Suwe : Play, Learn and Stay Healthy!

Ever missed the good 'old school' fun days as a kid? Those days of innocence, devil-may-care and blithe disregard for any of life's worries. Growing up in the ghetto had its advantages, one of which was being dogged but the most interesting thing I missed about my growing up were the exciting games we played.  These games include 'Suwe', 'Ten-ten' and 'touch-and-do' among others. 

Research has shown that outdoor games enhances children's learning abilities and skills while exploring nature.  They also get to breathe fresh air and get to learn things they may never be taught in the four walls of the classroom. Today, I'll focus on 'Suwe' otherwise known as Hopscotch and its many benefits. 

  

                                  Photo credit: daily gossip

'Suwe' is a game where players ranging from 2-10 take turns singly or in pairs to hop on series of squares or rectangles or any shape drawn on the ground. In this game, the player(s) throws a 'seed(s)' (pebble) into each square and hops on the squares avoiding the square where the seed/pebble is. Then there is the running stage where 'houses' (squares)  are won, these houses are strategically chosen in places that would prove difficult for opponent(s) especially during the running stage where the seed is placed on the back of two fingers of a player while s/he hops through each square. The game continues until all squares are won and the player(s) with the highest number of houses (squares) wins. 

This game enables kids to acquire skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, strategic and analytical thinking. It also teaches patience, fairness and socialization. The health benefits include body balance, muscle and strength building, eye and hand coordination, body rhythm, motor control, flexibility of lower muscles and fitness.

As simple and childish as this game may sound, physical therapists and exercise physiologists posit that 'Suwe' helps to enhance overall lower extremity mobility due to the forward-back, sideways, and rotational movements (First5la.org). A study published in the European Journal of Sports Physiology found that this game aids the performance of long-distance runners.

So, don't bore your child(ren) and/or yourself with indoor games alone this weekend. Dare yourself and your friends and loved ones to this fun-filled and exciting game as you teach the younger generation a new healthy game and reminisce your childhood heroic 'Suwe' days the old school way. 

Enjoy!