Fun in motion
Volunteers are discovering that playing traditional games is a fun way to engage with children, and to build trust and friendship.
THARANI Kumaresan tosses a stone in the air and then quickly tries to grab another one from the ground. Her friends cheer her on as she tries to master the traditional game of batu Seremban.
It’s a juggling game where a player has to grab a stone from the floor, before the one she has just tossed up falls down. It’s played with five or seven stones, and the game gets more challenging as the number of stones the player has to play with increases.
“Playing batu Seremban is so much fun. I have to be fast in my hand-eye co-ordination to win the game. I enjoy learning to play the game with my two best friends, Uncle Alex and Aunty Nui,” says Tharani, who was introduced to batu Seremban by two volunteers at the home she is living in.
Alex Liew and his wife, Chong Tzin Nui, have been teaching the children at Pusat Penjagaan Kanak Kanak Cacat Taman Megah (PPKKCTM) in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, traditional games every Sunday.
Over the past year, the couple have taught the games they knew from their childhood, such as congkak, gasing (top spinning), batu Seremban and sepak bulu ayam (balancing a feathered shuttlecock), to about 15 children.
Before virtual games and gadgets, children growing up in Malaysia played traditional games, which didn’t require expensive gadgets or equipment.
Liew says teaching the children traditional games has evoked wonderful memories of his childhood.
The 44-year-old Liew remembers many fun hours playing with his childhood friends, of different races. They played these games everywhere – be it at the padang (field), classroom or in front yards. The objective was simply to have fun with each other.
“I used to play sepak takraw with my neighbour over the fence. The more players, the better. We didn’t care if we knew the other players well, as long as they played within the rules and had some skills to help the team win,” recalls Liew, a finance manager with an oil and gas company.
It’s this sense of community that Liew and Chong hope to inculcate among the children through their traditional games sessions.
“It is a shame that traditional games seem to be slowly fading away with the availability of modern technology. These games can help promote teamwork and are most effective in strengthening our bond with the children,” says Chong, 44.
She observes that playing traditional games help develop and expand the children’s social skills, and teaches them to manage situations.
“In a game like galah panjang, children learn to strategise and are exposed to rapid verbal/non-verbal communication and negotiation. It also provides them with an opportunity to learn how to self-soothe in a variety of scenarios as the excitement increases.”
Galah panjang is a game played between two teams. The game is essentially about a team of players defending their territory, divided into a grid of lines, from being breached by the other team. It’s an intense game as team members have to defend their individual line and also communicate with their other team members to guard against coordinated attacks.
The couple encourage the children to play galah panjang as they get to run outdoors and sweat it out.
“Children should be encouraged to run and have fun. It is perfectly fine if they stumble and fall occasionally, as long as they can get up and keep going at it until their team wins.”
Raising independent children
Liew and Chong are no strangers to the Taman Megah home which cares for 100 residents with special needs such as Down Syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy. There are also about 30 normal children who come from various backgrounds, ranging from poverty, abuse or abandonment. The home’s residents are aged between nine months and 56 years old.
For the past 12 years, they have been making donations in cash and kind to the centre. Last year, they decided to be more involved, by giving their time and skills to engage with the children.
Besides outdoor activities, the couple also organise other activities such as board games, art lessons and reading sessions. They are constantly brainstorming for fresh activities for the kids.
“Tzin Nui and I always discuss and devise new ways to mentor and guide the children. Our aim is to encourage them be more confident individuals,” says Liew.
Chong chips in: “It’s a fun challenge for us to keep changing the activities because children will be children. We find new ways for them have fun and give them many positive experiences. The activities range from traditional games to art lessons to language classes.”
Recently, the couple helped to organise a picnic for the children at the Forest Reserve Institute Malaysia in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, and a movie date.
Last month, the husband-and-wife team went all out to decorate the home for Hari Raya.
“As some children were not able to go home for the festival, we put on our Hari Raya best to add to the celebratory atmosphere at the home. The children absolutely loved the impromptu photo-taking session we had for each of them to show off their colourful Raya outfits for the day,” says Chong, a regional marketing manager of a skincare label.
Although she has a hectic schedule, Chong looks forward to spending her Sundays at the home, “with my children”.
Chong adds that it has been rewarding to get to know each child better. She hopes to see the children grow up to be confident, independent and kind adults.
“It took some time to build their trust in us because they were hurt by other adults before they came to the home.
“Having experienced them opening up, smiling and talking more freely with us over time has been a great joy. As for the ‘perpetually naughty’ children, we found that a little love and attention were all that they were craving for.”
Liew says it is pure joy to witness the positive changes and growth of each child, week after week.
“Nothing would make us happier than a child telling us how they will achieve their ambitions and dreams for the future. Tzin Nui and I intend to support them as much as possible in their journey towards achieving their goals.”
Chong says anyone can choose to make a positive difference in another person’s life.
“Apart from financial, food or clothing donations, they can also impart their knowledge, skills or experience to children in need.
“Deciding to contribute is the first step, and usually that is all it takes to start making that positive difference in another person’s life,” says Chong, who plans to organise charity drives to start a full-time, Montessoribased educational system for children at the Taman Megah home.