What is the game where players drop sticks from a bridge?

The game where players drop sticks from a bridge is called Poohsticks.

In the traditional game, players stand upstream of a bridge over running water and release sticks at the same time. They then hurry to the downstream side and watch for the first stick to emerge. The winner is the player whose stick appears first.

Poohsticks was described by A. A. Milne in The House at Pooh Corner, published in 1928. In the story, Pooh drops an object into a stream, observes it reappear downstream, and develops the game with Christopher Robin. The pastime was inspired by play involving Milne and his son in Ashdown Forest, England.

The game is associated with Poohsticks Bridge, formerly Posingford Bridge, near Hartfield in East Sussex. Although it looks like a simple race of chance, water currents, bridge supports, release position, and turbulence can affect the result. The name is sometimes written “pooh sticks” or “pooh-sticks.”