Alex Quinn's Japan Journal

10/23/2004, Japanese traditional play day

One of my teachers and his wife organized a day for Japanese adults to teach traditional Japanese play to little kids.  The idea is to give the kids some games and ways to play, other than video games and toy guns.  Think of cat's cradle, duck-duck-goose, marbles, hop scotch, etc.  Anyway, he invited me and some other foreigners to come and teach traditional play from our home countries.  The night before, I went to the local Toys R Us and picked up marbles, rubber balls, and chalk for playing marbles, jacks, and hop scotch.  Actually, I didn't get to use any of the stuff I brought because there were lots of good ideas floating around.  It was fine.  We had a great time.  With the kids and other people, I played duck-duck-goose, Japanese marbles, and a Japanese game with nails.  It was a beautiful day.