrow bench and crossed legs make it difficult to deliver hard blows with a tense arm. One of the participants tried to do this, and even with his fist, which is against the rules, but it made him worse
He became a victim of his own unextinguished inertia and the narrow bench and flew to the ground.
"Sack Fight"
To fight with bags, you need to fence off the area. This type of wrestling, where one hand must be kept tightly pressed to the lower back, can only be performed with one hand. Here the ability to move, feel the enemy’s movement, and use his inertia becomes more important.
"Snow Maze"
On an ice or snow area, a labyrinth diagram is first drawn in the shape of a square or circle with two exits on opposite sides. First, the inner sectors of the labyrinth are laid out with snow, then, moving from the center to the edges,
Walls. They should not be high (up to 1 m) so that it is easy to find someone who gets lost in the passages of the labyrinth. Stroke width
80-100 cm. If there is a lot of snow, you can make a labyrinth by removing the snow with a shovel and laying it on the sides of the passages. Instead of building a labyrinth, you can instead trample intricate passages on the site.
"Snow Shooting Range"
In the winter town you can install permanent targets for throwing snowballs. It is best if these are wooden shields measuring 1 * 1 m with concentric circles with a diameter of 30.60 and 90 cm drawn on them. The shields can be installed on poles dug into the ground, hung on a blank wall or on a fence.
It’s probably worth making a special wall for the shooting range, on which you can put targets, and the guys will knock them down with snowballs.
"Snow Hill"
The height of the slide can be different; having a large space is important here. The length of the slide should be three to four times its height. The width of the area where the guys are preparing for the descent, and the tracks at the rollout
Not less than 1 m, and the width of the sled track
1.5 m. To make a slide, you need to roll up snowballs during the thaw and pile them up. Then compact the snow with your feet or a shovel, cut off the excess snow and make a barrier or ladder out of it. Water the slide with cold water, otherwise thawed patches may form.
You can build a more complex slide with turns, intermediate ascents and descents, and decorative arches. The difference between the start and finish levels should be 3-5 m.
"Ice Carousel"
This attraction is a big hit with children. A pole, into the upper end of which a metal rod (for example, a crowbar) is driven, is dug into the ground or frozen into ice. His high
70-80 cm. Then an old (or specially made) wheel is placed on the metal one. Long poles are fastened to the wheel with wire or nails, and sleds are tied to them. The path along which the sled will roll is cleared of snow and filled with water. For greater stability, the sled can be made wide (60-90 cm) or two sleds can be fastened together.
Around the pillar, the snow is sprinkled with ash or sand so that it is not slippery for the children who will spin the carousel.
"Pillar of Ice"
On Maslenitsa they would put up a tall pole, then they would pour cold water on it, and gifts would be hung on the frozen pole at different distances from each other. Players must try to climb this pillar, but they slide off it, and the winner is the one who tries harder and harder to overcome the obstacles in order to reach the end and get the most expensive prize.
"Pole Riding"
This folk pastime was once widespread in the wooded provinces of Russia. Some other nations also organized it. On the slope of a mountain or hillock, sometimes specially made from snow and compacted tightly, two even, smoothly planed poles (poles) 15-20 m long are placed parallel to each other at a distance of about 1 meter. It also happens that skilled craftsmen “increase " to each pole there is one or more more, bringing the length to 50 meters or more.
But the connections must be very strong and smooth, so that when moving your hand, you will not feel a noticeable ledge or gap. It looks like two smooth rails along which you can slide down the mountain. The poles are repeatedly watered so that they freeze solidly and become slippery. They also fill in and thoroughly roll out the platform on which those who slide down the poles will roll.
Anyone who wants to ride the poles selects a partner of approximately the same height and weight. It is advisable that both of them have shoes with heels, which help to stay more stable on the pole and not slip off it. Partners stand on poles facing each other, supporting each other with their hands on the shoulders or waist. However, there can be a variety of methods, just to resist a rapid slide down.
Coherence of actions, the ability to maintain balance, ingenuity, and courage allow some to ride in the most daring and comical poses. This is a wonderful folk show for a winter holiday. Young people and teenagers are especially interested in pole riding.
