Comments on: Crocodile – an outdoors game of tag

By: Tal

Tal — Thu, 29 May 2008 12:37:52 +0000

I played a variation of this game when I was a kid.
we would play it on a pair of large cement tunnels that were a part of the playground, the kid who was the crocodile would stand in the space inbetween(the river) ant the two wooden supports on the sides were the barley or safe zones(ten second rule).
we would chant hopping back and forth:
crocodile, crocodile,
may we cross the river?
If not, why not,
what’s your favorite color?

Then they would say the color and try and tag it(usually sock color due to uniform)

By: Mara

Mara — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 05:22:39 +0000

Played this in New Guinea as a child, along with knucklestones and elastics. We would say “Crocodile, Crocodile may we cross your golden river on the way to school today? If not, why not? What’s your favourite colour?”

And the Crocodile would reply with a colour or something else specific (curly hair, girls only, kids from Moresby…) and the kids with the colour or other thing called could cross safely, but everyone else had to run and risk the crocodile.

There were enough real crocodiles about for us to bring real fear release to the game. And as our school uniform was set we would beg our parents to buy multi-coloured underwear and hair clips. Not sure they knew the underwear would later be on public display.

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 13:12:05 +0000

Fun stuff

By: Rookie Mom Heather

Rookie Mom Heather — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 01:59:54 +0000

So sad is the visual of you playing this game that I’m tearing up!

On the other hand, it sounds like fun.

By: mcb

mcb — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 04:12:11 +0000

Casual dress days were hell. I never got it right.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Thu, 17 Aug 2006 18:52:14 +0000

Yes, I remember paying it and we sung the same words eskimokisses said! Lots of fun!

By: colorsonmymind

colorsonmymind — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 23:53:37 +0000

This sounds so fun.

When my son gets old enough to play, I hope I remember this game.

By: eskimokisses

eskimokisses — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 23:47:33 +0000

when we played this game we sang ” crocodile, crocodile, may we cross the water to see your lovely daughter? If not, why not, whats your favourite colour? Insert colour here….!

By: nadine

nadine — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 16:55:54 +0000

love this game! i’ve never played it, but i’ve played something similar. looking forward to trying this in the classroom.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 15:45:58 +0000

Crocodile is a lot of fun.
Kids can be mean jerks. I don’t think I ever wore the “right” outfit as a kid! And yet we both survived…