Name of the game
だるまさんがころんだ（da ru ma sa n ga ko ro n da）
Daruma fell to the ground.
- だるま（da ru ma）：Daruma
- さん（sa n）：suffix which comes after a person’s name to show respect
- が（ga）：a topic marking particle which doesn’t mean anything
- ころんだ（ko ro n da）：fell to the ground
How to play
Introductory part
- Decide who will be おに（o ni）to start a game.
- Everybody except おに stands 10 meters away from おに.
- You can make one step while yelling はじめのいっぽ（ha ji me no i p po）.
がんばる子
はじめのいっぽ means ‘the first step’.
Main part
- Everybody moves towards おに while おに is saying だるまさんがころんだ（da ru ma sa n ga ko ro n da）.
- You must stop when おに finishes saying it to turn around.
- You get caught and come next to おに if you are still moving.
- Captives make a line to join hands with other captives and wait to be rescued.
- You can rescue them if you touch おに before おに turns around.
When rescued
- Everybody except おに runs away from おに while おに is counting 1 to 5 loudly.
- Stop moving when おに says ‘stop’ after the counting.
- おに can make 5 steps and you may be the next おに if おに touches you.