"Tug of War"
Let it not be entirely traditional for Maslenitsa. Preparation
As in a regular tug of war, but the teams take on it with their backs to each other. Games and fun for Maslenitsa. Games for Maslenitsa. Competitions for Maslenitsa“Three Legs” “Wheelbarrow” “Russian Broom” “Who is Faster on a Broom” “Broom on the Forehead” “Russian Beauty” “Russian Bath” Concert competitions: Auction of proverbs about pancakes, Maslenitsa. "Mail" "Give a handkerchief of sympathy" "Cockerels" "Crippled" Game "Cherry" Game of "slaps" "Sack fight" "Snow labyrinth" "Snow shooting range" "Snow slide" "Ice carousel" "Ice pillar" Pole riding" "Tug of war"
Maslenitsa in Rus' was celebrated not only by eating pancakes, but also by festive festivities. And during the festivities, all week long they rode down snowy hills, staged fist fights between good fellows, burned an effigy of Maslenitsa, and also took mummers on sleigh rides - such a “Russian-style carnival.”
The children, of course, actively participated in all the entertainment. Let's remember the games for Maslenitsa, which are suitable for the street and for the home!
"Zarya-Zaryanitsa"
A real hit among folk games, “Zarya-Zaryanitsa” is played on all holidays, and just like that. The rules of the game are simple. Children stand in a circle, hold their hands behind their backs, and one of the players - Dawn - walks behind with a ribbon and says:
Zarya-zarnitsa,
Red maiden,
I walked across the field,
Dropped the keys
Golden keys
Blue ribbons,
Rings entwined -
I went to get water.
With the last words, the driver carefully places the ribbon on the shoulder of one of the players so that he does not notice, and starts to run. A child who has a ribbon on his shoulder must quickly take it and run after the driver in a circle to his place. The one who is left without a place (the last to run) becomes the dawn.
"Ring on the Porch"
Another traditional folk game that requires a minimum of props. You can play both at home and outside, but, like Zarya-Zaryanitsa, the game is not very active, so pay attention to the weather!
For this game you will need a ribbon or rope tied tightly into a circle. You need to string a ring onto the ribbon - it is important that it easily passes through the knot with which the rope is tied.
Children stand in a circle and take the rope with both hands. The leader sits in the center of the circle, closes his eyes with his hands and slowly turns around his axis. At the same time he recites a little rhyme:
You roll, roll, little ring,
Come to our red porch!
Once! Two! Three! Four! Five!
I'm going to look for the ring!
At this time, the children move the ring along the rope, and when the leader opens his eyes, the child who got the ring clutches it in his fist. The presenter must guess who has the ring and ask the player to unclench both hands. If you guess right, then the player takes the place of the leader.
"Sun-bell"
In the center of the round dance circle is the leader - the “sun”. The round dance goes in a circle and says a little rhyme:
Burn, sun, brighter -
It will be hotter in summer
(round dance expands to maximum)
And the winter is warmer
(the round dance narrows, the children approach the “sun”)
And spring is sweeter!
As soon as the counting ends, the presenter says, “Oh, I’m burning, I’m burning!” tries to catch up with one of the players, and the round dance starts in all directions. Whoever catches up with him is the new “sun”!
"Golden Gate"
But this game is active and is quite suitable for a walk. The more players, the merrier!
Two children hold hands (with both hands) and raise them up. This is the "gate". Between them there is a round dance of the players. The “Gate” or the game leader reads a little rhyme:
Golden Gate, come through, gentlemen!
Saying goodbye for the first time
The second time is prohibited
And we won’t miss you the third time!
At the last phrase, the “gate” children lower their hands and, if possible, cut off part of the round dance - one or several people. Those who are caught by the leader join the “gate”. Gradually, the gate becomes wider, and the round dance becomes narrower, until two people remain in the round dance, they become the new “gate”.
"Geese-geese"
“Geese-geese” is not only the most popular folk nursery rhyme, but also part of a very active children’s game that is good to play in winter. Two parallel lines are drawn on the site - behind them the “geese” will be safe. The geese's task is to run from one line to another on command. The command becomes a poem, which the children and the leader read in turn:
Geese, geese!
