GAMES AND TOYS OF THREE GENERATIONS
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In the article the author briefly explains what 'game' and 'play' are and how games were played by the three generations of some families. The discussion is based on the material collected during classes with the students of pedagogy at the University of Opole. He did not impose any specific form of expression upon his students. He has collected 45 accounts and got more or less insightful information about the games and toys of three generations. The comparison of the games and toys of three generations reveals their many common features. What was changed were the names and partly the rules of some games, as well as the props used to play them. For example, in the case of games with a ball, what was different was the material of which the ball was made. Contemporary youth play with a leather ball while their parents had to do with a ball made of rags. The same is true of some toys, e.g. dolls. The doll has been the favourite toy of girls today and in the past. The analysis of the games and toys of three generations reveals few differences between them. During their development human communities created a countless number of games and some of them have prevailed for years. Each one of us used to play the 'home', 'school' and, when we got older, we took part in 'dance parties' or went to the disco. There are elements of education in some games. Education is determined by the aesthetics of the toys and the places where they are used and the culture of social relations among the peers. In conclusion, it can be said that the games of three generations presented in the article played a very important role. They occupied every minute of the child's free time. It is through play that children developed their imagination and prepared to perform social roles. The set of favourite games and toys quoted by the students is fairly traditional. Although it contains seemingly new games, the latter are actually new versions of the games that were very popular in the past.
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