Ecole Children's House: September 2015

Traditional Games for Our Kids

Greetings From Our Principal

Dear parents,

Welcome to the month of September !

We had lots of fun for the last two months with our Idul Fitri's celebration and Indonesia's 70th Independence Day Celebration. This month of September is no exception, we will introduce our students with a few traditional games. Nowadays, the availability of tablets and smartphones gives our children easy access to YouTube, facebook and online games. Children has been allowed to use such devices from a young age and this is how they occupy themselves, instead of playing outdoors and making friends outside through activities such as sports.

It is important to teach our children to lead a balanced life that does not revolve around the virtual world. Hence, instead of letting children play online games, why not start introducing traditional games into your weekly routine? Find an ideal time for the whole family to sit together and play some games. This will built stronger family bonding!

A fun healthy family is a happy family!

Best Wishes,

Evi Jovita

Teacher’s Corner

By : Miss Oktaviani

Hi my name is Miss Oktaviani. I teach Toddler class.

I have been teaching in Ecole for 2 years as assistant teacher. I feel happy to be able to work with children. I really enjoy my job as a teacher because it gives me the opportunity to be creative and be a good role model to my students.

As a teacher, I believe introducing traditional game is one way of teaching children to learn through play. Games such as sports allow children to develop skills such as patience, team work and turn-taking. Most importantly, games are a fun way to get them to learn -without them even realising it. The joy of seeing their smiles and happiness makes me feel so blessed to be a teacher!

Thank you.

Article

How Can Traditional Games Benefit Your Child?

For the past few years, parents complaining about their kids and their online or computer habits. They spend too much time playing online games and no time for homework. Our children are simply bombarded with tons of new online stuffs. They have some role in engaging our kids. But most of these online games are designed to entertain and so after a while, some kids get bored. And if done in excess, some even become grouchy.

Meanwhile, traditional games are overlooked if not ignored. traditional games isn’t just referring to old or classic games. We consider most board, word, or card games as traditional games because they don’t use computer or “hi-tech” gadgets.

Unlike traditional games, today’s online games don’t involve social interaction. If permitted, kids can stay with the computer all day long. Instead of spending time with their parents, siblings, or friends, they spend time with a cold, lifeless machine. And this is where the problem comes in — the lack of connection with a human soul.

How can traditional games help kids?

First, traditional games can help kids learn to acknowledge their emotions, although indirectly. During play, kids learn to deal with frustration after a loss, with excitement after a win, with anger after getting a “bad turn,” with anxiety when pride is on the line.

By playing traditional games, kids also learn how to communicate politely with other players. They show empathy to players who loses, become assertive with those who bend the rules, and control their temper when others become rowdy.

Second, traditional games provide a venue for families to spend time together, to generate lively banter, and to communicate with one another —done in the spirit of fun. The time spent each day to play with kids is a time well-spent. At the end of the day, what kids remember are the happy times spent with their parents and siblings. It won’t matter to them who wins or loses.

They will cherish those moments of togetherness and treasure those periods of laughter. The closeness and warmth among family members will forever be celebrated.

Kids love to connect with their parents. They need to feel secure, to be affirmed, to be listened to. They want frequent hugs, comforting words, and even high fives. If given a choice, most kids will prefer a warm, genuine touch and a caring, healing voice over an online game. So a daily thirty-minute playtime with kids is an occasion to help families thrive.

Third, traditional games stimulate the brain through logical thinking and strategy. Studies have shown that to keep our brain healthy, we need to frequently stimulate it. Through reading, learning new things, playing word or board games, solving puzzles, or doing physical activities, our brain stays fit.

In summary, traditional games allow families to have quality time together while improving relationships, creating laughter, keeping the brain healthy, and strengthening the bond that glue the family’s fabric.

Traditional Games