My Uni Project - Help Needed!

[Jami]

Hello there,

I really need some serious help in the development of my final major project (MA Graphic Design). I have mentioned below the brief description of the project. Some suggestion/help will be highly appreciated.


Disappearing Traditional Childhood Games


Children in the schools just play football or few other playground games, because they don't know much games. So if they get introduced to new games they will definitely like them and enjoy playing them. This will promote awareness of different cultures from all around the world through games as well as they will be involved in physical activities, which in normal case is not much seen.


The aim of the project is to promote traditional childhood games from all over the world to the children in the schools in the UK.


I have to develop a solution or a way to visually present these games to children (away from technology), so they can enjoy playing these games. I have already collected a list of games from all over the world, which I am intending to produce as final outcome.


Solutions I had thought of doing..


• Comics Book representing these games.
• Playground Markings of these games.
• Compendium Box ( this will be a box which will have all the materials needed to play the games for ex- comics book to explain the rules of the games, colorful stones, ropes etc)

Thanks a lot

 

[Minuteman Press]

Jami,

Why will they 'definitely like them and enjoy playing them'? Faced with current short attention span / instant excitement solutions?

What is your route to market?

 

[bigdave]

Do you need to consider things like Health & Safety as many traditional games (ie conkers, marbles etc..) were banned on H&S grounds.

 

[Jami]

Jami,

Why will they 'definitely like them and enjoy playing them'? Faced with current short attention span / instant excitement solutions?

What is your route to market?

Thanks so much for replying Minuteman,

Before starting the project, I had this mini research, I found out that children in the playground want to play games, but they are not aware of much games. So introducing traditional games from different part of the world in a fun & attractive way, potentially would be a good idea.

Thanks

 

[Jami]

Thanks so much for replying Bigdave,

Yes I have already considered H&S issues, thats why I am not promoting games like bulldog and conkers. I am only promoting games which makes children run, do some physical activities at the same time be safe and have fun. I have attached an example of what I illustrated few days back

Your feedback will be highly appreciated.. Thanks

 

[Paul Murray]

With this, I think the markings idea is potentially strongest. Whilst you could suport it with printed material to be handed out in class, why not have the guides actually outside where the children are playing? My thoughts:

1. Create markings that allow kids to use their own imagination and create their own games.

Children are very imaginative. My primary school had markings on the playground that we used for games all the time. To this day, I still have no idea what some of the markings were originally for. They were intended for playground games of some kind, but I have no idea which, and I remember playing totally-just-made-up games just based on these markings. There were also established games that were passed down from the years above based on the surroundings of our school. This could lead to completely individual games being created by different schools depending on the immediate surroundings of the children. These different game could then perhaps be compiled into a book?

2. Paint the rules of games from different cultures onto walls or the ground.

This encourages reading, and if there's a dispute, the rules are there to clear matter up, encouraging social skills like reasoning. I remember reading/hearing somewhere that playground games are essential for children to develop social and other skills, and are not just for them to let off steam and get some exercise. Also, it introduces children to other cultures from a young age, and potentially encourages them to be more open to trying things.

 

[Dave L]

^ That's quite a smart idea that I can see being developed into a kind of 'playground compendium', whereby a set of common markings on the schoolyard can be utilised for a variety of games, some of which are explained on signposts dotted around the outdoor space.

 

[pcbranding]

The playground markings thing isn't a new concept and my daughter's playground is awash with markings both structured and some purely for fun.
As much as I encourage reading, playtime isn't about standing around reading or adhering to rules. Social interaction and the 'making up' of rules is far more important. I think it would be interesting to see how children could interpret a grid of squares or a target or a series of dots to create their own games.
I agree that introducing unusual or game 'concepts' from other cultures is interesting - I'd like to know what they are!
Have you looked into what the basic game formats actually are? i.e chasing and catching, hiding and finding, targets and aiming, counting and scoring etc. Do they actually differ around the world?

 

[Dave L]

Obviously it isn't a new concept ("hopscotch, anyone?") but I think it's one that could bear a bit of well structured, well thought out, creative input that has some kind of anchor in the wider curriculum.

I'd also argue that, in order to be in a position to make up your own rules, it helps to have the framework of a prescribed set of rules, which I think is the thing here: the possibilities of a set of lines, shapes and colours are endless ("graphic design, anyone?") and, while kids at the target age can wow you with their imaginative play, those of my acquaintance also respond well to the rules of a game. There's also going to be massive overlap between the kind of games played in schoolyards around the world - there's nothing inherently Spanish about the example provided apart from the suggestion that you use Spanish words when you play it...