Ha-ha-ha!
Do you want to eat?
Yes Yes Yes!
So fly! -
No no no! The gray wolf under the mountain won't let us go home!
The “wolf” leader tries to prevent the “geese” from running from house to house. Whoever gets caught becomes a wolf!
"Malechina-Kalechina"
Another folk game that requires dexterity and excellent coordination of movements. You will need a pencil or other convenient stick for this. The player’s task is to hold it in a vertical position on an open palm (without pinching it with your fingers) for as long as possible. The leader keeps score:
Malechina-kalechina,
How many hours are left until evening?
You need to say goodbye to winter and welcome spring with joy. Our ancestors were very fond of Maslenitsa festivities. During Maslenitsa games on the street for children were organized here and there - the children ran around, had fun, played snowballs. Of course, there were Maslenitsa games for adults: fist fights, slides, ice pillars.
Have you decided to devote Maslenitsa week to outdoor fun and joyful moments? We will be happy to tell you about fun Maslenitsa games for all ages!
Maslenitsa games on the street
Snowy winter calls you outside, and frost stings your cheeks. Even at -20 you will be warm if you actively move and play.
Gorki
What can I say - pick up the sled and go find the slide! And then - your fantasy: take turns riding, linking several sleds into a “train”, and racing down the hill. The main thing is to remember about safety, bruises and bumps are not our friends.
Shooting gallery
You'll need a target and a keen eye. The target can be a fence or a blank wall. You can prepare in advance and make targets yourself from wooden shields.
ice column
Fun games and activities for Maslenitsa that came to us from the past. For fun, you need a tall pole, which must first be doused with water in order to freeze. We are already hanging various gifts on the ice pillar. The participants’ task is to remove these gifts. Climbing on ice is not an easy task! The winner is the one who can get the top prize.
Snow fortress
If winter has pleased you with an abundance of snow, you can build two improvised fortresses, and then, breaking into teams, destroy the enemy team’s building with snow volleys. The goal is to destroy the enemy’s castle, not the opponents themselves, don’t get carried away!
Throwing felt boots
Throwing at a distance, accuracy and closeness of the fall of the second felt boot from the first. The game is simple, it’s much more difficult to get felt boots!
Tug of War
The main thing is to divide into mixed teams, i.e. there should be both boys and girls in one team. Otherwise, the outcome of the tug-of-war is known in advance. You can arrange a family competition - the Ivanovs against the Petrovs. Or you can call one team “Spring”, the other “Winter” and make a prediction - who will win - spring or winter.
Also, for variety, teams can stand with their backs to each other and measure their strength in this position. Tug of war is a great outdoor game for children during Maslenitsa.
Pan
Draw a circle on the snow (this is a frying pan). All players join hands and jump on one leg, trying to push each other into the circle. Whoever got into the circle was “sintered” in a frying pan. The players' task is not to get into it.
Gamesfor Maslenitsa on the street for children
To keep kids from getting cold and bored outside, offer them these simple, but fun and active games:
Burners
You can start the game with the well-known “stream”. Children are divided into pairs and stand next to each other. The kids hold hands, arms raised up, forming a gate. The last pair runs under the gate and becomes the first, and so on until everyone has passed the stream. A child without a partner is appointed as a driver. It moves 5 steps away from the stream. Everyone sings the song “Burn, Burn Clearly”:
Burn, burn clearly
So that it doesn't go out!
Look at the sky
Birds are flying
The bells are ringing:
- Ding-dong, ding-dong,
Run out quickly!
At the end of the song, the first couple scatters on both sides of the stream, and the driver must catch one of them before they stand at the end of the stream and hold hands. If the driver manages to catch someone, they become the last pair, and the one who is not caught becomes the driver.
Zarya
Children stand in a wide circle, each with their hands behind their backs. The leader - "Zarya" - walks with a ribbon in his hands around the round dance and sings:
Dawn - lightning,
Red maiden,
I walked across the field,
Dropped the keys
Golden keys
Blue ribbons,
Rings entwined
Let's go get some water!
