Game

“Folk games” are an ancient Khmer cultural art in Southeast Asia and have flourished and are a great testimony to show the world to know and admire Khmer civilization. Folk games originated from the daily life of farmers in each era, without a date or name of the creator, the initiator, and a clear history. They originate from the labor force, the daily life of the people, the farmers, and are only a matter of continuity.

Cambodia has many folk games that people all over the country like to play in their free time, during festivals and large-small ceremonies, Khmer New Year celebrations, etc. have been a tradition since ancient times.

If we look closely at the characteristics of the games, we will see that there are some benefits in terms of physical and mental. In addition, those games are pure old Khmer civilization, because Cambodia is an old country in Southeast Asia, thousands of years old, so there is a lot of knowledge – music – games.

These games do not have rules and regulations. They play only according to their own notes from generation to generation according to their local customs. The non-inscription of Khmer games as a document makes Khmer games cannot live long, and even the influence of foreign games continues to dominate, Khmer games are gradually fading, But the inscription as a rule is very difficult, only to find the search for a long time to achieve.

Entertainment is one of the most important things of human life and Cambodia does have a lot of games available for people from kids to adult to enjoy their time together.

All Types of Khmer Folk Games You May Know

As Khmer new year is approaching, there are many kinds of traditional games that you may consider playing with your friends, relatives, families, or neighbors. If you are able to recognize and learn all those traditional games, you will improve a lot in physicality and mentality. Thus, now let’s look at the variety of Khmer traditional games and other foreign influenced games as follows:

Sdech Jang or Eav Game or King Game (ល្បែងស្តេចចង់ ឬអៀវ)
Chhoung Game (ល្បែងឈូង ឬចោលឈូង)
Jarb Kon Klaeng Game (ល្បែងចាប់កូនខ្លែង)
Lout Arn Taek Game (ល្បែងលោតអន្ទាក់)
Leak Kon Saeng Game (ល្បែងលាក់កន្សែង)
Orb Tro Lach Game (ល្បែងឱបត្រឡាច ឬបេះឳឡឹក)
Pror Jul Moan Game (ល្បែងប្រជល់មាន់)
Krorb Moan Game (ល្បែងគ្របមាន់)
Hide and Seek/Hiding Game or Bet Paun (ល្បែងបិទពួន)
Bos Angkunh Game (ល្បែងបោះអង្គញ់)
Kuos Po Phleak Game (ល្បែងគោះពញ្លាក់ ឬទះពញ្លាក់)
Kuos Tro Loak Game (ល្បែងគោះត្រឡោក)
Sey Game (ល្បែងសី)
Teanh Praot/Tugging Rituals and Games (ល្បែងទាញព្រ័ត្រ)
Kon Koul Game (ល្បែងកូនគោល)
Reav Bong Korng Game (ល្បែងរាវបង្កង)
Jos Pror Mat Game (ល្បែងចោះប្រមាត់)
Bai Khom Game (ល្បែងបាយខុំ)
Leak Kon Kas Game (ល្បែងលាក់កូនកាស)
Leak Kh’chung Game (ល្បែងលាក់ធ្យូង)
Pork Jarb Game (ល្បែងប៉ក់ចាប)
Ok Chaktrong Game (ល្បែងអុកចត្រង្គ)
Pong Raot Koun Kromom Game (ល្បែងពង្រាត់កូនក្រមុំ)
Veay K’aom or Hit the Earthen Pot Game (ល្បែងវាយក្អម)
Lout Bav or Jumping Bag Game (ល្បែងលោតបាវ)
Champa Champei or Flowers Changing Name Game (ល្បែងចំប៉ាចំប៉ី)
Bout Sandek Game (ល្បែងបូតសណ្តែក)
Sokola Bon Bon Game (ល្បែង សូកកូឡា បុងបុង)
Dan Derm Sloek Chhoer or Leaf Racing Game (ល្បែងដណ្ដើមស្លឹកឈើ)
Bome Toek Dak Dorb or Bottle Filling Game (ល្បែងបូមទឹកដាក់ដប)
Kham Peh Kouk or Bite the Jicama Game (ល្បែងខាំប៉ិគក់)

Bout Sandek Game or Beans Game

Most of the time, the Bout Sandek Game or Beans Game “ល្បែងបូតសណ្តែក” is played by two people facing each other, or if you want to play with more people, you need to have partners sitting […]

Champa Champei Game

Our ancestors have left behind many folk games for future generations to play during various festivals to create fun and increase mutual relationships. There are many Khmer folk games such as the King Game (Sdach […]

Khmer Traditional Games, Hit the Pot © UYFC

Veay K’aom or Hit the Earthen Pot

Veay K’aom or Hit the Earthen Pot Game “ល្បែងវាយក្អម” is a folk game that is popular among all classes, which plays in pagoda ground during the Khmer New Year. The purpose of this game is […]

Khmer Traditional Games, Jumping Bag racing © UYFC

Lout Bav or Jumping Bag Game

Lout Bav or Jumping Bag Game “ល្បែងលោតបាវ” is a popular folk game that many Cambodians play during the Khmer New Year. This game is played to help all Cambodians unite, build friendship, and develop the […]

