Traditional Dutch Games

We listed four traditional Dutch games for you and your kids. You need the following items: sheets of paper, a pen, a pair of scissors, rope, some nails and gingerbread. Check out the instructions and have fun!

Ezeltje prik (translated: pin the tail on the donkey)

1. Draw a large animal (preferably a donkey) without a tail on a sheet of paper or cardboard. Pinpoint where the tail would normally be by drawing a circle on the paper.

2. Pin the drawing on a wall or tree (on eye level of the kids).

3. Draw a tail on a piece of paper and cut it out.

4. Attach a pin to the top of the tail.

5. The players are blindfolded and each have a try at pinning the tail on the drawing.

6. The one closest to where the tail should be wins!

Spijkerpoepen (translated: nail pooping)

1. Attach a nail at the end of a rope. Make a couple of these ropes.

2. Tie a rope with a nail around the players waist.

3. Place an empty bottle on the floor behind every player.

4. Players must try to "poop" (by squatting down) the nail into the bottle.

5. Whoever is fastest, wins! If you want to make it more difficult, you can play the game with a smaller bottle.

Koekhappen (translated: cookie biting)

1. Thread a few pieces of gingerbread on a rope.

2. Hang the rope (for example between two trees) or hold it at the height of the participants' heads.

3. The players are blindfolded and must try to grab the cake with their mouths.

4. The first player with a bite of cake wins!

Eierrace (translated: egg-and-spoon-race)

1. Each player gets a spoon and a hard-boiled egg (or raw if you're okay with making a little mess).

2. Set out a short route and a finish line.

3. Players hold the spoon in their mouth with the egg on it and have to reach the finish line without dropping it. If they do, they have to start over.

4. The first player who reaches the finish line wins! 

Have fun!