Norway Movement Activities
Official Sport of Norway
Skiing is Noway’s national sport, and has been a pastime for at least 5,000 years. Cross-country skiing is particularly popular and can be done almost anywhere in the country. Though it’s a winter sport, there are parts of Norway where skiing occurs year round! Watch this video about skiing in summer.
Norway Folk Dance
Norwegian dances are primarily social in nature and are often used at celebratory occasions, such as weddings. There are five categories of Norwegian dance: bydgedans (country dance), gamaldans (old-time dance), turdans (figure dance), songleik (song games), and songdans (song dance). Watch this video of Halling Norwegian folk dance, which falls under the category of bygedans.
Norway Music and Games
Norway Folk Songs
Norway has two types of ethnic folk music: Sámi and North Germanic. For North Germanic, the Hardanger fiddle is a traditional folk music instrument. Listen to the fiddle here!
Sámi folk music, called luohti, vuolle, vuelie, or juoiggus in the Sámi languages. Mari Boine is popular Norwegian Sámi folk singer.
Play: Norway Children’s and Family Games
Many Norwegian children’s games require strength and agility as they are based in Viking culture. Basse is a game in which teams must keep a ball, or basse, out of their own team’s zone. Bro bro brill is similar to London Bridge but ends with a game of tug-of-war. Norwegian children also play hide-and-seek, tag, and freeze tag.
Norwegians also love strategy games. Hnefatafl is a Norwegian game that dates back to the Vikings and is similar to chess. It is said the Vikings played this game to prepare their minds for battle.
Kübb is a family-friendly lawn game where teams attempt to know over the opposing team’s pins.
There’s also a version of Norwegian bingo!
Norway National Anthem
