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Come Out and Play – March 2020

RINGO Ringo is a fun game that comes from Poland. It is a relatively young game; it is only 50 years old. It was invented by Wlodzimierz Stryzewski. He is also famous for being a fencer and a journalist. Originally, the game was part of training for fencing, but the creator realized that these training exercises could also be used just as a fun competition between friends. e game is similar to volleyball. In 1989, the Polish Ringo Association was founded, and in 1993, the International Ringo Foundation was created. e game is now played all over the world; there are even European and World Championships. The first step to playing the game is to and a place to play. A volleyball court is perfect, but a tennis court could also work. There should be a team on both sides of the net. A team could be made of one to three players. Teams should have an even number of players. The only other important equipment is one or two hollow rubber rings, this is called the Ringo. A Frisbee can be a good substitute. The first team to score 15 points wins. Teams throw the Ringo over the net. The Ringo can’t touch the ground, go out of bounds, touch the net or touch any part of the body other than the hand. It can only be caught with one hand. A team scores a point if the other side doesn’t catch the Ringo correctly. A team loses points if the Ringo isn’t thrown properly. The Ringo can’t be held for more than ve seconds and must be thrown with the same hand that caught it. Once a player catches the Ringo, they can’t move until they throw it. The thrower must also keep one foot on the ground always.

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COME OUT AND PLAY – February 2020

How To Make The Best Snowman Like rain and sleet, snow is a kind of precipitation – one that can be a lot of fun! People have been playing with snow for centuries. In the Middles Ages, building with snow was seen as an art form. Even famous artists like Michelangelo, would spend hours using the snow to build complicated and beautiful sculptures. Making snow sculptures is still popular today, but perhaps the most popular type is the snowman. Some people still spend hours making extreme sculptures, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Anyone can have fun in the snow and make a fantastic snowman. The best snow to build with is slightly wet. If the snow is too dry, you can spray a little misty water on it to help with building. Start by making snowballs and then roll them on the ground so they pick up snow and grow. Try to make the balls as round as possible. The largest ball should be the bottom of the snowman. Most snowmen are made of three balls. Pick a at place away from direct sunlight to build your snowman. The balls stack better if they are attened on the top and bottom. Adding more snow to where the di erent balls meet can help make it more stable. For even more stability, you can put a stick vertically through the center of the snowman. After the snowman is finished, spray it with water so the top layer will freeze and keep the snowman from melting. Pay attention to how much snow you have before you decide how big to make the snowman. It is fun to be creative when decorating your snowman. The traditional way includes using sticks for arms, a carrot for a nose and buttons for eyes, but a snowman can look like anything you want. For example, use food coloring and water to paint a smile or designs on the sculpture. Using different clothes like scarves and hats can also give the snowman a unique personality. Just make sure to get permission before using any clothes!

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COME OUT & PLAY | MARCH 2018

RING TAW Ring Taw, or marbles, is an ancient game that children have played for hundreds of years. Researchers think that ancient Romans played a similar game, though no one is sure of the exact rules. It was a tradition to give bags of nuts and marbles as a gift for the winter celebration Saturnalia, so the game of marbles was likely popular for Roman children. Children across Egypt and Europe also collected and played with marbles through the centuries. It is almost as if every group of children had its own set of rules. The game of marbles with the rules that we are most familiar with today dates to European in the 18th century. However, there are still many variations of the game. Here is how to play one version known as Ring Taw. This game is played in the National Marbles Tournament. Draw a circle on the ground a few feet across. Draw a second smaller circle in the middle of the first. There is no limit to the number of players, but each player should have at least six small, round marbles. It is helpful if the marbles are distinct, so it is easy to remember to whom they belong. Next, draw a line several feet away from the circle. This is called the taw line. The standard taw line is 6 feet away from the circle. The farther away the line is, the harder the game will be. Each player should put five marbles in the small inner circle. Players take turns shooting marbles from behind the taw line. The goal is to use a shooter marble to knock other marbles outside the large circle. The shooter must also end outside the circle. Players collect any marbles they knock out of the circle. If the shooter stays inside the circle, the player can continue with a different marble that he or she knocked out earlier as the new shooter. If a player has no more marbles to shoot, he or she is out of the game. The game ends when all the marbles have been knocked out of the circle. The winner is the person who has collected the most marbles at the end of the game.

