COMENIUS MULTILATERAR PARTNERSHIP
LEARNING THROUGH DEVELOPING INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS
2012–2014
THIRD INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECT
What, how, when, where,
why do we play?
KAUNO LOPSELIS DARZELIS „EZIUKAS“
KAUNAS, LITHUANIA
Programme: LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAME
Sub-programme: COMENIUS
Action type: PARTNERSHIP
Working language of the partnership: EN – English
Project title: Learning through developing
interdisciplinary projects
Projects acronym: LeaDer – int
PROJECT COORDINATOR
SCOALA NR.4 „ELENA DONICI CANTSCUZINO“,
PUCIOASA, ROMANIA
Adress: Str. Republicii, n 123
Pucioasa, jud. Dambovita, Romania
Phone / Fax: +44245 760 587
E-mail: scoala4puc@yahoo.com
Website: www.scoala4pucioasa.ro
PARTNERS
PROFESIONALNA GIMNAZIYA PO TURIZAM
“DR. VASIL BERON”
Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
Adress: 10 Canko Cerkovski Str.
Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
Phone / Fax: +359 62 62 15 16
E-mail: tt_beron@abv.bg
Website: http://vtpgt.com
KAUNO LOPŠELIS – DARŽELIS „EŽIUKAS,
KAUNAS, LITHUANIA
Adress: A. Mapu str. 12
Kaunas, Lithuania
Phone / Fax: +370 37 42 34 43
E-mail: eziukas4@gmail.com
Website: www.darzeliseziukas.lt
ABUŞAĞI İLKÖĞRETİM OKULU
(ABUSAGI ILKOGRETIM OKULU)
Adress: Abuşaği Kasabasi Gülşehir/Nevşehir
Nevşehir
Turkey
Phone: +903844297422
E-mail: abusagi_50@hotmail.com
AUTHORS
Rita Tatariūnienė, Project manager
Irma Žilinskienė, Director
Lina Jachimavičiūtė, Kindergarten teacher
Lijana Budrienė, Preschool group pedagogue
Renata Motuzienė, Music teacher
Giedrė Simėnaitė, Teacher of physical culture
Children from „Šermukšnėliai“ and „Kleveliai“ preschool groups
Funded by Lifelong Learning Programme (Comenius)
of the European Union
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible
for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
cONTENT
EDITORIAL........................................................................ 5
1. INTRODUCTION:
THE IMPORTANCE OF GAMES.......................... 6
2. THE IMPORTANCE OF LITHUANIAN
FOLK GAMES IN THE EDUCATIONAL
PROCESS....................................................................... 9
3. GAMES DESCRIPTION......................................... 25
4. DID YOU KNOW THAT....................................... 30
5. USEFUL LINKS.........................................................32
4
EDITORIAL
What, where, how, when, why do we play?
In the rush and whirl of the present day life, continually facing the
changes we are prone to forget how to look in a holistic way- the way that
assists better understanding of today’s complex world.
Our e-book presents the new, integrated, approach for the
learning process. Through the interdisciplinary project “What, where,
how, when, why do we play?” and integrating games, music, drama
elements, handcrafts, Mother tongue, colors and numbers our children
from the prep-groups enhance their cognitive, digital and creative skills,
communicating abilities of social interaction, speaking abilities, develop
respect towards national culture values and learn keeping the rules.
Integrated teaching is also a unique professional challenge for our
teachers.
So join us and let’s learn together what, where, how, when, why
do we play in our kindergarten “Eziukas”!
5
1.
INTRODUCTION:
THE IMPORTANCE OF GAMES
6
Games are a mutual activity between a child and an adult. While
playing with the toys and adults, a child slowly acquires, develops and
expresses many his/her most important capabilities already since the first
life weeks of his/her life.
A game is the most important activity for a child. That is simply a
necessity in his/her life:
„„ games help him/her grow up, exercise, explore the life,
implement dreams and fulfill his/her wishes;
„„ while playing, a child fantasizes, models his/her future, plays
the representatives of various professions. A real environment,
where a child acquires communication skills and learns to
cooperate, reflects in his/her games.
7
2.
THE IMPORTANCE OF
LITHUANIAN FOLK GAMES
IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS
9
ETHNOGRAPHIC COLLECTIONS AND
ISOLATED AUTHORIAL WORKS
„„ It’s possible to find some knowledge about Lithuanian
games and round dances of 13th–15th centuries in the
Livonian chronicle and some other chronicles. The physical
preparation, bravery, stamina and fastness of Lithuanian
warriors were mentioned in these historical sources.
„„ Wulfstan, an Anglo-Saxan traveler (~887–901) was the
first one who mentioned Lithuanian games, dances and
horseracing during funeral ceremony that sometimes
continued even several months.
„„ A famous Lithuanian ethnographer, writer and enlightener
in the late 19th/ early 20th century Mikalojus Katkus
(1852–1944), while describing Lithuanian rituals and
traditions in his book „Balanos gadynė“ (Eng. “The times
of sapwood”), mentioned and described some games of
shepherding, also some wedding revels and games.
