This game called Life!
As you get older, you realise your life starts mirroring different board games, even game shows! I love this quote about playing board games. It is so true, especially when playing Monopoly!
The Game of Life
If only this did mirror real life! You can just change your job by the throw of a dice. Yes please!
Monopoly
Well, you get to a certain point sometimes in life where you feel like you are passing go but not actually collecting £200. Or if you do, it's taken straight off you in super tax! I love to collect the stations, but in life, you do this only to be told all the trains are on strike! I'd be the one buying all the houses to find I've huge repair bills on all the houses! Monopoly money was brill though when we were growing up. We always said we'd love to just go into town and spend it, buying everything!
I did love landing on a Chance or Community Chest card. It makes me think of the Abba song,
'Take a chance on Me'. In life, you have to go for things, take risks and take chances.
Twister
This game was so much fun as a kid, back when I was flexible. Twister in middle age is definitely a sight to see, especially Drunken Twister!
Operation
So, as soon as you hit 40, you have your MOT and, if you are like me, you fail. Welcome to the doctors, hospital A and E, even the operation theatre. I always went for the bread basket. I've always loved eating bread! This quote made me think!
Downfall
Remember the game Downfall where the counters dropped down, slowly but surely. Well, life can be like that too. Everything builds up until it all drops! Especially, the idea of not being able to see what's falling on the other side until it's too late!
Snakes and Ladders
You know that feeling of two steps forwards and three steps back? This is so true in life. You feel like you are constantly on a treadmill or in a hamster wheel, working hard, yet not going forward. Sometimes, a long ladder comes along to climb, then before you know it, you're sliding back down the long snake back to where you started. And you know what? You sometimes meet real life snakes. Just focus on the ladders, and going up.
Frustration
Oh my! This game definitely lived up to its name! It was fun but you did get frustrated! Life can be the same and we need to keep calming ourselves in the storms.
Perfection
Well if this does not bring on frustratuon, I don't know what does! We all strive for perfectuon in life but things aren't meant to be perfect. We stress ourselves out because we have a picture of what things are meant to be like. Some things are just out of our control though and when we realise this, it's so much easier.
Trivial Pursuit
This was a fave at Christmas. I loved playing this and always went for the brown, Literature and yellow, History cheeses. Now, if playing, I'd just go for any colour cheese, a few crackers and a bottle of red wine!
Pictionary
I loved this game so much. We always had a laugh trying to interpret each other's drawings. Again, this is true in life. We assume people mean one thing when really they mean another. There is miscommunication with folk as people can tend to make assumptions about others from only seeing a small part of the picture, not the whole and they jump to conclusions. A bit like in Pictionary where one person starts drawing and the other shouts out something bizarre before they've had chance to finish!
Solitaire
I loved playing this and I had a plastic, circular board with a lid. I would play this for hours. As much as it is lovely to do things in groups and with folk, it's still good to sit in a corner and have some alone time in life.
Playing cards
My fave card game is so nostalgic as we all played it as a family with my grandparents. We still play it now- Newmarket. We'd always bet on the trump cards: Jack of diamonds, Queen of hearts, King of clubs and the Ace of spades. We still play Brucie's The Price is Right' too, shouting Higher or Lower. We spent so many hours of fun playing cards, laughing and joking as a family and I"m so glad we've carried it on. They are so versatile and can be played anywhere, on a train or in a cafe.
I was also taught how to play Patience and Clock, on my own. These relate to life in that, who actually has much patience left in this busy, modern day? The other thing you learn from playing these games is that if you cheat, you lose out as the game ends and you lose out on a bit of fun.
Party games
Back in the 80s, when I was growing up, we knew how to party! Parties were held at home, not in play areas for a start. I've tried to hold onto this and am holding a family Back to the 80s party very soon! The best party I remember was my 8th birthday party. It was a sunny day and most of it was spent in the back garden. Cousins, neighbourhood and school frirnds all had their ra ra dresses or pinafores on and we danced to the LPs played on the record player, brought out into the garden, helped along by a long extension lead. I helped mum make up the homemade party bags and I was just so happy. My best prezzies were a Worzel Gummidge tshirt and my first ever single, 'Come on Eileen!'
