Obstacles

Here's a game that took place just before the summer holidays at one of the after school sessions. The children just seemed to flow into a game, then within a short space of time more children joined in seamlessly. Not interrupting the dynamic that the children already created, but by simply joining in, things shifted ever so slightly as they fit in amongst the others and the game that had been initiated. Have a look at the images that follow to get a sense of what the children were doing, it was an obstacle course/balancing game made up of bits of wood and old tyres.

We start playing with some scraps of wood. Giant jenga style.

Then arrange them on the floor to create a balancing game.

We run...

...we balance...

...others slowly begin to join in.

The idea is really simple and needs no verbal introduction.

So children and grown ups alike feel they can join in.

Someone decides that something needs to change...

With a few adjustments, it then turns into a team game.

Where the group split in half and race through the course against the other team.

It then ended on a full on race!

It was nice to observe a game where no permissions to join in were sought from children looking to play, and no one was told they couldn't join in. It's important to observe these moments because play isn't always that fair! (Not to say they didn't wind each other up while they were playing as you can see and hear in the video!)