„„ The most serious best-known works about Lithuanian
games are written by an educationalist and writer Matas
Grigonis in the early 20th century, such as the books „200
žaidimų“ (Eng. “200 games”), „Vaikų žaidimai“ (Eng. „The
games of children“).
10
THE PEDAGOGICAL IMPORTANCE
OF LITHUANIAN FOLK GAMES
The works of minor folklore, such as fairytales, songs
and games, were important for centuries from the educational
point of view:
„„ they shaped the spiritual world of children;
„„ they trained mental, physical and artistic skills.
Games help the children to develop the following traits:
„„ mental traits (thinking, text perception, knowledge,
vocabulary, nature of motion, memorizing of the
sequence of actions);
„„ moral traits (actions and behavior);
„„ esthetical traits (music, poetical text);
„„ physical traits (the exercising of muscles);
„„ work traits;
„„ social traits.
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THE NATIONAL IMPORTANCE OF
LITHUANIAN FOLK GAMES
„„ The games maintain human relationships and
communication through emotions and activities;
„„ nurture quick eye and vigilance;
„„ teach to hear out and read facial expressions.
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THE TYPES OF LITHUANIAN
FOLK GAMES
„„
„„
„„
„„
„„
„„
„„
„„
„„
gaimings (Lit. „žaidinimai”);
games with the tools (indoors and outdoors);
games without tools (indoors and outdoors);
games with blindfolded (closed) eyes;
drama games;
verbal games;
round dances;
table games;
sports games.
13
GAMINGS
Gaimings are short imaginative works followed by
simple motions, also meaningful and mindless quatrains,
for example: „Myliu myliu spust” (Eng. “I love I love I do”,
„Joja joja Jonukas” (Eng. “Jonukas rides rides”), etc. A child
still doesn’t play voluntary – the adults involve him-her in
the game.The gaming helps crying children to calm down,
maintain a joyful mood, provide basic knowledge about the
environment.
14
GAMES WITH THE TOOLS
(INDOORS AND OUTDOORS)
They are mobile group games with the balls, ropes,
sticks, towels, kerchiefs, little flags, little stones, little sticks,
etc., for example: „Virvę trauk” (Eng. “Pull the rope”),
„Kiaušinių ridenimas” (Engl. “The rolling of eggs”). The
place games is chosen depending on the content, tools and
the number of participants. However, these games usually
are played outdoors because they are very mobile.
15
THE GAMES WITHOUT TOOLS
(INDOORS AND OUTDOORS)
The games without tools (indoors and outdoors)
are mobile or quiet games with a plot, where the children
play the environment, human relationships, behavior of
animals, for example:
„Tupi šarka”(Eng. “A magpie is perching”), „Avys
ir piemuo”(Engl. “The sheep and a shepherd”), etc. Those
games encourage friendships, transfuses a love of nature
to the children, nurture motorics and coordination.
16
GAMES WITH BLINDFOLDED
(CLOSED) eyes
These games are story-based games with the well-known
heroes and animals of fairytales. A fast orientation and active
actions are necessary while playing them, for example, “The
blind chicken”, “Behind the osier-bed on the fense”, etc. These
games nurture the analyzers of hearing and touch, the spatial
perception, the traits of morale and will, imagination and produce
good emotions.
17
DRAMA GAMES
Drama games are the games of cognitive nature
with a poetical or improvised text. They are based on the
stories that remind fairytales, for example: „Ganiau, ganiau
aveles” (Eng. “I shepherded shepherded little sheep”),
„Raganėle, man paskolink adatėlę“ (Eng.”Little witch,
lend me a little needle”), etc.
A verbal communication and role-performing
(wolves, shepherds, sheep, etc.) are dominating while
playing such kind of games. These games help the children
to get better acquainted with the nature, cities, nature,
the children learn to name the things and classify them.
18
games-dialogues
This kind of games are short, imaginative dialogues
between the main players (a wolf and a goose, a cat and
a mouse, a buyer and a master, a seller and a devil). The
episodes of animals’ life are played, for example: “A wolf
and gooses”, “A bridge of gooses”.
Dialogues are performed on the first part of the
game, while the actions, such as contesting, running, are
performed on the second part. These games enrich the
game of children, teach them cohesive speaking, also
concentration and a fast orientation.
19
verbal games
Verbal games are two-part contest of cognitive
nature with the roles and motions. The actions are
performing on the first part and the second part is a
ransoming of forfeits that helps children to relax after
intensive activities. The examples of such kind of games
are: “Broken telephone”, “Eatable-not eatable”, “Fruit –
vegetable”, etc.
20
round dances
Round dances are quiet games characterized by
circle walking, singing and performing imitative actions
while dancing, for example:
„„ „Jurgeli, meistreli”, (Eng. “Master Jurgeli”),
„„ „Skrido žvirblis per ulyčią” (Eng. “A sparrow
flought through the village’s street”), etc.
