Luksong-Tinik (Jump over Thorns)

Luksong Tinik (Jumping Over Thorns)
Minimum number of players: usually 3 but 2 can also work (more players is usually much more fun!)

Equipment required: a grassy field with lots of room to run and tumble

First children decide among themselves who will play first and who will be the two who will act as the “thorns” in the game. Thorns have a very important as well as difficult task in the game. Jumpers take turns passing the levels. The jumpers form a queue and the thorns take their position.

The “thorns” (A & B) sit, facing each other with the soles of their feet touching. This is the first level that jumpers must successfully jump through without touching any of their body parts with those of the thorns’ body parts.

Two players on the base will sit facing each other with their right feet touching. The jumpers jump over the feet. Then one hand is placed above the feet with palms and fingers open, then another, and so on until all the fingers are piled one on top of the other. Before an additional hand is placed all the players must have jumped over the file. Oftentimes, the hand of another player is placed at the gap to prevent the jumpers from jumping over it. Sometimes, five hands are used and a fourth player is called upon to fill the file of the hands.
When the jumpers jump over the hands without touching the hands with any part of their body, or dress, the game is repeated and they will be the jumpers again. If the mother's "children" (rest of the team) touch the hands while jumping over them, its is considered a "fault" (an error), and the mother will jump for them. But if it is the mother who fails, then the team will have to take the place of the team on base.