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Come Out and Play | February 2018

Pitch and toss or pitching pennies is a relatively simple but ancient game. The oldest known version of the game was played by the ancient Greeks, who used bronze coins. Over the years, the game spread. Through the ages, people used different kinds of coins, but the main points of the game remain the same. In the 1960s, the game saw a sharp decline in popularity. This could be due to new forms of entertainment or the introduction of a smaller, lighter penny that was not wellsuited for pitching. Whatever the reason, pitching pennies is still a fun and simple way to pass the time with friends. There are three things necessary to start a game: a wall, players and coins. Players can use any coins, but all coins should be the same denomination. Every player should have at least one coin. Players should mark a specific spot some distance from the wall; this will be where players stand to toss the coins. Common distances are four or six feet. The further away from the wall the player stands, the more difficult the game is. Players then take turns tossing the coins at the wall. All throws must be underhand, and coins must touch the wall to count as a valid throw. The player whose coin lands closest to the wall wins the round. The winner then collects all the coins on the ground. Another version of the game starts the same. The first player throws a penny against the wall. The second player must then hit the first player’s penny to win. Players take turns throwing the first coin. A third version requires players to draw a box on the ground away from the wall. To win, players must then have their penny land in this box after hitting the wall. The smaller the box, the more difficult the game is. Because there are so many versions of the game, it is important that all players agree on the rules before the game starts. Please visit these sites to learn more skehana.galwaycommunityheritage Tossing Games Family Education

Kids

Come Out and Play – Football

American football has a long history that the National Football League traces back to 1869 when it developed out of Rugby. e rules were officially written in 1876 by Walter Camp, the father of American football, at the Massasoit Convention. The first professional football player was William Heffelfinger, who was paid $500 to play in a game in 1892. As the game became more popular across the country, the rules and teams kept evolving. Modern football really started in 1932 with the NFL playoff game. It increased in popularity even more a er the 1958 NFL Championship Game, which is called “Greatest Game Ever Played.” Now football is one of the most popular sports in America, and you certainly don’t have to be a professional to play. The first step is to and a 100-yard eld and enough people to make two teams. The goal of the game is to take the ball over the opponent’s goal line into the end zone. The ball can be moved by carrying it, kicking it or throwing it. At the beginning of the game, there is a coin toss to decide which team has the ball first. Whoever has the ball has four chances (downs) to move the ball at least 10 yards down the field. If they gain less than 10 yards in four attempts, the ball goes to the other team. e team without the ball can stop the other players from moving the ball down the eld by tackling and blocking the player carrying the ball. If you don’t want to tackle, you can also play flag football. When the player carrying the ball is tackled, the game pauses. Wherever they were tackled is where the players line up to start again. When the football makes it to the end zone it is a touchdown, which is worth six points. After a touchdown, a team can kick the ball from the two-yard line. If it makes it through the goal posts it is one point. Carrying or passing the ball to the end zone is worthtwo points. A field goal is when the ball is kicked through the goal posts. is is worth three points. A safety, worth two points for the defensive team, is when the player holding the ball (offensive) is tackled in his own end zone.

