Kids shun screens for traditional games

In times when parents find it impossible to get their children off video games and phone screens, over 150 people got together in JP Nagar, South Bengaluru, to revive the spirit of traditional games lost to city dwellers.

Aikya Games Adda was organised on March 26 by the collective Will at Work and Aikya Waldorf Inspired School, a nonprofit focused on bringing experiential learning to children.

There were indoor and outdoor games tailored for children and adults of varying abilities and ages, the organisers said in a statement.

Participants witnessed and played games like Lagori, Uriyadi, Gilli Danda, Aaluguli Mane, sack race and tyre race. Strategic board games like Aadu Puli Attam, Chowka Bara and many variations of Tic Tac Toe helped people rest their legs and race their minds.

"These games can be played on the ground, on a board or fabric. They can be simplified or stepped up to suit the player's level. They enhance thinking capacities and logic, fine motor and gross motor skills, balance and resilience," said Ferdinand P Uday Kumar, one of the founding directors of Aikya School.

A software engineer from JP Nagar participated with his 13-year-old autistic daughter. "It's a meaningful concept. We had a wonderful time," he said.