TRADITIONAL VS MODERN GAMES

Looking at the modern children, one striking difference between the childhood that the previous generation had and the one that this generation is having is the lack of Indian

or native games. In our generation (i.e., 1980s and before) we used to play a variety of indoor and outdoor games that were the games of this soil. Nowadays almost all kids play games like cricket, tennis and football. Nobody is playing games like Kabaddi, Goli, Ghilli. These games have a rich culture and heritage value and were tools of passing on some ancestral knowledge or the other.

Nowadays we develop these skills by paying money to centers that conduct personal development courses.

The values that we achieve by playing these games are more when compared to the games that we play nowadays.

It is true that modern games may be, to some extent, beneficial for children to foster some skills, such as computer skills or the capacity to keep up with the latest trend. This is because children have to be proficient at computers and the Internet if they want to join online games, which, in fact, helps children acquire a particularly powerful skill at work in future. At the same time, children have the chance to experience the state-of-the-art technology, raising their awareness of innovation rather than stay conservative.

However, I think traditional games are still indispensible in children's learning process, even much more essential than modern games, especially in modern society. One primary merit of traditional games is that they foster children's communication skills. Unlike most modern games which focus on the interactions between children and machines, traditional games provide a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere where children can chat, laugh and cooperate face to face. As a result, communicating with a variety of people will not be an issue for these children any more.  By contrast, modern games are developed by game companies for the purpose of profits. Therefore, there is a risk that children may be exposed to unhealthy contents, such as violence or pornography, arranged in the games by such companies to secure financial survival.

Thus, I would conclude that traditional games should be, by no means, ignored by parents and teachers with the advent of modern games. Only through traditional games can children be ensured a positive and healthy skills learning process.