As soon as the last words of the song are sung, the driver puts a ribbon on the shoulder of one of the children in the round dance and runs away. The child must take the ribbon and run with it in the other direction. Each of them strives to take the vacant place in the circle. The one who managed to take his place remains in the circle, and the remaining one becomes “Zarya”. You can add an element of round dance rotation, having previously discussed in which direction it will spin
Fishing/Rod
For this game you will need a rope, 3-5m long, with a bag of sand tied at the end. Children stand in a circle, the leader spins with a rope, and the rest must jump over. Whoever is hit by the rope is eliminated from the game.
Riding on a broom
First you need to prepare an obstacle course - place pins or other objects in a row. The child’s task, riding a broom, is to run between obstacles without hitting them. The one who knocks down the minimum number of pins wins.
Indoor Maslenitsa games
Indoor games for children during Maslenitsa differ from others only in limited space. But if the house has a minimum of furniture and a maximum of square meters, you can safely play the games described above. And the following children's games for Maslenitsa are quite suitable for other holidays, so take note.
Find yours
Participants are divided into two equal teams. Everyone is blindfolded and dispersed around the room. One team meows, the other grunts. Whichever team gets together faster wins.
Snowdrops
For the game you need to prepare a lot of artificial flowers. Children are divided into two teams and sing the chant:
Spring, Red Spring,
Come, Spring, with joy,
With great mercy:
With tall flax,
With deep roots,
With heavy rains,
With abundant flowers.
During the singing, the driver scatters flowers around the area. As soon as the song ends, the children begin to collect flowers. The team that collects the most flowers wins.
Fist fights
Don't worry, kids won't have to wave their fists! The battle will take place through long balloons. This game has 2 advantages: children have fun, and parents train their lungs!
Pancake race
To organize a fun pancake race, prepare in advance some pancakes made of paper or felt, two kitchen spatulas and 4 chairs. Divide the participants into 2 teams. The task of this relay game is to transfer all the pancakes on a shoulder blade from the first chair to the second by each team member in turn.
As you can see, games and competitions for Maslenitsa can be very diverse. The main thing is to enjoy spending time with family and friends!
Maslenitsa is traditionally celebrated outdoors. We offer you a scenario for such an event. You don’t have to stage it; playing outdoors will also help you have a fun holiday.
You will need two adults who will be the entertainers. They will attract children and adults to all kinds of competitions and will direct the fun in the right direction. As the holiday progresses, they can improvise, change tasks, and change their own texts. However, the list of entertainment and competitions should be drawn up in advance to avoid annoying pauses and misunderstandings. Further on in the scenario we will call them buffoons. The main thing is to take into account that the event takes place outside, which means that static competitions must be alternated with moving ones so that children and adults do not have time to freeze.
Characters
Buffoons
Buffoons. Winter doesn’t want to go away, look how wonderful the frost is! To keep us warm, let's play.
Outdoor games are played.
Labyrinth
This game will require the efforts of everyone, adults will happily remember their childhood, and kids will happily play around in the snow. Choose a location for the future labyrinth in advance. Draw the diagram of your chosen snow structure (a square or a circle is the most convenient shape) with two exits on opposite sides. First of all, the internal partitions of the labyrinth are laid out from snow, then the walls are laid out from the center to the edges. Pay attention to the height of the walls, they should not be higher than 1 m (in case someone gets lost, they will be easy to find in the passages of the labyrinth). The width of the passages should be convenient for the advancement of children and adults (80-100 cm). If the labyrinth is being built in a snowy area where there is plenty of snow, you can simply remove the snow with a shovel, placing it on the sides of the passages. Another option: not to build, but to trample confusing passages on the site. In order to increase the intrigue, you can divide into teams and place flags of different colors inside the maze according to the number of players (by team colors). The team that collects the most flags the fastest wins.
