Just five simple rounded stones picked up from anywhere and one can play this simple traditional game and get quite addicted to it. We have not had much luck getting children interested in playing this game simply because they are just not able to catch the stones and soon lose patience. However, we have not had the time to make them play this for an extended period of time. The player must know how to manipulate the stones and only then one can attempt to play this game. Playing five stones improves hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and gross motor skills. The player must estimate the distance at which the stones have to be thrown so that the person can pickup the other stones from the floor and this promotes alertness and spontaneity and reflexes enhance. This game can be played at many levels and variations.
We, at D.K.'s have seen that there is lot of improvement in sensory integration in children with difficulties such as dysgraphia (difficulty in writing) and dyspraxia (difficulty in spatial organisation).
• Games like these are indigenous and environment friendly…not bought from a toy
shop but played with natural material available close by.
• These games promote self awareness and much-needed social interaction among children, in days of
mobile phone games and play stations which are single-player games.
• Many of these games give children exercise, help develop sensory skills, and hand-eye
co-ordination.
• These games are our part of our cultural identity. They tell us about who we are and
where we come from, and therefore need to be preserved.
• They teach children not only about winning but also about losing.
• Apart from everything else, they are a lot of simple FUN…and that’s what childhood
should be all about.
If anyone can actively help revive traditional games, it is teachers and schools. Schools should not only acquire equipment and facilities to make children play sports like cricket and tennis, but should also make available traditional games, especially at the primary and middle school levels.
Ordinary people can help by beginning to play these games once again. In fact, ideally, adults and old people should play them with children. This can also be done in apartment complexes where, instead of sitting inside their individual flats and watching TV or pining for company, people can get together and play games like hopscotch, pallankuzhi, 5 stones and other traditional games. Perhaps it would bring back a few childhood moments, enhance skills and help in bonding too.
Source: http://sadhanablog.blogspot.in/2014/03/games-childrendontplay.html
