Traditional Filipino games or indigenous games in the Philippines () are a diverse set of games passed down through generations, often utilizing native materials and instruments. Historically, Filipino children, faced with limited access to manufactured toys, devised games that required little more than the participation of players. These games vary widely in form and mechanics and are well-suited for children. Beyond recreation, they contribute meaningfully to the physical and cognitive development of young Filipinos and are recognized as an integral aspect of the nation's cultural heritage.

The term Laro ng Lahi was coined and popularized by Samahang Makasining (commonly known as "Makasining"), in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, local government units, and other supporting institutions. A core initiative of the organization involves transmitting knowledge of these traditional games to younger generations. The group also developed a time-based scoring system for several popular games, including patintero, syatong, dama, lusalos, and holen butas.

Traditional Philippine games, such as luksong baka, patintero, piko, and tumbang preso, are played primarily as children's games.Mga Larong Pilipino [Philippine Games]. (2009). Tagalog at NIU. Retrieved December 19, 2009 from the Northern Illinois University, Center for Southeast Asian Studies, SEAsite Project. (archived from the original on June 28, 2014) The yo-yo, a popular toy in the Philippines, was introduced in its modern form by Pedro Flores, with its name deriving from the Ilocano language.Yo-yo. (2010). In Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved January 10, 2010.

Advocates Dickie Aguado, executive director of the Philippine NGO Magna Kultura Foundation, has noted that traditional Filipino games remain "very much alive in the Philippines". In many urban and rural areas, a majority of Filipino children continue to play outdoor street games, often due to limited access to technology. Games such as patintero, tumbang preso, piko, sipa, and trompo are played daily. However, a decline in participation has been observed in areas where Western sports (e.g., basketball or volleyball) are heavily promoted in local barangays and schools. Without organized support for traditional street games, Filipino children may abandon them in favor of modern alternatives.

Games

Traditional Filipino games are usually played outdoors by children alongside their neighbors and friends. These games generally lack strict, formalized rules, with different communities and regions adapting their own agreed-upon variations. Most games involve two teams, with players dividing themselves into roughly equal groups. A common method for team selection involves two designated leaders playing Jack 'n' poy (rock-paper-scissors) and taking turns picking teammates. Another variation involves all players pairing off to play Jack 'n' poy, with the winners forming one team and the losers forming the other. There are more than thirty-eight documented Filipino games. A non-exhaustive list includes:

Banana split In this two-player game, participants play rock-paper-scissors. Whenever a player loses a round, they must move their feet further apart. The game continues until a player can no longer stretch their legs, often resulting in the losing player performing a split — hence the pun in the game's name.

Declan ruki Declan ruki (lit. I declare, do it!): Similar to the Western game Simon Says, participants are instructed to perform specific actions by the winner of the previous round.

Spider fighting (gagamba)

Spider fighting (gagamba, ) is a traditional Filipino game involving captured spiders, often referred to locally as kaka, which are typically kept in empty matchboxes. The game serves as a form of recreational combat or gambling, where two spiders are placed on a stick or branch and encouraged to fight. The match continues until one spider falls off or retreats. Spider fighting is commonly practiced by children and enthusiasts, particularly in rural areas, and is considered a part of Filipino folk culture.

Hand-clapping games A hand-clapping game generally involves four participants split into two pairs. Each pair faces each other, and both pairs face the center, forming a perpendicular arrangement. The pairs perform a synchronized hand-clapping routine while singing folk songs such as "Bahay Kubo" or "Leron-leron Sinta". In the middle of the song, the pairs exchange routines with each other.

The lyrics to Bahay Kubo are: Bahay Kubo, kahit munti Ang halaman doon ay sari-sari Singkamas at talong Sigarilyas at mani Sitaw, bataw, patani Kundol, patola Upo't kalabasa At saka meron pa, labanos, mustasa Sibuyas, kamatis Bawang at luya Sa paligid-ligid ay puno ng linga

Leron-leron Sinta Leron-leron sinta Buko ng papaya Dala-dala'y buslo Sisidlan ng bunga Pagdating sa dulo'y Nabali ang sanga Kapos kapalaran Humanap ng iba

Variations: Gumising ka, neneng Tayo'y manampalok Dalhin mo ang buslong sidlan ng hinog Pagdating sa dulo'y Lalamba-lambayog Kumapit ka, neneng Baka ka mahulog Leron, leron sinta Buko ng papaya Dala-dala'y buslo Sisidlan ng sinta Pagdating sa dulo'y Nabali ang sanga Kapos kapalaran Humanap ng iba

Ako'y ibigin mo Lalaking matapang Ang baril ko'y pito Ang sundang ko'y siyam Ang lalakarin ko'y Parte ng dinulang Isang pinggang pansit Ang aking kalaban Leron, leron sinta Buko ng papaya Dala-dala'y buslo Sisidlan ng sinta Pagdating sa dulo'y Nabali ang sanga Kapos kapalaran Humanap ng iba

A variation of the game incorporates physical actions corresponding to the lyrics. An example is "Si Nena", a song chronicling the life of a girl named Nena from birth to death. As the song progresses, the players act out the stages of her life (baby, young lady, mother, deceased, and ghost). During the final verse, one player acts as a ghost and attempts to catch the other players.