Party games were fab and the excitement was ridiculous! Especially at school year parties where 60 kids were playing Pass the parcel and musical bumps. We were hysterical by the time Musical chairs began and we were told we had to sit on boy's knees! I've done this since as a teacher and it always causes a storm!
I'll never forget Postman's Knock, where all the girls were given a number and the boy on had to say a number. If it was yours, he had to peck you on the cheek! I suppose that then developed into Spin the Bottle!
Playground games
Oh the marvellous games from our childhood! When Enid Blyton was around! We loved playing singing games in the playground and at parties. What would, The Farmer's in his den be now? The farmer wants a partner? The wife wants a satisfying career? The child gets put in time out? The mind boggles!
We used to play British Bulldogs but last I heard, it was banned for being too raucous! And Farmer, Farmer, may I cross your golden water? Instead of all the steps you had to take, the farmer would probably just put an injunction out fobidding you on his land, and if you asked Mr Wolf what time it was, he'd snap back,
"Get a watch!"
Is it just me or has a lot of fun gone out of childhood these days? Political correctness and health and safety perhaps needed to change but it has changed too far.
I can't really think of anything for the brilliant hopscotch, two balls, cat's cradle and skipping games but that's probably saying something in itself. Not all things need a reason, a plan, a significance or a message, they just need to be. Sometimes kids just need to jump on a space hopper and bounce around because they want to, no other reason. Two children may decide to pick up box of dominoes and play a game for FUN! Not because they have been told that if they sit on this table, they need to find some way of ticking a Maths objective then all is right with the world. Children learn best through play. This is where mistakes are made and lessons learned. Curiosity is cherished and individual learning happens organically.
I remember all these childhood games with such fondness as my friends and I had fun and couldn't wait to play them again the next day, and the next! Most times, at school, classroom and playground, we didn't even realise we were learning because we were having so much fun. I loved it when we were told we could all do our own topic on travel. We could choose the theme. We had so much choice back then. I chose Travel through the ages and loved going to the library and researching it myself. I'm veering off the topic of my blog here but this is a real bug bear of mine!
We played so many games as kids, together, interacting with each other and leaening social skills. Games, be it sports or boardgames, are a brill way of teaching kids to be good losers, not sore losers. But also, to give them ambition to win. If you want something, you go out and get it! If you want Park Lane and Mayfair in Monopoly, you go out and get them!
Pen and paper games
I am very old fashioned and love my pen and paper. Last count, I think there were about 72 notebooks in our house! Hubby counted them! That was only what he found downstairs! I was brought up on getting a pencil and paper out to play a game, be it on my own, two of us, or the whole family.
I loved playing Soap, Hangman, noughts and crosses and join the dots. Still do now. We even do them on serviettes in a restaurant when waiting for the food! I loved making the paper choice game where you picked a colour and a number to be told you had mermaid hair or troll's feet!
The best paper and pen game, by far growing up, was Boy's name, Girl's name. We played this all the time and broadened our vocabs and general knowledge. I even got my class playing it, and friends! Love it!
Listening and concentration games
Linking to these are the amazing games I played sith my classes that really helped their listening skills and concentration. I think these are so important, even more so as chidren's concentraion spans are lessening in this modern 'screen age'. It's a right eye opener, every child having a blank piece of paper and writing things on it as they listen to your instructions. Unbelievable really. We did these every week though, and the class improved over time.
This reminds me of the games we played at Brownies, Guides and youth club. We are so indebted to the amazing people who took time to volunteer for us. You could tell they enjoyed it too though! One of my fave games was the objects on tray covered over with a cloth and guessing what was on the tray. My all time fave game was at youth club when they held family games nights and a Beetle Drive night! One of the best games was when there were four teams of adults and children and each team had to try to be the first to bring a comb or a lipstick to the table in the middle. The best was when the oldest had to piggy back the youngest to the table. Fun times!
Life is a game, a fun game but also a hard game. It isn't always about winning, though we must strive to do our best. It's about lessons learned along the way.
At school, you are constantly told, it's the takinv part that counts and that it's not good to be a sore loser. Well, this just doesn't apply to the 8 year old who has just thrown the football over the fence because they lost, or the 10 year old who threw their cards all over the floor because they didn't have an Ace! This still applies to us as adults! Nobody wants to be a part of this club!
As you get older, you realise your life starts mirroring different board games, even game shows! I love this quote about playing board games. It is so true, especially when playing Monopoly!