Santa Claus shooting gallery
What would winter be without a snowball fight? There is no better exciting, warming fun in the fresh frosty air. Set up snowball throwing targets on the playground. The simplest option is wooden shields measuring 1 x 1 m with several circles with a diameter of 30, 60 and 90 cm drawn on them (you can make them in the form of stuffed Maslenitsa or Snowmen, or simply stick images of thick cardboard on the shield or draw on the shields). Shields can be dug into the ground on poles, hung on a wall or on a fence. If it is not possible to make targets, you can simply draw them on a blank wall of a house or a fence. The most accurate one wins.
snow Hill
There is no way to complete Shrovetide week without going downhill. It is quite simple to build, the main thing is to have more space. You can build a lower slide for the little ones and a steeper one for adults (the difference between the start and finish levels should be 3-5 m). The main thing is to take into account that the length of the slide is 3-4 times greater than its height. For convenience, the width of the descent platform and the ice path should be at least 1 m; if they will go down the slide on sleds, the width should be at least 1.5 m. Construction of the slide requires preliminary preparation; during the thaw, roll up snow globes with your children in advance and gather them together. The building blocks are ready. Now you need to compact the snow with your feet (you can’t do this without the help of children) or with a shovel. Excess snow needs to be cut off, it will be used for the construction of a barrier fence and stairs. Now you need to fill the slide with cold water (to prevent thawed patches from appearing). If you have time and desire, you can build an “American” snow slide with turns, intermediate ascents and descents, and decorative arches. The rules of the game are simple, the one who drives the furthest wins. You can make the task more difficult. Each person leaving must hold a plastic cup of water in their hands. The winner is the one who slides the farthest without spilling a drop. Instead of a glass of water, you can offer to drive with a book or a snowball on your head. You can throw a snowball at a target while sliding down a hill, shout a tongue twister while going down, or guess a riddle. Fantasy is not limited by anything, the main condition is the safety of children. No sharp, beating, piercing objects.
Butter carousel
This fun came to us from antiquity; it is still a great attraction among children. You need to find a pole; a metal rod 70-80 cm long is driven into its upper end (an ordinary crowbar will do). A wheel is put on the rod, to which long poles are attached (can be screwed with wire or nailed). The sleds are tied to these poles. The sled will have to roll along the path, which must be cleared of snow in advance and filled with water. For such fun, wide sleds or two-by-two sleds are better suited. The snow around the pole should be sprinkled with sand to prevent those who untwist the pole lying on the ground from slipping. Of course, such fun is only possible where there are strong men. This cannot be done without the participation of dads.
Slippery pole
This is another old buttery pastime that will still be interesting today. A tall pillar is placed, which is doused with cold water so that it freezes. Gifts are hung on a pole, like on a Christmas tree, at different distances from each other. The player's task is to climb onto the slippery pole and get to the gifts. Whoever got what got it got it. The strongest and most persistent wins, the one who gets to the very end and gets the most valuable prize.
Throwing brooms
This is a wonderful outdoor competition, fun and simple: it is a championship in broom throwing over a distance. For such fun you need to take several brooms without a shaft. What is winter without a janitor with a broom clearing the snow? We are holding a competition for the title of Honorary Janitor. The winner is the one who throws the broom the farthest or knocks down the snow figure.
Panicle three
What's Maslenitsa without troika riding? Only in the city now a live horse is a rarity. It’s okay, the horse can be replaced with an ordinary broom. On a flat area, build a chain of snow globes (you can replace them with skittles). The task is to gallop (run) on a broom along the path without knocking down the fences. The one who knocks down the least wins.
Steam room
After fun in the fresh air, it’s good to take a steam bath in the bathhouse. You're not in a hurry to go home yet, but a bathhouse won't hurt. We offer an old Russian pastime - using a dry bath broom to “steam” your opponent. The main task is to hit the broom on the enemy as quickly as possible. Take care of safety; during the match, the players must wear protective masks (for example, hockey masks).
So, the celebration continues. The buffoons appear.
Buffoons.
To us, here! Get ready, people!
Something interesting awaits you today!
Games, fun, fun and laughter,
We have enough holiday for everyone.
Let's, children, together, in unison, call for the red spring.
Adults, together with children and Buffoons, call for spring.
Spring, spring is red!
Come, spring, with goodness,
With great joy:
With the warm sun,
A bountiful harvest,
With pouring rain,
With beautiful flowers,
With abundant gifts!
Spring appears with a greeting (the text accompanying its appearance can be anything).
Vesna invites children and adults to guess riddles about Spring, birds and animals.