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COME OUT AND PLAY- SOCCER

Soccer, or football as it is known in many places, has a long history. It started in England in 1863. e Football Association in England was formed when rugby and football started to split. Since then, the game has spread across the globe. It was most likely brought to many di erent countries by English colonists. Even though 1863 was the o cial beginning of the soccer we know today, people have been using their feet to kick a ball around for much longer. Similar games were recorded in China during the Han Dynasty and in ancient Japan. e Greeks and eventually the Romans played similar games, too. • To play, you rst need two teams of 11 people. • e next step is nding a ball. • e eld should be a at, long space with a goal on either end. • e objective is to kick the ball into the opposing team’s goal. • Only the goalie can use their hands to touch the ball. • e goalie is the person who stands right in front of the net and tries to keep • the ball from going in. • No one else can use their hands, but feet, chests and heads are all useful tools. • e team that scores the most goals during the allotted time wins. Modern professional soccer has a lot of speci c rules, but because it is the most popular game around the world, there are a lot of variations. O en, the changes are made because in many countries the people playing don’t have access to the right equipment to play like professionals. ey may just have a ball, a few friends and some clear ground. Of course, if you can play on a real eld with equipment and all the o cial rules, that is great. But the most important thing is having fun. You don’t need fresh grass, cleats and a brand new net to have fun. All you need to have fun and play football like millions of people around the world is a few friends, a ball and a little imagination. For more information visit the following sites: http://www.historyofsoccer.info, http://www. fa.com/about- fa/who-we-are/the-game/& https://kidskonnect.com/sports/soccer/

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Come Out and Play- Horseshoes

The game of horseshoes is a classic American pastime. It is common to play it outside on beautiful summer days. The game didn’t start in America. It is much older. Historians think that it goes all the way back to the Greeks. One of the most popular games in Grecian Games was called discus. A circular plate of metal or stone is thrown, and the person who can throw it the farthest wins. Soldiers liked to play, but they didn’t have any discuses, so instead they used horseshoes. It is unclear when people started throwing the shoes at two stakes, but the there are records of the modern version of the game in England in 1869. The first tournament in the United States was in 1910. The first official rules were created in 1914. Horseshoes is a popular game all over the United States. Since the game is so old and popular, many regions, and even some families, have their own rules. To make sure the game is as easy as possible, it is important to agree on the rules before starting. Trying to decide on the rules after the game has already started is very difficult. Instead, all players should agree before a single shoe is thrown. How To Play • Horseshoes is played on a pitch. • First, measure a six-foot square called a “pit.” • On each end of the square should be a smaller rectangle called a “pitching box” that is three feet by six feet. • In the middle of these pitching boxes should be a metal or wooden stake about 15 inches high. • Players have to stand inside the pitching box but outside the pit when they throw. • The goal is to throw the horseshoe onto the metal pole on the other side of the pitch. This is called a ringer and is worth three points. • If both players throw a ringer, they cancel each other out. • If no ringers are thrown, the shoe closest to the metal pole earns one point. • The first layer to 21 points wins.

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Come Out And Play – Box Ball

Foursquare, or Box Ball as it was known in much of Philadelphia, is a popular playground game across the United States. The game has been compared to a miniature version of tennis that originated in Europe centuries ago. The Foursquare that is common today became popular around World War I and World War II. Of course, the rules changed slightly as years passed, and the game spread across the country. Regardless of where it came from, Foursquare is still a favorite playground game. Here are the rules: • To play you need a group of friends (more than four), chalk and a ball. • Step one is to draw the court which is four boxes surrounded by one larger box. • There is no specific rule about how large the boxes must be, but they should be large enough to stand in with some space to bounce the ball. • Number the boxes one through four. • One and four should be diagonal to each other. • The court should be on a hard surface like wood, concrete or asphalt. • Usually, the courts are 10 feet by 10 feet. • The goal of the game is to advance to the highest numbered square. • Players bounce the ball between each other until someone makes a mistake and is eliminated. • When a player is eliminated they leave the court and players in the lower numbered squares advance to fill the squares. A new player can come in to fill the empty square at number one. • To start the game, the player in square four must serve to the player in square one. • The ball should always bounce once before it is hit. • Wherever the ball bounces, the owner of that square must bounce the ball into another square. • The ball can’t be held or caught and it can’t bounce more than once in a square. It must be hit to inside another square. It can’t be hit by anything but hands. It can’t be hit by a person from a different square. • Anyone who breaks these rules is eliminated. • Sometimes there are special rules depending on where the game is played, like no hitting with a closed hand. The person in square 4 must call the rules before each game, so everyone knows how to play. For more information visit the following sites: http://www.streetplay.com/thegames/boxball.htm & http://www.squarefour.org/rules

