Bladspel

Bladspel is a term used in Dutch to refer to a class of games played on a single sheet of paper or leaf, rather than on a dedicated board. The name combines blad (page or leaf) and spel (game). The concept emphasizes portability and minimal material, and it has appeared in descriptions of lightweight, improvised games used by children and students.

Gameplay typically involves interacting with the sheet through drawing, folding, marking, or following simple instructions. Formats include pen-and-paper puzzles, doodle challenges, and folding games that produce a final image, message, or outcome. Most bladspellen require only a sheet of paper and a writing instrument, and they can be cooperative or competitive.

History and usage: The term appears in a limited number of historical sources describing Dutch or Flemish contexts in which inexpensive, easily shared games were common. It is not widely used in contemporary game catalogs, and its exact boundaries with other paper-based activities (such as generic paper puzzles or origami-inspired games) are not fixed.

Variants and related concepts: Folding games, paper fortune-teller style activities, and other printable puzzles are related forms. In some sources, bladspel is used more narrowly to describe fold-and-play challenges or doodle-driven activities, while other sources treat bladspel as a broader umbrella for simple paper games.

See also: Paper game, pen-and-paper game, folding game, origami in gaming.