As children approached their teens, boys and girls were no longer allowed to play together.  The time had come for the family and the tribe to prepare the members of each sex to function as adults.  At 12 or 14, a boy went on his first real hunt.  When he killed a buffalo - the first was usually a calf - his family praised him highly.  His father cried out the news to the whole camp, and if he could afford it, announced the gift of a good horse to a deserving poor person, or even invited an entire group of needy tribesmen to a feast.  In his early teens, a boy might go on a raid with a war party that included his father or an uncle.  He could be of service to the warriors by taking on such chores as gathering wood and holding horses, and he would be treated with respect by the men - more like a mascot than a servant.  In the course of the expedition, the boy tasted danger, watched the men in action and was praised for every manly act.

Cheyenne's had no puberty rites for a boy, but every boy saw his older friends honored and looked forward to accomplishments that seemed important; when a boy had killed a buffalo and experienced the hardships and excitement of a war party, he took on the dignity of a man, even though he still might have much to learn.  Meanwhile, around the age of puberty he entered into rough sports with comrades his own age.

Sioux boys had games typical of the Plains Indians in developing physical endurance and toughness.  In the swing-kicking game, two rows of boys lined up against each other, each player holding a robe wound over his left arm as a shield.  To begin the game, one of the boys would shout the question:  "Shall we garb them by the hair and knee them in the face until they bleed?"  Then the two sides rushed each other, trying to kick a participant down.  Few rules existed.  Two boys could gang up on one.  The object was to protect oneself with the robe, and kick an opponent down.  

Another Sioux sport was the fire-throwing game.  Two teams made brush piles about 50 yards apart and set them afire.  Each boy took out several flaming brands as weapons, and the two sides advanced against each other throwing brands or using them as clubs.  The object of the game, amid the smoke and flying sparks, was to cause the opponents to flee and to surround their blazing brush pile.

Cheyenne girl's went through a formal puberty rite.  At her first menstruation, a girl's father called out to the camp that she had become a woman (Native Americans did not use the word "squaw").  If he was well-to-do, he might give away a horse.  The girl unbraided her hair and bathed herself; the older women painted her body red.  She then wrapped herself in a robe and sat near a fire.  A coal from the fire was sprinkled with sweet grass, juniper needles, and white sage.  The girl then bent over the coal, surrounding it with her robe so that the smoke passed over all her body.  They she went to a special lodge where women spent their menstrual periods.  Here her grandmother cared for her and gave her instructions on womanly conduct.  Finally the girl once again passed through the smoke in order to purify her body, and returned home.

Cheyenne women were noted for their chastity.  A young unmarried woman customarily wore a leather or rope chastity belt that was tied around her waist, knotted in front and wound down between the thighs.  One Cheyenne woman left a detailed account of her young womanhood, courtship, and marriage.  Soon after her first suitor began to pay attention to her, her aunt gave her this advice:  "It is silly to exchange too many glances and smiles with this young man, especially in the presence of people.  He will think you are too easy and immoral.  When he comes to see you at night, you must never run away from him.  If you do so, this indicates that you are silly and not sufficiently taught and educated to respect the attentions of a suitor.  You must never consent t marry your suitor the first time he asks you to marry him, no matter how good looking he may be.  Tell him you would like to associate with him for some time yet to come.  And if he really thinks anything of you, he will not be discouraged, but will continue his visits and come to see you.  When he comes at night, do not let him stay too long, but ask him please to go.  If you let him stay till he is ready to go, he will think you are in love with him will surely think less of you.  You must always be sure to take great care to tie the hide (chastity belt)."