The Game of Life
If only this did mirror real life! You can just change your job by the throw of a dice. Yes please!
Monopoly
Well, you get to a certain point sometimes in life where you feel like you are passing go but not actually collecting £200. Or if you do, it's taken straight off you in super tax! I love to collect the stations, but in life, you do this only to be told all the trains are on strike! I'd be the one buying all the houses to find I've huge repair bills on all the houses! Monopoly money was brill though when we were growing up. We always said we'd love to just go into town and spend it, buying everything!
I did love landing on a Chance or Community Chest card. It makes me think of the Abba song,
'Take a chance on Me'. In life, you have to go for things, take risks and take chances.
Twister
This game was so much fun as a kid, back when I was flexible. Twister in middle age is definitely a sight to see, especially Drunken Twister!
Operation
So, as soon as you hit 40, you have your MOT and, if you are like me, you fail. Welcome to the doctors, hospital A and E, even the operation theatre. I always went for the bread basket. I've always loved eating bread! This quote made me think!
Downfall
Remember the game Downfall where the counters dropped down, slowly but surely. Well, life can be like that too. Everything builds up until it all drops! Especially, the idea of not being able to see what's falling on the other side until it's too late!
Snakes and Ladders
You know that feeling of two steps forwards and three steps back? This is so true in life. You feel like you are constantly on a treadmill or in a hamster wheel, working hard, yet not going forward. Sometimes, a long ladder comes along to climb, then before you know it, you're sliding back down the long snake back to where you started. And you know what? You sometimes meet real life snakes. Just focus on the ladders, and going up.
Frustration
Oh my! This game definitely lived up to its name! It was fun but you did get frustrated! Life can be the same and we need to keep calming ourselves in the storms.
Perfection
Well if this does not bring on frustratuon, I don't know what does! We all strive for perfectuon in life but things aren't meant to be perfect. We stress ourselves out because we have a picture of what things are meant to be like. Some things are just out of our control though and when we realise this, it's so much easier.
Trivial Pursuit
This was a fave at Christmas. I loved playing this and always went for the brown, Literature and yellow, History cheeses. Now, if playing, I'd just go for any colour cheese, a few crackers and a bottle of red wine!
Pictionary
I loved this game so much. We always had a laugh trying to interpret each other's drawings. Again, this is true in life. We assume people mean one thing when really they mean another. There is miscommunication with folk as people can tend to make assumptions about others from only seeing a small part of the picture, not the whole and they jump to conclusions. A bit like in Pictionary where one person starts drawing and the other shouts out something bizarre before they've had chance to finish!
Solitaire
I loved playing this and I had a plastic, circular board with a lid. I would play this for hours. As much as it is lovely to do things in groups and with folk, it's still good to sit in a corner and have some alone time in life.
Playing cards
My fave card game is so nostalgic as we all played it as a family with my grandparents. We still play it now- Newmarket. We'd always bet on the trump cards: Jack of diamonds, Queen of hearts, King of clubs and the Ace of spades. We still play Brucie's The Price is Right' too, shouting Higher or Lower. We spent so many hours of fun playing cards, laughing and joking as a family and I"m so glad we've carried it on. They are so versatile and can be played anywhere, on a train or in a cafe.
I was also taught how to play Patience and Clock, on my own. These relate to life in that, who actually has much patience left in this busy, modern day? The other thing you learn from playing these games is that if you cheat, you lose out as the game ends and you lose out on a bit of fun.
Party games
Back in the 80s, when I was growing up, we knew how to party! Parties were held at home, not in play areas for a start. I've tried to hold onto this and am holding a family Back to the 80s party very soon! The best party I remember was my 8th birthday party. It was a sunny day and most of it was spent in the back garden. Cousins, neighbourhood and school frirnds all had their ra ra dresses or pinafores on and we danced to the LPs played on the record player, brought out into the garden, helped along by a long extension lead. I helped mum make up the homemade party bags and I was just so happy. My best prezzies were a Worzel Gummidge tshirt and my first ever single, 'Come on Eileen!'
Party games were fab and the excitement was ridiculous! Especially at school year parties where 60 kids were playing Pass the parcel and musical bumps. We were hysterical by the time Musical chairs began and we were told we had to sit on boy's knees! I've done this since as a teacher and it always causes a storm!
