Games Around the World

              A fun activity that our class got to participate in was “Games Around the World.” On this particular day, everyone was asked to bring a game from a different country. We all came together and got to let loose and have fun as we played all the games. From outside to inside, we were all over the place acting like kids again. It was a fun experience but also a great learning experience. By playing these different games, we got to learn about various cultures from around the world. Whether it was variations of games we have here in the United States or new games that we have never heard of, we got to experience how other kids play and have fun. Is it different than how kids here have fun or what we did to entertain ourselves as children? No. Children are children no matter where we live. We have more similarities to them than differences. This was the message and lesson we took from class that day, and it is something that everyone must come to realize.

             I brought in a game from Chile called “Corre, Corre la Guaraca.” Similar to “Duck, Duck, Goose,” children sit in a circle while another walks around the circle with a handkerchief. The person on the outer circle then drops the handkerchief on another person to tag him/her. If it is felt, the person gets up and tries to tag the other person before he/she can sit down in the open spot. It was a lot of fun playing this game and we all had a good laugh! A picture of us playing the game is below.

  Doing an activity similar to this one where different games from different parts of the world are played is a good way to teach children about different cultures. Children are able to experience the similarities that they have with children they have never met before by participating in these activities. As part of a geography lesson, they can compare and contrast these games to more familiar games that are played here in the United States. Many times they may find that the method of playing is the same and just a different variation of another game. Furthermore, as a teacher, we can show children where these countries are located on a map and even watch YouTube videos of children playing these games in their country. It is a great way for children to learn and grow as they make connections with people in different parts of the world.