As we grow older each year, we tend to reminisce about the past, remembering our childhood and how fun it was back in the day. Stress-free and full of good memories – it’s safe to say that nothing compares to the days of our early youth. If you’re a Malaysian, we’re sure you’d recall playing a variety of old school games to pass the time – and we’re not talking about generic games like jump rope or tag, but classic, localised games like batu Seremban, congkak, and ceper.
If you’re wondering why we’re highlighting games that were a big part of our youth, it’s because we want to bring them back into our adult lives. Look – just because we have slight back discomfort and our knees are beginning to wobble when we go up the stairs doesn’t mean we aren’t still youthful – in spirit, that is. Which is why we want to bring these five games back to remind ourselves how fun it was during our childhood and to make our adulthood all the more interesting.
Below are five nostalgic childhood games that we should totally bring back to colour our (very mundane) adulthood.
Batu Seremban
Batu Seremban, one of our favourite childhood games, is one we should totally bring back to play with our adult friends. A game that doesn’t care how many buddies you have or their gender – anyone who can toss a tiny bag of green beans can play this game. If you were a Batu Seremban pro in your childhood, you could be rusty at first, but practise makes perfect. A fantastic game for testing your reflexes.
Ceper
We only saw ceper or steel caps played by boys when we were kids, but now that we’re in 2023, it’s time for the girls to try it out with the guys. It’s no secret that ceper can be a bit complicated to play and dangerous, considering its sharp edges. But it’s not as hard as it looks, believe it or not. All you need to do is hit the targeted caps and before you know it, you’ve won. Of course, the more the merrier, so bring along your friends to see who can be the ceper master.
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Congkak
Congkak is the pinnacle of traditional Malaysian games – one that locals from all walks of life have played. It’s a mental calculation game in which you have 49 marbles in seven compartments, and the one with the most marbles in their ‘home’ wins. The game itself is rather simple – you simply need to mentally plan your next move ahead of time, which will give you an advantage in collecting points and winning the game.
Card Games
You must be lying if you say you’ve never played these card games – from Happy Family to Snap. They’re basically what shaped our childhoods! We had Happy Family, Donkey, Old Maid and Snap filling our time during school breaks, while we enjoyed our snacks with friends. So bring these cards back and play with friends at a bougie café – and see how much fun you’ll have!
Baling Selipar
We’re quite sure you don’t remember the last time you played baling selipar, but we’re very sure you remember how much fun you had sprinting about, avoiding being tossed a slipper. Baling selipar, also known as susun selipar, was THE childhood game to play when you were at a park; it was the only game that required so much energy that you were exhausted and needed to nap right away. Now, with our back pain, playing this game may be uncomfortable, but it’s a great opportunity to reflect on the past, while having the most fun with your present friends. Plus, it’s always wonderful to get down and filthy, soaking up some sun after working indoors all day, every day.
So, are any of the games in this list ones you would want to bring back? Which was your favourite growing up? Let us know which childhood games you wish to play with your friends in your adulthood!
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