The Shanghai Spiritual Civilization Office, Education
Commission, Physical Education Bureau and Women's Union worked
together to hold several competitions of "traditional street games"
among the city's pupils and their parents from last winter to this
summer.
Traditional street games are what people in their 30s or 40s
used to play when they were children back in the alleyways of old
Shanghai. Such children's pastimes include "rotating and moving an
iron ring with an iron rod," "flipping glass beads" and "throwing
sandbags at your enemies."
"These games are simple. They don't need much space and cost
little. They are games that can be played at anywhere, anytime," a
woman who came with her son to the competition said. "I am so happy
I can play games I haven't played in a long time. It takes me back
to my childhood! It's really exciting to show my boy what a
'game-master' his mother is!"
"I learned from my grandpa and I found out he was a real
game-king!" a teenager and PC game addict said. "I think these
games are more interesting than computer games I've played."
With people moving out of alleyways and living in cement
complexes and children's after-school time being occupied by
homework and various tutoring lessons, computer games and comics
are becoming the major draws in children's entertainment. This
makes their social circles smaller and cause them to feel
lonely.
Experts said these old alleyway games facilitate children to
play in groups and encourage face-to-face communication in the
process, something modern games lack.
A competition organizer said, "For our children, achieving high
grades is not enough. They need to learn how to communicate with
each other and how to work in a team. Playing traditional games is
just a good way to cultivate team spirit."
Since it started at the end of last year, over 10,000 families
have taken part in the competition. Feedback is positive, showing
over half of the participating pupils like these old street games
very much.
Shanghai also launched another program, "Sunny Saturday," to
open schools' physical education facilities to pupils living in
nearby communities on weekends. Pupils now don't have to worry
about where to spend healthy and sporty Saturday afternoons
now.
(China Daily November 25, 2006)