Tervapata, Finnish playground game

Tervapata

Tervapata is a traditional finnish playground game for four or more players. You can play this game inside or outside where ever you have enough room. The more players the more space needed. The play field is circular, diameter from 5 to 10 meters, with half circle for every player on the circumference and one smaller circle called “Tervapata” in the center of the ring.

When the game starts one of the players is so called “Kiertäjä” and he starts to walk or run around the rink behind other players, who are standing in their positions on the circumfence. “Kiertäjä” has got a stick or a cone in his hand and he is trying to drop it to the ground behind other players backs so that they don´t notice it. The players on the circumfence are not allowed to look behind themselves until “Kiertäjä” has passed them by.

When “Kiertäjä” drops the stick behind somebody he then tries to go around the circle and reach the free place where he dropped the stick before the player now with a stick reach the place running opposite direction.

If a player looks behind too early must he go to “Tervapata” , the place in the center. Player must also go to “Tervapata” if he doesn´t notice the stick behind him until the “Kiertäjä” has gone around the circle. Player gets free from “Tervapata” after someone else has to come there. Other players can free the one in “Tervapata” by running around him three times. Of course there is a possibility to loose your own place while you are trying to free the one in the center.

Hope you´ll enjoy the game.