Play Time

We drove about two hours out of town to reach the village.  Paved road gave way to wide gravel road to partially paved, partially dirt road.  The snow-topped mountains seemed much closer, though we were not yet in the foothills. 

At the village club house, the village elders ushered us into their ESL room, replete with computers and an ESL teacher excited to welcome us and tell us about her ESL classes.  Then, a meeting of the minds occurred as plans for the day were discussed.  We were there to play games with the kids--all kids, including those with disabilities--in celebration of Invalid Day. Normally, I understand, kids with disabilities have very few options here.

After the formal decision-making was made regarding where to play the various games and how to divide the children into groups, we moved outside to welcome the children, who had already been playing outside the gates, into the yard.  The village leaders formed them into four lines, shortest to tallest, and waited for latecomers to divide them as evenly as possible into the teams.

Jo lead two of the teams in a game of kickball.  The translator, having not played the game before, was uncertain about how to describe running the bases and outs.  We found it easier to place the children in their positions and show them how to roll the ball, how to catch it and tag someone out, how to run the bases in order. The older boys, who were around thirteen, loved it.  The first group was very helpful and directed the little kids to run from second to third when the ball was kicked; the second group was ornery, telling the little kids who ran to first to turn around and run back home.

While waiting to switch groups and activities, I entertained two teams with a Simon Says turned learn-body-parts-in-English game. "Simon says touch your head," I said, touching my head.  The kids nearest me looked at me out of the corner of their eyes.  "Simon says touch your nose," and I touched my nose.  A few of the older ones half-heartedly touched their nose and laughed.  I continued, eventually dropping "Simon says" and even "touch", leaving us with a rapid motion, "Nose. Ears.  Knees.  Toes.  Knees. Toes. Knees...."  They giggled, all of them repeating the words and movements after me, laughing harder when I wiggled my ears back and forth as I said, "Ears," or made them bend over and touch their toes only to immediately stand up and touch their shoulders.  Only a few minutes of this, and then switch.  New activity!

The kids seemed to thoroughly enjoy the events Sandra planned.  The adults with our group and from the village assisted the kids in each event, cheering them on, adjusting leg bands, making sure popped balloons got replaced, and leading them around the right marker. Relays, three-legged races, a variation of dodge ball, water balloon volleyball, sack races, kickball, and red light, green light lead to lots of smiles and laughter.  Before leaving, the kids received a couple of pieces of candy for the walk home.

Hopes are that part of the group can return for Children's Day on June 1. I won't be able to since I'll be teaching, but the village leaders are excited about the huge event they are planning to celebrate their kids.