A new generation makes old games fun again in India
The CCFC India office celebrates a successful event
By Lipi Jobson, communications manager, India
INDIA — Children in India don’t play as previous generations did — when games native to the country were popular. Nowadays most kids in the Asian country stick to cricket, tennis and football. So Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC), along with its local partner People’s Action for Development (PAD), organized a Traditional Games Fest earlier this month.
Attended by government officials — and more than 650 children and youth from Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram Districts — the day involved logical thinking, concentration, basic math skills and more with children playing games such as paramapadham (snakes and ladders), paanai udaithal (a piñata-type game) and Kabaddi (a contact sport).
“Traditional games teach children to develop sensory skills, count, add, improve motor skills, identify colours, improve hand-eye co-ordination and, finally, have fun,” explains Rajendra Prasad, executive secretary of PAD. “Many modern games played around the world have their origin in these traditional games, and this is the pride of our country's culture.”
Parents enjoyed the games with their children, acknowledging the day also provided lessons in culture and history, while encouraging different generations to interact. It proves the importance of play.
Visit facebook.com/ccfcindia for more photos from the special day.
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About Christian Children's Fund of Canada:
Christian Children's Fund of Canada (CCFC) is a child-focused international development organization and a member of ChildFund Alliance. For more than 50 years, CCFC has been helping children and families of all faiths move from poverty to self-reliance. CCFC supports children and communities in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Nicaragua and Paraguay. Currently, CCFC has almost 50,000 children sponsored, benefiting nearly 400,000 people around the world.