When kids play kids' games, like hide-and-seek or duck-duck-goose
or mother-may-I, you know, games for kids... they somehow semi-miraculously
manage to play together for sometimes hours on end... Together.
On their own. Without supervision. In fun.
Somehow the games they play and the ways they play bring them
together: constructively, compassionately, magically.
In playing kids' games, kids learn themselves and each other how
to build character and community.
Which was the point of a curriculum I developed for inner-city,
trouble-making elementary school children almost 35 years ago.
Where we showed how kids playing just plain games 90 minutes a
week for six weeks became better students: better leaders, better
followers, better at creating and sustaining a team effort, better
at learning together.
Which is what led me to build my inner playground: figuring that
if I give myselves the space and permission, maybe, in play, I'll
find sanity.
So I taught myself games. |
