This Game is not just about teamwork
This is a game which each one of us would have played with our set of
friends during childhood days. A group forms a circle, one of them has to stand
at the centre, this person is referred to as the Monkey. The Monkey's job is to
touch the ball with his feet, while the group needs to keep passing the ball to others and make sure that the
Monkey doesn't get the ball.
While most of us have fond memories of playing this game, the one thing
that we didn't realize was the amount of learning that we took away from this
game. Yes, you heard it right, this simple game has a lot of life skill lessons
associated with it. The easier guess would be teamwork. Yes, this game teaches
you about teamwork, how to play with proper coordination to make sure that the
Monkey doesn't get the ball. This is something which everyone knows. But we
want to highlight the other important aspect of this game which many are not
aware of, and that is 'Problem Solving Skill'.
The 3 Levels of the Game
We started our sessions in Government School with this game. The kids formed
a circle, and for a change, there was no Monkey at the centre. The kids were
just asked to pass the ball to others. They found it very easy since there was
no Monkey at the centre.
After a few minutes of simple passing, one kid was sent to stand at the
centre who would act as the Monkey trying to get the ball and they were asked
to play the usual game that they knew. They found it little difficult as this
time around there was a Monkey charging at them and they had to think and pass
the ball accordingly.
About 5 minutes later another kid was made to stand at the centre along
with the first one. So, this time the kids that had formed the circle had to
deal with 2 Monkeys. It definitely became tougher than the previous round. But
the one interesting thing that we noticed here was, along with the difficulty
level, the concentration and the excitement level of the kids also increased.
And more importantly, they got the opportunity to display their skills like
dribbling the ball and flicking it up over the 2 Monkeys to pass it to the
others. Most of them realized that they possess different skills, and this is
something they would have never realized if there was no Monkey at the centre,
as it would have required them to just kick and pass the ball.
This Game reflects our Life Scenarios
Now, let's try to associate this with our daily life. For better
understanding let us consider the Monkey to be a "Problem".
Initially, there was no Monkey at the centre and it was very easy to pass the
ball around. When everything is going normally in our life without any Problem,
life seems to be very smooth and we display a positive attitude.
And then one fine day an unexpected problem occurs. All hell breaks
loose. The Problem may not be a major one but still, we are not ready to face
it. Why are we not ready to face it? Because we keep praying every day that no
problem should ever occur in our lives, and are not ready to face the reality
which is "Problems are part of life". And ultimately, we give up
without even making an effort to analyse and solve it.
The Important Learning from this Game
Now let's get back to the game. This time around there was a kid at the
centre who acted as the Monkey (Problem). Instead of fumbling or giving up
right away, they started thinking where the ball can be passed. When the Monkey
charged from the left side then the ball was passed to someone on the right.
When the monkey charged from the right side then the ball was passed to someone
on the left and so on. More importantly, they were analyzing the problem and
finding a solution for it. You may fail at times, for example, the monkey may
manage to get the ball that you have passed, but the important thing to note
here is you get to know what you did wrong. You learn from your mistake and
avoid it when you get the next opportunity.
Problems bring out the Best in You
When 2 Monkeys were at the centre, the problem got bigger but the kids
got the opportunity to showcase their skills as normal passing would not have
worked. When a problem occurs, you are actually getting the opportunity to
identify your strength and potential. Instead of crying over it, utilize it as
an opportunity to showcase your skills and talent. Problems are not something
that is to be feared but is part of our lives and the important thing is to
deal with it by finding a solution.
There are numerous other sporting sessions which impart life skill
lessons similar to this. The important aspect of our initiative is to identify
students who are passionate about sports and provide them with the required
assistance to play at higher levels. We also focus equally on conducting life
skill sessions to help them in their personal growth, to create awareness and
more importantly to develop the right mindset.
AUTHOR MAIL - vinod.balan883@gmail.com
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