Blog
Traditional and New Playground Games
I have written before about how getting playtimes and lunchtimes golden and fun for children and adults is my passion (see previous blogs – Sledging in Geneva, the incredible importance of playing, Laughter in schools, Schools Need Each Other).
Today I just want to remind you all of how important it is for everyone to actively get involved in games with children – either as a participant or as a ‘teacher of games’. Whenever I take children into residential homes to do circletime with older people – we do games. It’s astonishing. Older people – even the over 100 year olds can remember what they played as children (the only good thing about getting old is that although the short term memory disappears – your long term memory comes back!! And when they teach the children the chants, songs and games of their childhood – they laugh and laugh. Why? Because when you play games you are right in the moment, free, untrammelled and included and the brain remembers activities that gave you deep pleasure because laughter cements joy into memory!!
I do lots of workshops and games for parents, lunchtime supervisors and teachers. Sadly most of us can only remember bits of games … “3, 6, 9 the monkey wine …” and “here comes a chopper to chop off your head …” but not all of it will come back to you. We have in this country a history told in games (read Opie’s 2 books on games). Our children deserve to know these or all the games will die with our wonderful old people. So let’s get children chatting to grandparents, mid-day supervisors onto play duties (some of them need to be on patrol duty!) and teachers teaching playground games in weekly circletimes.
1. Jenny Mosley Consultancies delivers exciting lunchtimes and playtimes training that can transform these potentially difficult times of the day. Jenny trains midday supervisors, teachers, managers to make lunchtimes and playtimes enjoyable and productive and to keep the children engaged in healthy and sociable activities.
2. For enquiries about resources and training to help your school or setting with lunchtimes and playtimes, and for positive behaviour, social and emotional learning and whole school ethos, contact Jenny Mosley Consultancies and Positive Press Ltd on 01225 767157 circletime@jennymosley.co.uk