Global Games · Connected Through Play

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Global Games

Let’s have some fun today and leave our boxed board games behind. For this activity you and your kids will try a game that has been played for centuries in another part of the world using only what you have on hand.

Getting Started:

1. Search for a "Traditional game from [Country]" that uses only simple materials. (Try: "How to play Otedama" from Japan, "How to play Pallanguzhi" from India, or "How to play Marbles").

2. Set up the game using buttons, beans, pebbles, or even small rolled-up socks.

3. Play three rounds. Focus on the flow of the game rather than who is winning.

The Twist:

The "Rule Exchange." After the first round, "collaborate" on a new rule that changes the game’s "pressure." Maybe you have to play with your non-dominant hand, or you have to give a compliment every time you score.

Options for Older Kids:

Ages 9–11 (The Game Historian): Search for the history of a game they already love (like Chess or Futbol or if you’re in the USA Soccer). Trace its "ancestry" back to its original culture.

Ages 12–14 (The Logic Audit): Compare a "Strategy" game (like Mancala) to a "Luck" game (like Ludo). Ask: "Which one makes you feel more 'pressure' to be perfect? Why?"

Ages 15–17 (The Spirit of Play): Search for the "Ethical rules" of different global sports (like the concept of Haka in Rugby or the "Respect" protocols in Martial Arts). Ask: "How would our local high school sports change if these values were the most important thing on the scoreboard?"

Your Turn

Which global game did you try? Was it harder or easier than the games you usually play?

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