In this game, a lion (in Zulu, Imbube) stalks an impala (African deer). All the children form a circle around the children playing the lion and the impala. These two stand blindfolded in the center. The children in the circle chant "Mbube! Mbube!" (mboo-bay). When the lion is closer to the impala, the other children speed their chanting. If the lion doesn't catch the impala within a minute or so, a new lion is chosen. When the impala is caught, another child takes that role.
Mark off a ciruclar area and instruct all the children to stay within it. One child is chosen to be the mamba -- a poisonous snake indigenous to South Africa -- and chase the others. When the mamba catches a child, he joins the mamba by placing his hands on the mamba's shoulders. As the snake catches more children, it becomes longer and longer. Only the head of the snake, however, can catch new people. The last person caught becomes the head of the next mamba.
This game originates from the Ituri forest in Zaire. All the children sit in a circle, with their feet in front of them and touching the other children's feet. Have them sit very close. Each child takes turns naming something round -- such as the sun -- or an idea or concept that's circular, such as the cycles of the moon. When a child cannot think of a word that fits the theme, she's out of the game.
This game is from Rwanda. Everyone starts sitting in a circle, except one child who stands and is given the handkerchief. That child runs behind all the other children, holding the handkerchief so it touches the backs of everyone in the circle, singing "I have the hanky, I have the hanky." The goal of the handkerchief carrier is to drop the hanky behind a child's back without them noticing. After the child has run behind the circle, each child says "It has passed" if they believe the hanky was not dropped behind them. If a child believes the hanky is behind him, he must stand up to check, then chase the handkerchief carrier to tag her. If he's incorrect, the hanky carrier can tag him. Whoever is tagged is out of the game.