Pong Raot Koun Kromom or Bride Kidnaping Game

Pong Raot Koun Kromom or Bride Kidnaping Game “ល្បែងពង្រាត់កូនក្រមុំ” is a popular folk game that many Cambodians play during the Khmer New Year or their free time from work. People play this game for fun […]

Pork Jarb Game

Leak Kh'Chung Game © Buddhist Institute 1964

Leak Kh’chung Game or Hidden Coal Game

Kuos Tro Loak Game © Buddhist Institute 1964

Kuos Tro Loak or Hit the Coconut Shell Game

The Kuos Tro Loak or Hit the Coconut Shell Game “ល្បែងគោះត្រឡោក” is one of the many Khmer folk games. This game is played at any time, but it is often played during the wedding ceremony, […]

Lout An Taek Game © Buddhist Institute 1964

Lout An Taek or Jumping the Trap Game

Lout An Taek or Jumping the Trap Game “ល្បែងលោតអន្ទាក់” is a popular Khmer folk game played by children and young people in their free time and at night during the Khmer New Year. This game […]

Jarb Kon Khlaeng or catching the chicks Game

Jarb Kon Khlaeng or catching the chicks Game (ល្បែងចាប់កូនខ្លែង) is a game that teenagers often play during the New Year. The game is not only for the New Year, but can also be played in […]

Bai Khom Game

Bai Khom Game “ល្បែងបាយខុំ” is a popular Khmer game that mostly countryside people often play together during their free time. This game is played by two people, and the Bai Khom has 10 holes for […]

Jos Pror Mat Game

Jos Pror’ Mat Game “ល្បែងចោះប្រមាត់” is originated from Kampong Phlouk of Prasat Bakong district, Kampong Khleang of Soutr Nikum district and Chi Kreng district, Siem Reap Province. This Game is played during the rainy season […]

Kon Koul Game

Some locals call it “Kon Koul Game (ល្បែងកូនគោល)” and it is a game played by young men, women, or teenagers in their free time during the dry season or the New Year season. The playing […]

Pror Jul Moan Game © Discovery Kampuchea

Pror Jul Moan or Cockfighting Game

Pror Jul Moan or Cockfighting Game “ល្បែងប្រជល់មាន់” is a game played by all ages of Cambodian during the night time. It is a game that provides as much laughter and excitement as Hit the Coon […]

Leak Koun Kak Game © Discovery Kampuchea

Leak Kon Kas Game

Leak Kon Kas Game “ល្បែងលាក់កូនកាស” is a game for teenagers to have fun. This game can only be played in a stream or river that is waist-deep or chest-deep. How to play Youngsters must gather […]

Kuos Po Phleak Game

Reav Bong Korng or Finding Shrimp Game

Reav Bong Korng or Finding Shrimp Game “ល្បែងរាវបង្កង” is a kind of traditional game that Cambodians often play during the Khmer New Year season or during the free time. The game is most often played […]

Sey Game

Sey Game has been the most popular folk traditional game for men of all ages since ancient times to present-day. It is most commonly played in open spaces in the late afternoon or in pagodas during Khmer New Year and other Festivals.

Leak Kon Saeng (Scarf Hidden Game)

Leak Kon Saeng or Scarf Hidden Game is a kind of game that ancient Khmer children are often played as a recreation during the nighttime (under the moonlight), during the Khmer New Year season, or in between their free time.

Orb Tror Lach or Bes Ov Loeuk Game (Pick Fruit Game)

There are many types of Khmer games. Some games are played only on the daytime or night time, some are played during Khmer Lunar new year, and some games are played indefinitely. Games that usually play only during the night time with moonlight and no need to have any festival such as Orb Tror Lach or Bes Ov Loeuk etc. This game is a fun game for girls and boys in every rural country in Cambodia.

Sdech Jang Game (King Game)

Sdech Jang or King Game is a game that boys, girls, or teenagers from every village all over Cambodia, always play during their free time at night time under the moonlight. Players have too many male and female players which unlimited. When playing, they are divided into two groups, one male, and one female. In both groups, they set up a male or a female as a king to sit in the center.

Krorb Moan or Chicken Hiding Game

Krob Moin game is an entertaining game for teenagers both male and female from all over Cambodia, often play in the free time at night. Players consist of male and female about 8 to 10 people on each side. For playing the game, they will choose one male and one female from both sides, covering them by skirt, scarf or blanket from hair to toe. But, do not let them know who they are and let the two face each other, man represent a male chick and woman represent a female chick.

Bet Paun or Hiding Game

Bet Paun is a game where young boys and girls always play on the night of the dawn. This game is played indefinitely in any season or month, as long as there is leisure time and no limit to the number of people. The measure of this game consists of the one who hides the others and the searcher. When the searcher catching the hide players and rounded their ears.

Chhoung Game

“Chol Chhoung”, known as “Chhoung”, is one of the most famous Khmer folk games. This game can ignite all players’ joy, bonding, and fascination. Moreover, this is the type of Khmer throwing game that everyone, especially teens and young adults, plays at the pagoda during Khmer New Year in April.