Chito with Rubber Discs: Measuring and Judging the Play
Chito, also called tanga, tángana or chave depending on the region, is about knocking over a cylinder topped with coins using a thrown disc; coins that end up closer to the disc than to the chito score. Students play in threes and take turns as the measuring judge, settling close calls with a tape measure and good judgment.
How to play
- Explain the game and its regional names; ask whether anyone has seen it played in their town or family (3 min).
- Set up six lanes: an upside-down cone as the chito with five bottle caps on top and a throwing line 9 m away (2 min).
- In threes, two players face off and the third is the measuring judge; each player throws two discs per turn and the judge measures which caps are closer to the disc than to the chito (12 min, rotating the judge every 4 min).
- Each judge writes one close call and how they settled it on the worksheet (2 min).
- Group discussion: the class agrees on shared criteria for the most common close calls and adds them to the class rulebook (6 min).
Rules
- Throw only when the judge and opponent are away from the throwing line, behind the thrower or off to the side.
- Discs are thrown underhand, never hard toward the next lane.
- No one touches caps or discs until the judge finishes measuring.
- The judge's call is final during the game.
Variations
Easier
Put the line at 6 m and the cap goes to the closest disc, without measuring against the chito.
Standard
Games in threes at 9 m with a rotating measuring judge.
Harder
If the disc doesn't knock over the chito on the first throw, the player loses that turn.
Adaptations
- Wheelchair user: throws from 6 m and judges with the tape measure without moving position.
- Visual impairment: the judge taps the chito and describes where each cap is.
- Autism: always starts as judge to watch the sequence before playing.
Learning goals
- Adjust throwing trajectory to knock over a small target.
- Officiate fairly and justify decisions.
- Agree on shared rules based on real game situations.
Equipment for a class of 25
- rubber discs: 24
- cones: 6
- bottle caps: 30
- tape measure: 6
- worksheets: 10
Teacher tip
Upside-down 6-inch cones make a stable chito; caps can be board game pieces or bottle caps. On a dirt field the game feels very close to the original.
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