Olympic View Kids Get Tag Back
News from Olympic View Elementary:
Third graders at OV organized to bring back tag at recess---and won. They collected signatures, held lunch meetings, and negotiated with the Principal. One of the agreed upon conditions was the negotiating team would make posters explaining the new tag rules for the school community.
Comments
Now the NY Times reports that playing may be coming back to kindergarten.
Into the Sandbox
-- Dan Dempsey
But this is NO mystery - for young children, play IS learning. Go to a Montessori classroom and watch how teaching and learning happens through play and activity. This idea of a "6-hour academic day" (see the City's pre-k program) is ridiculous. And I predict many families may try it and find themselves with an exhausted, unhappy child.
I leave it to the Early Childhood experts and understanding what is DEVELOPMENTALLY appropriate.
I don't think ANY child needs more academics at 3 or 4 than any other and I REALLY think they need even more social skills and art/play skills.
-- Dan Dempsey
Blind Man's Bluff-
Dating back to the Han Dynasty, circa 500BC, this game is an on-land version of Marco Polo, in which a blindfolded person designated as 'it' gropes around a room to try and find others. Henry VIII used to play a version with his courtiers, but that take on the classic may be better left to the adults.
Clapping Games-
Just about every culture has a beloved clapping game to call its own; they are a natural progression from oral histories, and feature regional varieties. Can you still remember all the words to 'Miss Mary Mack'? Or are you more of the 'Down, Down Baby' era? 'Patty Cake' might be more your go-to, as it's been in the vernacular for more than 400 years.
Tag-
Tag has many variations, and has been around for hundreds of years. If you want to throw a little bit of modernity onto the game without getting too technological, Flashlight Tag's a great evening take on the classic (and will help the little ones burn off energy before bed).
Double Dutch-
Jumping rope has evolved from a playground diversion to a full-fledged varsity sport. Throw a second rope into the mix and you've got Double Dutch, which may have come to these shores with settlers from the Netherlands in the early 1900s.
Hide and Seek-
Another game that's hard to work out when and how it originated, because of its organic fun and followability, Hide and Seek has slightly different iterations in various cultures, but is a part of playtime around the globe.
Hopscotch-
Dating back to ancient Rome, Hopscotch is a crowd pleaser that can also be played solo. Although the plots vary from culture to culture, the idea's the same -- toss a marker into the appropriate square, and hop your way from start to finish.
Huckle Buckle Beanstalk-
We love the name of this classic parlor game! Though it is also known as Hide the Thimble, and Hot Buttered Beans. The premise is pretty simple -- hide an object and set your friends loose in hopes of finding it. Let them know if they are 'hot' or 'cold' to speed things along.
Kick the Can-
Throw a little twist at Tag and you've got Kick the Can -- a game that's been in the mix since pretty much the invention of the can itself!
Jacks-
Although the bright, shiny version of Jacks as we know it may seem modern, the game's been in the mix since the advent of the dice in ancient Greece. The original game piece, however, may turn you off -- the precursor to the ball was a sheep's bone.
Marbles-
Though only manufactured since the 1800s, different marble-esque games have been played with stones, glass and clay since ancient Egyptian times.
Pass the Parcel-
This one requires a bit of prep, but is fun for the tinier tots. Wrap a favor as many times as you like, then send it around a circle of children. Similar to Musical Chairs, at designated intervals the child who is holding the parcel when the music stops removes a layer of wrapping, and the one to remove the final layer keeps the present.
Simon Says-
Guess how many years Simon Says has been around (and we're not talking about the four-colored button, double-A version). Go on, guess! Nearly a thousand, since Simon de Montfort captured King Henry III and made him his mouthpiece.
Rock, Paper, Scissors-
Dating back to 200BC, this Chinese game hasn't always featured a rock, a piece of paper and pair of scissors; an earlier iteration included a frog, a slug and a snake. The game made its way to Europe in the 20th century, and has been a part of our vernacular ever since.
Rocky
I would like to add that a huge amount of credit for this success needs to go to OV's Principal, Sandra Powell. Her willingness to work with students on this problem was very empowering for the kids involved. Lots of adults in positions of authority aren't that comfortable with sharing power with kids---Ms. Powell was.