The Games They Play

On our last day at Emafini, I walked around outside to just see what the students do during their lunch break.  There is at least an hour of unsupervised time.  Most learners, no matter what age, play in small groups.

Finding some shade to hang out with friends.

 Usually, girls are playing together and have their games while boys have their games.  One thing that struck me as odd is the fact that there are specific girls' games and boys' games.  This first video is jump rope.  This game of jump rope has a different twist to it.  It would be great to teach this to our students.

A wrapped top ready for throwing down and spinning.  

                                   In the second video, the boys are playing with their tops.  It is quite fascinating to see them throw them down and while they are still spinning, pick them up in their hands.   The day before, I traded with a fifth grade boy, a harmonica for a top.  I don't know if I could ever wrap and throw it down so it spins, but I am going to try.Walking around that afternoon, a couple of young girls are just having a nice conversation while using the broken fence slat as a teeter-totter.  Another group of girls played a hand clapping game.  

As I continued to move around the school grounds, I saw some boys playing marbles and also a group of older boys pitching coins.  Pitching coins was not permitted because one of the 7th grade monitors went up to them and broke the game up.  I also saw some boys playing soccer. Soccer balls can be made from a number of types of material.  In fact one of them was made from plastic bags, tape and an old onion bag.

In the next two videos there are are some more jump rope games the girls where playing.  I find it amazing that the different ages of the girls will have different variations of jump rope games.  Actually, I did see the youngest group trying one of the other routines without success.  

And the last game that I watched reminded me of ball and jacks game.  I had a young learner explain the process: Begin with a number of stones in a circle,  Throw a stone up and pull as many stones out of the circle.  Next, throw the stone up and put all but one stone back into the circle.  Each time you are successful you get to keep that point.  The girls would continue throwing the stone up, moving the stones in and out of the circle and catching the stone before it hits the ground.   Only girls play this game.