Children and adults can be divided into teams in advance, or each person can guess in turn.
Puzzles
From the window in the window there is a golden spindle. (Sunbeam)
He came from heaven and went to earth. (Rain)
The red yoke hung across the river. (Rainbow)
Without a tongue, but speaks. Without legs, but running. (Creek)
An old grandfather, he is a hundred years old, paved the bridge. The Red One came and dispersed the entire bridge. (Frost and spring.)
What is not sown will be born in the spring? (Grass)
The whole field was covered in small greenery. (Spring meadow.)
Mother in the spring - in a colored dress, mother in winter - in a white raincoat. (Field)
The brothers began to climb out of the cradle. They fell to the ground and turned green. (Sprouting grain.)
In the summer he walks without a path near the fir trees and oaks, and in the winter he sleeps in a den, hiding his nose from the frost. (Bear)
Note. Don't forget that the celebration is held outside, which means there is a game going on.
Buffoons. Hey, hey, honest people, we strained our brains - now let’s strain our muscles! We propose to organize a sack race.
Both individual players and teams can participate in the competition.
Note: While equipment is being distributed, division into teams, and the rules of the game are being explained, one of the buffoons reads an impromptu barker.
Buffoon.
This is fun, this is fun.
This has never happened before.
It's hard to run without legs
The legs are hidden in a bag.
Who will be more dexterous?
Get your reward sooner rather than later.
Spring. Have you warmed up? Let's now take a break and remember songs about winter, spring and, of course, Maslenitsa.
Note: You can play this way: call by line from different songs or according to the principle of playing “Cities”, i.e. the next line should begin with the letter with which the previous line ended.
Buffoons. And now we invite you to try the fun of our ancestors - walking on stilts.
Oh, it's so much fun!
You'll have a good laugh,
Transform into a crane.
I will help you with this!
Note: You can arrange a speed hike on stilts to see who gets to the finish line faster. You can simply invite everyone to try their hand at it. A competition is being held.
Spring. How do we know that spring has arrived?
Children. The streams are running, the sun is warming, the birds are flying.
Spring. That’s right, birds are flying in from the south, the piles of snow are melting. Let's play the "bird game" - "Sparrows and Crows."
Sparrows and crows
Rules of the game: players are divided into two teams - “sparrows” and “ravens”. The presenter says: “Sparrows!”, The members of this team catch “crows”. Suddenly the presenter says “Crows!”, and everything happens the other way around, the “crows” catch the “sparrows”. The game is dynamic, there is no need to drag it out, the main goal is to warm up and get a boost of energy.
Buffoons. But there is such a bird, Boris Zakhoder also wrote about it, maybe someone will remember? (If the children remember this poem, they recite it; if not, the Buffoons prompt.)
How beautiful the peacock is, he has one vice,
All peacock beauty begins with the tail.
Attention, attention, we are offering the Peacock Tail competition.
Peacock tail
A rope is attached to the participant’s waist (you can attach a broom), one end of which hangs down to the floor. A snake is built on the ground from skittles or plastic bottles. The task is to pass between without knocking over a single object with your tail. The one who gets to the finish line first and fastest wins.
Buffoons. Fun for adults, but for kids? Come on, little ones, come over, do you want to take part? Game for the little ones “Snowdrops”.
Snowdrops
Prepare paper flowers in advance; you can use small plastic multi-colored bottles instead of flowers.
Flowers cut out of paper are scattered on a snowy clearing; these are the first spring flowers - snowdrops. The one who collects the most snowdrops wins.
Spring. And now moms and dads are invited, let's have a tug of war. This ancient Maslenitsa fun.
Note: organize several tournaments. Only mothers perform first, fathers second, and then you can arrange a competition for family teams.
Buffoons. This has never happened before! Broom competition. Birch or Christmas tree? Are these fairy tales or true stories? Witches kicking up dust?
Broom racing
A long stripe is drawn in the snow - a track, plastic bottles are placed along it like a snake, the participants (you can seat a whole family) sit astride long brooms and run to the finish line.
Note: if it is difficult to find brooms, replace them with brooms or shovels for clearing snow.