 

[Tony Hardy]

I agree with Dave L here. To create something, you need something to fight against. It's that situation where the client goes "You can do absolutely anything". You've got nothing to test you or restrain you. Getting something from nothing is the hardest thing.

I like that little poster you've made. I like the idea of bringing games from around the world into our children's playgrounds. While there's nothing inherently Spanish about your example, except the words, it's a great idea and I've never heard of the game before.

Also, is that the first time Comic Sans has been used, and it might actually be appropriate?

 

[Jami]

The playground markings thing isn't a new concept and my daughter's playground is awash with markings both structured and some purely for fun.
As much as I encourage reading, playtime isn't about standing around reading or adhering to rules. Social interaction and the 'making up' of rules is far more important. I think it would be interesting to see how children could interpret a grid of squares or a target or a series of dots to create their own games.
I agree that introducing unusual or game 'concepts' from other cultures is interesting - I'd like to know what they are!
Have you looked into what the basic game formats actually are? i.e chasing and catching, hiding and finding, targets and aiming, counting and scoring etc. Do they actually differ around the world?

Thanks so much for your interest,

I totally agree with you here, playtime isn't about standing and reading but they need something to look upon to imitate those games. Rules can be changed according to what they decide later. And the solution I am thinking would be fun to engage with, and not particularly reading or boring to them.

Games I am focusing on depends on age group. For 4-6 age games which include groups and rhyme and less intense. For 6-8 age a bit more intense, chasing and tagging kind of games, 8-11 age more organized, team based games.

Hope it make sense!

 

[Jami]

I agree with Dave L here. To create something, you need something to fight against. It's that situation where the client goes "You can do absolutely anything". You've got nothing to test you or restrain you. Getting something from nothing is the hardest thing.

I like that little poster you've made. I like the idea of bringing games from around the world into our children's playgrounds. While there's nothing inherently Spanish about your example, except the words, it's a great idea and I've never heard of the game before.

Also, is that the first time Comic Sans has been used, and it might actually be appropriate?

Thanks a lot for your reply Mr. Tony
I got what you mean here, but its not likely to teach too many things about the culture of any country within a game (that will vary from game to game). Besides, the aim of the project is to make children play outdoor games more than teaching different cultures. So I am mainly focusing on presenting these games in playful way.

 

[Jami]

Thanks a lot Mr. Paul.

Really insightful and helpful thoughts

When I was thinking of playground markings, I was thinking of giving them a guidebook (of markings) and chalk to let them create their own markings and then start playing.

Second Idea, I actually proposed the same idea, and they liked it.. but it has to be more than just painting.. a bit more interactive so it keeps them coming back again and again..

Thanks so much

 

[Katedesign]

Do you need to consider things like Health & Safety as many traditional games (ie conkers, marbles etc..) were banned on H&S grounds.

I thought this was an urban myth^^

 

[pcbranding]

So, if the project is how to show children these new games and how to play them, you need to think of the tools/skills that the children of those ages have to help them understand or take on new concepts.
My 3 year old obviously can't read, but can easily understand verbal explanations about e.g what the colours mean, where to stand, which shapes 'match' and therefore those that don't etc. She might not initially understand the tactics of the game, it's more about the taking part.
My 7 year old can read instructions, but still needs to be shown a how new game works if there are no written instructions. Playground games have unwritten rules, whether they've been handed down over the years or made up on the spot from having found a leaf and a piece of the string that morning.
So, I'd say there are two things: the method of 'demonstration' and the accessibility/provision of the tools/game pieces/bats/balls/ to achieve the game.

It is assumed that at least one person knows how to play the game...but if not then perhaps think of what adults need in order to understand how to do something new?
(Flat pack instruction leaflets, online Youtube demos, Haines motor manuals, advice from friends/family or just prior experience of something similar.)

Without 'seeing' how a finished IKEA wardrobe looks and with no instructions, but having been given the parts and the tools to assemble it, some form of construction would ultimately occur, but it may not actually be the intended wardrobe. In the same way, if I give you a bag with 2 bats, a ball and some string in it, there's no direction as to what the game as, but you can guarantee some form of game would be 'devised' from them.
But by creating some form of 'in a nutshell' demonstration that shows the bat hitting the ball over the string, would help steer even the youngest child.

So, a playground slide show played from inside a classroom onto a white wall? A large format stickman flickbook style instruction device? Pictograms? Bespoke ceramic tiles with scenarios?

Anyway, back to work...