Such games nurture an inborn grace, plasticity,
teach the children to feel a common activity
and a harmonious rhythm according melody.
21
table games
Table games are quiet games with the means and
without them, for example: “Answer the questions”,
“The foodie” (Lit. „Smaguris”), etc. Table games nurture
children’s quick eye, fast orientation, cognitive interests,
teach children friendliness and a good behavior.
22
sports games
Sports games can be defined as a contested activity
of several teams, when the players attempt to have the
advantage by using the same means, such as sledge, iceskate, balls, sticks. Sports games are an efficient sort of
physical games with sports elements and a tool of active
rest, for example: „Virvė“ (Eng. “The rope”), „Ratą sukti“
(Eng. “To turn the wheel”), etc.
23
a conclusion
Lithuanian folk games are very important in the
life of the children. The games are their activity’s area
that nurtures a child physically, spiritually, creatively and
transfuses a love of national heritage to him/her.
24
3.
lithuanian traditional
games description
“George the Master”
(the most popular
circle game)
Number of players: 15
Duration: 10 min.
Means: good mood J
Place: Outdoors or sports gym
Age: 2–99 J
Description: Children make a circle holding each other’s
hands low. One of them is chosen to stand in the middle
of the circle to be “George the Master”. Going round the
circle the children sing the song:
“George Master
George Master
Teach your little children
And you children do the same as your master shows you”
26
The Master has to be creative, think of some movement and
show everybody what to do (jump, clap, catch fish, chop wood
etc.) And all have to do after the Master.
After this the Master chooses the next Master and so on.
27
“The wolf, the bear and geese”
Number of players: 12
Duration: 10 min.
Means: good mood J
Place: Outdoors or sports gym
Age: 6–99 J
Description: three players are chosen to be a wolf, a bear and a goose.
The rest are geese. A bear and a wolf stand in front of a goose and
geese make tandem stand behind the goose holding each other by
the waist. The bear and the wolf ask the goose:
– Where do you fly?
– To the lake, – answers the goose.
– Try to do so, – tease the bear and the wolf.
The bear and the wolf link hands each other and hold them up (“making
a net”). The goose and the geese try to get through their linked hands
while the bear and the wolf try to catch geese by “throwing the net”.
28
The caught geese are asked to choose either the wolf or the bear and to
make a tandem stand holding each other by the waist behind the chosen
character.
When all the geese are being caught the team of the bear stands in front of
the team of the wolf with their leaders in front. The geese hold tight each
other by the waist while the bear and the wolf link their hands as well. Both
teams pull strongly each other trying to pull away as many geese from the
opposite team as possible.
The aim of the game is to pull away into your team all the players from the
opponent‘s team.
“The fisherman and his fishers”
Number of players: 15
Duration: 10 min.
Means: rope and good mood J
Place: Outdoors or sports gym
Age: 6–99 J
Description: Children make a
circle. One of them is chosen to
stand in the middle of the circle to
be “the fisherman” holding a rope
(“fisherman‘s rod”). The fisherman
quickly rotates the rope quite low so
hit the players’ (“fishers”) legs – to
catch a fish. The rest have to jump up
to avoid the rope touches their legs.
If the fisherman “catches a fish”, he/
she becomes a new fisherman and
the games starts again.
29
4.
DID YOU KNOW THAT
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Did you know that…
…International Play Association (IPA) which is an international,
interdisciplinary, non-governmental organization founded in 1961,
promotes the child’s right to play.
…on 1st February, 2013 United Nations adopted the General Comment
on Article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, including
the Child’s Right to Play as a fundamental human right: “That every
child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational
activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in
cultural life and the art”.
…games are universal.
…nearly all popular children’s games are children’s folk games,
stretching back hundreds of years, embodying cultural knowledge.
…games are being passed down generation after generation and
most of them have never been written down.
… games enhance learning process and encourage cultural awareness
and exploration.
…games are the most efficient way of upbringing essential life skills
for children and anticipating their adaptation to their adult life.
…many children get the most pleasure out of playing folk games even
with all the new video games and other high-tech toys out there.
…there are special games being played only during certain calendar
festivals.
…Lithuanian folk game “Master George” is the most popular game
in Lithuania.
31
5.
useful links
32
G a me “Mum m y ” ( “ Mo t ul e ” )
L ithu anian t r adit i o nal game s :
“ Šia uč iuk as” , “ V i l k a o ud e g” ,
“ Ant žilv ičio k el mo ” , “ G r y b ų r aut ”
L ithu anian B al t ic g ame
“ Sheep and w o l f”
L ithu anian mil l enni um s o ng s f e s t i v a l
2 00 9, “ B eans w hack ” ( “ P up u K ul t ” )
L ithu anian songs f e s t i v al 2 0 1 4
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