I'll never forget Postman's Knock, where all the girls were given a number and the boy on had to say a number. If it was yours, he had to peck you on the cheek! I suppose that then developed into Spin the Bottle!
Playground games
Oh the marvellous games from our childhood! When Enid Blyton was around! We loved playing singing games in the playground and at parties. What would, The Farmer's in his den be now? The farmer wants a partner? The wife wants a satisfying career? The child gets put in time out? The mind boggles!
We used to play British Bulldogs but last I heard, it was banned for being too raucous! And Farmer, Farmer, may I cross your golden water? Instead of all the steps you had to take, the farmer would probably just put an injunction out fobidding you on his land, and if you asked Mr Wolf what time it was, he'd snap back,
"Get a watch!"
Is it just me or has a lot of fun gone out of childhood these days? Political correctness and health and safety perhaps needed to change but it has changed too far.
I can't really think of anything for the brilliant hopscotch, two balls, cat's cradle and skipping games but that's probably saying something in itself. Not all things need a reason, a plan, a significance or a message, they just need to be. Sometimes kids just need to jump on a space hopper and bounce around because they want to, no other reason. Two children may decide to pick up box of dominoes and play a game for FUN! Not because they have been told that if they sit on this table, they need to find some way of ticking a Maths objective then all is right with the world. Children learn best through play. This is where mistakes are made and lessons learned. Curiosity is cherished and individual learning happens organically.
I remember all these childhood games with such fondness as my friends and I had fun and couldn't wait to play them again the next day, and the next! Most times, at school, classroom and playground, we didn't even realise we were learning because we were having so much fun. I loved it when we were told we could all do our own topic on travel. We could choose the theme. We had so much choice back then. I chose Travel through the ages and loved going to the library and researching it myself. I'm veering off the topic of my blog here but this is a real bug bear of mine!
We played so many games as kids, together, interacting with each other and leaening social skills. Games, be it sports or boardgames, are a brill way of teaching kids to be good losers, not sore losers. But also, to give them ambition to win. If you want something, you go out and get it! If you want Park Lane and Mayfair in Monopoly, you go out and get them!
Pen and paper games
I am very old fashioned and love my pen and paper. Last count, I think there were about 72 notebooks in our house! Hubby counted them! That was only what he found downstairs! I was brought up on getting a pencil and paper out to play a game, be it on my own, two of us, or the whole family.
I loved playing Soap, Hangman, noughts and crosses and join the dots. Still do now. We even do them on serviettes in a restaurant when waiting for the food! I loved making the paper choice game where you picked a colour and a number to be told you had mermaid hair or troll's feet!
The best paper and pen game, by far growing up, was Boy's name, Girl's name. We played this all the time and broadened our vocabs and general knowledge. I even got my class playing it, and friends! Love it!
Listening and concentration games
Linking to these are the amazing games I played sith my classes that really helped their listening skills and concentration. I think these are so important, even more so as chidren's concentraion spans are lessening in this modern 'screen age'. It's a right eye opener, every child having a blank piece of paper and writing things on it as they listen to your instructions. Unbelievable really. We did these every week though, and the class improved over time.
This reminds me of the games we played at Brownies, Guides and youth club. We are so indebted to the amazing people who took time to volunteer for us. You could tell they enjoyed it too though! One of my fave games was the objects on tray covered over with a cloth and guessing what was on the tray. My all time fave game was at youth club when they held family games nights and a Beetle Drive night! One of the best games was when there were four teams of adults and children and each team had to try to be the first to bring a comb or a lipstick to the table in the middle. The best was when the oldest had to piggy back the youngest to the table. Fun times!
Life is a game, a fun game but also a hard game. It isn't always about winning, though we must strive to do our best. It's about lessons learned along the way.
At school, you are constantly told, it's the takinv part that counts and that it's not good to be a sore loser. Well, this just doesn't apply to the 8 year old who has just thrown the football over the fence because they lost, or the 10 year old who threw their cards all over the floor because they didn't have an Ace! This still applies to us as adults! Nobody wants to be a part of this club!
Some great games and memories there! You have a fantastic imagination. You could definitely write a book. Call it the Game Of Life!!!
ReplyDeleteOoh yes! Thankyou. I didn't even mention every game I remembered!
ReplyDelete