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Fantasia

The Berbers, or as they call themselves the Amazigh, are an ethnic group native to North Africa. Amazigh is thought to mean “free people.” They are related to the ancient Egyptians and they live throughout Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mali, Niger and Mauritania. In previous years, they were much more populous, but they have been reduced to smaller groups scattered across Northern Africa. The Berbers are known for being a fierce and hardy people. This is obvious in one of their most famous sports: Fantasia. • Fantasia focuses on horsemanship. • The sport is a traditional part of cultural festivals and wedding celebrations. • It is called Fantasia, but the Berbers call it lab el baroud, which translates to “The gunpowder play.” • To play, there are two teams of a dozen riders each. • The riders dress in traditional clothing. • The horses are adorned with traditional garb as well. • The team of horse riders form a line and charge 200 hundred meters. • While they are riding, they hold old muskets or rifles and fire into the sky. • The second team of horsemen do the same. • The two teams are judged on how synchronized the horses and the rifle shots are. • Traditionally, Fantasia was restricted to men, but recently women have been performing incredibly well at the sport. Fantasia is a traditional ceremony and sport for the Berbers. It is part of nearly every important ceremony and celebration. In part, this is due to the long and important relationship the Berbers have with horses. As a nomadic people, they often move, but donkeys and camels are used for transportation purposes. Horses are reserved for a different task. The Berbers also have a long tradition as a warrior people and were known for their skillful fighting while on horseback. The Barb breed of horse, which was the primary horse of the Berbers, is known for its fiery temperament and fearlessness in battle. Come Out and Play For more information visit: http://www.thebluedotperspective.com/discover/morocco-festival-fantasia/ & http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/05/27/a-female-fantasia-in-morocco/?_r=0

Kids

Come Out and Play- Ulama

Ulama is a Mesoamerican game that was popular in ancient Central America. The Mayans called the game Pok a Tok and the Aztecs called it Tlachtli. Today, it is called Ulama. Originally it was a very harsh and violent game. People were often harmed and some even died. It is the oldest team sport in the world, and the stone courts are found in almost all Mesoamerican cities. Now they are just grey stone blocks that form a rectangle the size of a football field. The stone walls are slanted and also an ancient gray. Originally, the courts were brightly colored and covered in religious art. Two stone hoops are placed high on the side of the court walls. There is a single heavy rubber ball. There should be two teams of between two and six players. Using hips and feet, the players hit the rubber ball between each other and try to knock it through the hoop. The ball cannot hit the ground and must be kept in motion. When the ball is hit through the ring, the game is over. Points are scored when the opposing players miss a shot at the hoop or can’t return the ball before it bounces twice or the ball is hit out of bounds. The team with the most points wins. It is very similar to volleyball. Some versions allow for the ball to be hit with hands and feet. Ulama was much more than just a fun game. It also had political and religious importance. Tribes would often play against each other and a win or loss might serve as a way to solve an argument instead of fighting. Today it is a game played by children and women just to have fun with each other and appreciate their history.

Category - Come Out and Play

Come Out and Play – March 2020

COME OUT AND PLAY – February 2020

COME OUT & PLAY | MARCH 2018

Come Out and Play | February 2018

Come Out and Play – Football

COME OUT AND PLAY- SOCCER

Come Out and Play- Horseshoes

Come Out And Play – Box Ball

Fantasia

Come Out and Play- Ulama

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