Hobbies And Interests
Make A Rag Football
Soccer is a much loved sport for the children of West Africa. Kids will enjoy making a rag football in the way that many of their resourceful African peers do. Gather a bunch of rags and rip them into long strips. Knot the first rag, then begin wrapping the rest of the rags around the knot. Knot each strip of rag together and continue wrapping. Stop when the ball is at the desired size or when you have no more rags left. Secure the last piece by knotting it and tucking it into the ball as far as it will go.
Catch Your Tail
Play a game of "Catch your Tail" just like the children of Nigeria. Divide four or more children into two teams. Have each team form a chain by holding hands or linking arms, for instance. The first and last of the team members dangle handkerchiefs from their belts or pockets, much like a tail. The team captain then leads the children on a chase to capture a "tail" from the opposing team members. The first team to grab a handkerchief, wins.
Ganvie Village Houses
The State of Benin in West Africa is home to a township called Ganvie. There, the locals live in bamboo houses raised up on stilts. Make a Ganvie village house from a milk carton. Cut the top off, then cut four slits in the bottom of it. Push four craft sticks into the slits to make stilts. Cover the carton in brown construction paper and make a roof from cardboard. Cover it with aluminum foil to make a tin roof, or make a straw roof by gluing straw or dry grass to it.
Moonshine Baby
This game is best played with more than three children. Determine which child will be "It" and then he should go and hide. The rest of the children then decide who will be "Baby." Baby lies down on the ground while the other children trace her outline with chalk. When they are done, Baby rejoins them and the group calls "It" back to them. "It" must guess whose outline it is on the ground. If he guesses correctly, he gets another turn, if not, another child has a chance to be "It."