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Traditional

Luksong Tinik

Also called Jump over the thorns, Hand-and-foot high jump

Two players stack their hands and feet into a growing 'thorny' barrier that the other team must jump over without touching.

people
6–16
time
15 min
energy
High
materials
No materials
Kids-safeChurch-safe
Watch it played
How to play4

Before you start

Split into two teams. Two players from the base team sit facing each other with the soles of their feet touching; the jumping team lines up about 4 m away. Each team picks a 'mother' — its best jumper.

  1. 1Level 1: the sitters place one foot against each other's. Each jumper must clear it without touching.
  2. 2After all jumpers try, the sitters add another foot, then hands stacked on top, one at a time, so the 'thorns' get taller.
  3. 3A jumper who touches the stack is 'dead' for that level, but the mother can jump to save them.
  4. 4If the mother also fails, the teams switch roles. The team that clears the highest stack wins.
What to say3
  1. 1“Thorns are up — two feet! Jumpers, clear it!”
  2. 2“Add a hand… and another! Who can still make it?”
  3. 3“Mother to the rescue — save your team!”
Host tips3
  • Sitters 'accidentally' push their fingertips up as the jumper passes. Ask sitters to keep their fingers flat and pointing sideways.
  • Kids land on the sitters' hands. Make the run-up straight and remind jumpers to jump over, not onto, the stack.
  • Use the 'mother' rule. Without a rescuer, weak jumpers get blamed for losing and stop playing.
Variants1

  • Low version

    Stop at feet plus one hand for younger kids, and let them jump from a standing start.

Safety3
  • Fingers get stepped on: sitters keep fingers together and flat, and jumpers wear soft shoes or go barefoot on grass.
  • Play on grass or sand only.
  • Keep sitters and jumpers of similar ages; teens jumping over small kids' hands is risky.
Good for

Occasions

SchoolFiestaBirthdayReunion

Venues

OutdoorIndoor, large