Lyrics for Si Nena: Si Nena ay bata pa, kaya ang sabi nya ay um um um ah ah (players perform a baby action) Si Nena ay dalaga na, kaya ang sabi nya ay um um um ah ah (players perform a lady action) Si Nena ay nanay na, kaya ang sabi nya ay um um um ah ah (players perform a mother action) Si Nena ay namatay na, kaya ang sabi nya ay um um um ah ah (players perform a dead action) Si Nena ay mumu na, kaya ang sabi nya ay um um um ah ah (players perform a ghost action)

Another popular clapping song is Nanay, Tatay: Nanay, Tatay, gusto ko tinapay Ate, Kuya, gusto ko kape, Lahat ng gusto ko ay susundin niyo. Ang magkamali ay pipingutin ko... (clap 5x) The song continues with increasing numbers of claps.

Hwego de anilyo Hwego de anilyo (lit. game of rings) is a game of Spanish influence, derived from the medieval sport of running at the ring. It traditionally involves riding a horse while holding a dagger to "catch" rings hanging from a tree or structure. In recent years, a bicycle is typically used instead of a horse.

Jakempoy Jakempoy (also spelled Jack en poy, Dyak en poy, or Dyakempoy) is the local version of rock-paper-scissors (bato, papel, at gunting). While the spelling suggests American influence, the game is Japanese in origin (janken), with the accompanying chant sounding akin to the Japanese lyrics.

The standard chant is: Jakempoy, hale-hale-hoy! (Jack and Poy, hale-hale-hoy!) Sinong matalo s'yang unggoy! (Whoever loses is the monkey!)

Juego de prenda Juego de prenda (lit. game of looking for the missing bird) accommodates any number of players. Participants sit in a circle with a leader in the middle. Each player is assigned the name of a tree or flower by the leader. The leader recounts a story about a king's lost bird, stating, "The bird of the king was lost yesterday. Did you find it, ylang-ylang?" The player assigned the ylang-ylang tree must immediately deny finding it, prompting the leader to ask another "tree." If a player fails to answer within three seconds, they must surrender a personal possession to the leader as a penalty. The game continues until the leader has collected multiple items, which are later redeemed through playful forfeits.

Piko

Piko is the Philippine variation of hopscotch. It is traditionally played outdoors using a diagram of boxes drawn on the ground, commonly in the shape of a cross or a stylized human figure.

Players begin by standing behind a baseline and taking turns throwing a pamato (a cue marker, often a flat stone or tile) onto a designated box. The starting order is typically determined by an informal contest, such as who can throw their marker closest to a specific target on the diagram (e.g., the "moon," "wings," "chest," or "I" markings). The game proceeds with each player hopping through the course on one foot, except in boxes that allow both feet. Players must skip the box containing their pamato and retrieve it on their way back. A player is disqualified from their turn if they step on a line, lose their balance, or make an error in the sequence.

Upon successfully completing a sequence, a player earns the right to claim a box. Once claimed, the box becomes off-limits to other players, who must jump over it. This rule increases the difficulty of the game. Optional "wings" may be drawn alongside the main course to accommodate longer jumps.

Across the Philippines, piko is known by various regional names. In the Ilocos Region, it is called kingking. In Cebu and some Visayan-speaking areas, it is referred to as bikabix, kiki, or vicks-vicks (reportedly due to the use of Vicks VapoRub caps as markers). In parts of Mindanao and the Visayas, it is known as buan-buan. Among Waray speakers, it is called saya-saya, derived from the word saya, meaning "skirt".Alfarero, J. and Mejarito, C.L. (no date) (PDF) Traditional Games in Leyte and the values learned by the players, ResearchGate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326199265_Traditional_games_in_Leyte_and_the_values_learned_by_the_players (Accessed: 24 May 2025).

Sambunot Sambunot is an outdoor game played by ten to twenty participants. The objective is to retrieve a coconut husk from the center of a circle.

A circle is drawn on the ground, large enough to accommodate all players, and a coconut husk is placed in the center. At the signal "go", players rush to the center to grab the husk. Players may wrestle or steal the husk from one another in an attempt to carry it outside the circle. The first player to successfully exit the circle with the husk wins the round.

Sipa

Sipa (lit. game of kicking): The object used to play the game is also called a sipa. It is traditionally made of a metal washer with colorful threads or plastic straws attached to it. Alternatively, it can be played using a woven rattan ball or a lead washer covered in cloth. The player throws the sipa upwards and must keep it airborne by kicking it with their foot or hitting it just above the knee. The objective is to achieve the highest number of consecutive kicks without letting the sipa touch the ground. Sipa was the national sport of the Philippines until 2009.

The mechanics of sipa are similar to the Western game of hackysack. It is also played professionally by Filipino athletes using a woven ball, known as sepak takraw, with rules borrowed from Indonesia.

Sikaran Sikaran is a traditional Filipino martial art that involves hand and foot fighting, though the term is generally used to describe kicking techniques. It is also used as the name for the kicking aspects of other Filipino martial arts.

Hari Osias Banaag, founder of the Global Sikaran Federation, has served as a diplomat for the sport and was appointed to the UNESCO Ad hoc Advisory Committee on Traditional Sports and Games (TSG).(TSG)

Taguan