The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT WAS A GAME WE USED TO PLAY IN
MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN I WAS YOUNG. THE PERSON WHO
WAS "IT" WOULD STAND APART WITH HIS BACK TOWARD
THE REST OF THE CHILDREN. HE WOULD START RECITING
"GREEN, GREEN, GREEN" AT WHICH TIME EVERYONE WOULD
MOVE FORWARD. AS SOON AS THAT PERSON SAID "RED,"
IT WAS NECESSARY TO STOP. HE WOULD TURN AROUND TO
CATCH ANYONE MOVING. IF HE DIDN'T CATCH ANYONE THE
GAME WOULD CONTINUE. ITS OBJECT WAS TO REACH THE
SIDE OF THE CALLER WITHOUT BEING CAUGHT MOVING.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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THERE WAS A GAME WE USED TO PLAY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD
WHEN I WAS YOUNG CALLED "RED ROVER." THE GROUP WAS
DIVIDED IN HALF, SO THAT THE TWO SMALLER GROUPS
WOULD STAND, HANDS LINKED, FACING EACH OTHER, SOME
DISTANCE APART. ONE GROUP WOULD BEGIN BY CALLING
"RED ROVER, RED ROVER, LET (CALL A NAME) COME OVER."
THEN THAT PERSON FROM THE OTHER GROUP HAD TO RUN ACROSS
AND TRY TO BREAK THROUGH THEIR LINKED HANDS. IF HE
SUCCEEDED, HE WOULD BRING SOMEONE BACK WITH HIM TO HIS
OWN SIDE. IF HE FAILED, HE HAD TO STAY THERE. THE
OBJECT WAS TO GET EVERYONE ON YOUR SIDE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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