Sabt al-Subut Game

Sabt al-Subut Game is one of the traditional children's games in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is also called "al-Manaqeza" (which means jumping). This game aims to entertain children, improve their physical fitness, and strengthen their muscles, enabling them to jump high and land smoothly. It also instills a spirit of challenge in children.

Sabt al-Subut Game is one of the traditional games that has undergone significant changes, leading to the disappearance of most of its original form. This is due to the urban expansion experienced by Saudi cities. To address this, the Ministry of Culture launched the Intangible Cultural Heritage Initiative to revive some of these traditions during various social events, such as traditional markets, heritage-themed festivals, and national celebrations like National Day and Founding Day. This initiative aims to educate the public about these traditions, recognizing that the phenomenon of play is surrounded by a wealth of creative and scientific literature and has various social, cultural, and environmental dimensions from which each game originated.

Sabt al-Subut game begins with a draw among a group of boys to determine who will take the turn to bend and be jumped over. The chosen boy stands bent over as if in a kneeling position. Then, all the other boys take turns jumping over him, placing their hands on his back to prepare for the jump, and then leaping away to a distance that can reach several meters. If one of them falls or fails to jump over, he takes the turn to bend while the others jump over his back. The game continues in this manner until the end of play.