Spring. What would a farewell to winter be without riding in troikas with bells? I invite all dads who want to turn into horses. Note: dads are harnessed to a sled; to make it more believable, bells are put on their necks; kids in the sleds must help dads by pretending to neigh. Those who reach the finish line first win.
Spring. Well done, horses! Let's now relax and remember fairy tales and films about winter, spring and Maslenitsa.
The main thing is to depict the title and content without words, only with gestures. The winner will be the one who portrays it best. We will choose it all together. And the second winner will be the one who guesses the most.
Note: Before the screening, anyone must quietly tell Vesna what film or fairy tale he wished for.
Buffoons. The Japanese have sumo, and we have our own fun. We invite you to participate in the ancient Russian entertainment “Cockerels”.
Cockerels
A flat area is selected on which to draw a circle. The game participants are divided into pairs according to age and weight category. The first pair enters the circle, jumping on one leg and holding the other with their hand, the players must push the opponent out of the circle. Attention! They push not with their hands, but only with their shoulders. The one pushed out of the circle is eliminated from the game. The next pair of players enters the circle, then the winners compete with each other. The last winner wins.
Buffoons. And now we invite the little people to the tree of sweets and to the ribbon carousel.
Sweet tree
This is a children's version of traditional butterfly fun, but instead of a tall, smooth pole, the sweets are hung on tree branches. The kids' task is to jump up and get the gift. The test can be complicated, for example, by offering to bite off a bagel or gingerbread while jumping with your teeth.
Ribbon carousel
This fun is also reminiscent of old Russian fun for adults. A long stick or pole is stuck into the snow. Bright ribbons are tied to the pole in such a way that they easily slide and rotate on the stick, but do not go down to the ground. Each child chooses their own ribbon and runs after each other in a circle.
Note: There should be an adult next to the carousel to prevent children from getting dizzy.
Spring. Well, dear guests, did you play and have fun? Isn't it time for us to try some pancakes and find out which housewife did the best job?
Note: Agree in advance with friends and guests so that each family submits pancakes for tasting. Prepare signs with the housewives' names. Before the tasting, the names of the hostesses must be hidden. Each person who tastes the pancakes is given one forfeit, with which he can vote only once for the pancakes he likes. Near each dish with pancakes you need to place a bowl or box where the forfeits will be placed. At the very end of the tasting, the number of forfeits is counted, and the hostess who receives the most forfeits wins.
What is Maslenitsa without a hot, blazing samovar? Sbiten, a traditional Russian drink, will come in very handy in the fresh air. It's very easy to prepare. Mint and St. John's wort (any aromatic herbs will do) are brewed with spices (cinnamon, cloves), and honey is added. The drink is consumed only hot.
Spring. Isn't it time, dear guests, to say goodbye to Winter, to Maslenitsa? Let the fierce cold give way to the warm sun, let the ant grass turn green in the fields instead of snow. Let drops ring and streams gurgle instead of the howling of a blizzard. Buffoons. It's time for us to say goodbye to winter; we'll warm ourselves from the fire. This is what our ancestors did when they lit fires.
Burning of Maslenitsa
Firewood for the fire must be prepared in advance; the fire must be high so that the Maslenitsa effigy burns in it. Children can help collect wood for the fire, but only under adult supervision. You need to remember the safety of the kids, explain in advance the rules of behavior around the fire and be near them. Children and adults join hands and dance around the fire with the words: “Go away, Winter! Goodbye, Maslenitsa! Hello Spring! Burn, burn clearly so that it doesn’t go out! Goodbye, Maslenitsa! And come again next year!”
Buffoons. Everyone has been familiar with the fairy tale “The Snow Maiden” since childhood, written by A. N. Ostrovsky. The Berendey forest inhabitants said goodbye to Maslenitsa with the words with which we would like to end our holiday:
Farewell, honest Maslena!
If you're alive, I'll see you.
Wait at least a year
Yes, to know, to know that Maslena will come again.
For the bravest and most desperate, offer the last Maslenitsa fun - jumping over the fire. This can be done after the fire becomes lower. A tiny fire can be made for the little ones, but you need to jump over the fire with them, holding their hand.
