No ID, No Entrance

The line at the school entrance was very long when Teo arrived. He was afraid he’d be late for class.

At the head of the line was a man fuming mad, “All the teachers here know me – I don’t need an ID!”

“Sir, we’re just following orders. No ID, no entrance,” the guard said humbly.

After more harsh words, the man left, muttering angrily.

Ooops. Teo noticed that he didn’t have his ID on, either.

“Oh, Mateo!” one of the guards said, opening the exit gate. “Come through here, or you’ll be late!”

Teo didn’t leave the line, mostly composed of nannies and mommies. He knew that he had to have an ID, and that he should not pass through the exit.

“It’s OK, Teo, you’re my friend!” the guard said again.

“Manong, thank you, but I need to fall in line! I also don’t have my ID!” Teo answered.

It was many minutes later when Teo finally found his ID in the pocket of his bag. Whew! He put it over his neck and saluted the guards when his turn came to pass through the gate. He ran to his classroom.

For the first time, Teo was late for class. But everyone in line that morning learned from a young boy all about respecting rules and the people who implement them.

Prayer:

Lord, may I always be aware of rules and obey them. Amen.

Memory verse:

“When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves.” Philippians 2:3

Pinoy indoor games for kids

Today’s Filipino children are most likely more occupied with watching their favorite TV show or playing computer games (or other electronic games) whenever they are indoors. Young children often complain that they are “so bored,” and whine that “there’s nothing to do!” whenever they are at home.

This is becoming common among kids who are growing up in a fast-paced, materialistic world, where the focus is on accumulating more, while not being happy with what they already have.

If we take a look at the richness of our Filipino culture and tradition, we will find that children not so long ago were simply content to play outside with their neighbors, inventing games and toys as they went along, with whatever materials were available.

Traditional games encourage Filipino children to have a deeper appreciation of their culture, and allow them to discover their roots. It’s a subtle, fun way of developing patriotism. 

Many Pinoy games are usually played outdoors – but with many parents, weary of letting their kids play outside, indoor games may be the more popular choice. Here are some traditional Pinoy games that children can play indoors:

Bahay-Bahayan 

Filipino children – siblings, cousins and neighbors – love to play this game. The rules are easy, and the game encourages the use of one’s imagination through role playing – as a parent, as sibling, as neighbor etc. And the players simply have to mimic common day-to-day home situations, like preparing a meal, having dinner, cleaning the house, doing laundry and the like.

It’s fun to make a “house” – just by throwing a large blanket over the kitchen table or chairs, or using big pillows to “construct” it. If the family budget allows, there are aslo play-houses available in most toy stores.

Hand-clapping Games

These games encourage good eye-hand coordination and learning rhythm and rhyme among children. These are also a fun way to teach Filipino folk songs such as “Bahay Kubo” and “Leron Leron Sinta” and others. Plus, they’re economical too – no need for fancy gadgets and pricey toys! 

A hand-clapping game usually involves four people – so Daddy, Mommy or other members of the household can join in the fun here. The players are split into two pairs, with each pair facing each other, and all members from both pairs facing the center. Each pair then does a hand clapping “routine” while singing “Bahay Kubo” or “Leron Leron Sinta,” for example. Towards the middle of the song, each pair exchanges “routines” with the other.

Jack ‘n’ Poy

Another favorite among kids, “Jack ‘n’ Poy” is the Filipino version of the Western hand game “rock, paper, scissors.” Although the spelling seems American in influence, the game actually originated from the Japanese game “janken.” 

It is usually played by two people. The players say a standard chant aloud while raising a fisted hand and swinging it down on the count: “Jack and Poy, hale hale hoy, sinong matalo syang unggoy!”

Afterwards, the players quickly show either one of three hand gestures, namely:

Bato or rock, represented by a clenched fist;

Gunting or scissors, represented by the index and middle fingers extended and separated (like making the “peace” hand sign)

Papel or paper, represented by an open hand, with the fingers connected (horizontal).

Players must select a gesture to defeat that of the opponent. The rules are:

Rock defeats scissors, because rock blunts or breaks.

Scissors defeats paper, because scissors cut paper:

Paper defeats rock, because paper covers rock. (smartparenting.com.ph)