A wonderful poster designed by Erin one of our young artists,
June 1st is International Children’s Day!
The theme of International children’s day 2024 is, ‘Investing in our future means investing in our children’.
It’s Playtime!
This year Sticky Fingers Arts and the Museum of Childhood Ireland are celebrating International Children’s Day together in Mc Clelland Park, Newry from 2.00 -6.00.
We listened to the children’s ideas on how they wished to celebrate the day, and we all got busy, working together, to put their ideas and plans into action!
We believe that every child has the right to play, to be heard, and to have access to a happy and healthy childhood.
We will be hosting our most important VIPs; children from our Polish, Indian, Chinese and local communities. This is an event celebrating diversity without borders; a cross-community, cross-cultural, all-ability, all-island celebration of Children.
Activities will include games and music from many different traditions, children’s arts activities, stories, songs, dance, giant chess, giant snakes and ladders, skipping, tig, and many more surprises!
This is a free event for all.
We’d absolutely love to hear about the games that the adults used to play too. Share them with us at: mmcallister@museumofchildhood.ie
We invite everyone to come along and join the fun! Bring a Picnic!
Children’s Rights to Play, and what adults can do about it?
According to Museum of Childhood Ireland’s Child Rights Team member, Dr Gabriela Martinez Sainz, University College Dublin:
Every child has the right to play. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), advocates for play as an essential element for the development and well-being of all children. In particular, article 31 of the UNCRC states that children have the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to their age, and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.
Play has key benefits for children of all ages, from improved physical, emotional, social and cognitive development, to supporting their mental health, promoting emotional resilience and facilitating learning and skill development such as problem-solving and communication.
While play is natural for children, adults have an important role in making sure every child has the conditions to exercise their full right to play and rest. Adults can, as we do at the museum for example, focus on provision, ensuring that the necessary time, space and resources to play are available. They can also work on incorporating playfulness into processes and practices or advocating for play-friendly environments and policies.
Adults must value and encourage play in the different settings where they interact and work with children, advocating for play as they would do for any other children’s right, and emphasising its impact and interconnection with other rights such as education, health and access to justice.
Sticky Fingers Arts: 02830257885 caoilfionn@stickyfingersarts.co.uk tps://www.stickyfingersarts.co.uk/
Museum of Childhood Ireland, Músaem Óige na hÉireann: 0876816760 mmcallister@museumofchildhood.ie https://museumofchildhood.ie/
The pre and post project evaluations will be by the Museum of Childhood Ireland’s Dr Hadjer Taibi, TCD.
https://www.rte.ie/archives/2017/0717/890925-dublin-street-game-jump-sticks
https://www.echolive.ie/nostalgia/arid-40106510.html
I’ll Tell Me Ma
This song is Roud Folk Song Index number 2649.
The song accompanies a children’s game. A ring is formed by the children joining hands, one player standing in the centre. When asked, “Please won’t you tell me who is he/she,” the girl in the middle gives the name or initials of a boy in the ring (or vice versa). The ring then sings the rest of the words, and the boy who was named goes into the centre.
Opening verse and chorus
I’ll tell me ma, when I get home
The boys won’t leave the girls alone
They pulled my hair, and stole my comb
But that’s alright, till I go home.
Chorus:
She is handsome, she is pretty
She is the belle of Belfast city
She is courting one, two, three
Please, won’t you tell me who is she?
The Lundy Model of Participation underpins all our work:
https://commission.europa.eu/system/files/2022-12/lundy_model_of_participation_0.pdf
Some photos from the day!
These are some of the skipping rhymes we tried out on the day!
Bachlóg’ ar Chrann
Bachlóg’ ar chrann, Bachlóg’ ar chrann, Ní fada go mbeidh mo bhreithlá ann, Eanáir, Feabhra, Márta….
Aon, Dó
Aon, dó, Capall is bó, Trí, ceathair, Bróga leathair, Cúig, sé, Cupán tae, Seacht, ocht, Seanbhean bhocht, Naoi, deich, Císte te!
Cé hé do Leannán
Cé hé do leannán? Cé hé do ghrá? An dtosaíonn a ainm le hÁ nó Bá?A,B,C,D…….
Leag an Bord
Leag an bord, Leag an bord, Scian is forc Is plátai in ord. Piobar dubh, Piobar dubh, Prátaí nua Is cúpla ubh.
Úlla, Cnónna is Plumaí
Úllaí, cnónna is plumaí ar chrann, Cathain a bheidh do bhreithlá ann? Eanáir, Feabhra ……
Bainne na nGabhar nó Bainne na mBó
Bainne na ngabhar nó bainne na mbó, Prátaí rósta is neart im leo! Comhair na prátai a gheobhaidh tú féin, Níos mó ná dó, níos lú ná sé?- A haon, a dó, a trí, a ceathair……..
Scipeáil Suas is Scipeáil Sios
Scipeáil suas is scipeáil síos, Scipeáil timpeall ‘is timpeall arís, Buail do bhosa a haon, a dó, a trí, Tig liom scipeáil go Sciobairín!
A haon, a dó , a trí,
A haon, a dó , a trí, A ceathair, a cúig, a sé, Is breá liom bheith ag truslóg, Is breá liom bheith ag léim. A seacht a hocht, a naoi, A seacht, a hocht, a naoi, Ní stopfaidh mé, ní stopfaidh mé, Go mbeidh mé i mBaile Átha Cliath!
Dilín
Dilín ó deamhas ó deamhas
Dilín ó deamhas ó dí
Dilín ó deamhas ó deamhas ó deamhas ó
Dilín ó deamhas ó dí
She didn’t dance at all
She didn’t dance today
She didn’t dance at all at all
No, she didn’t dance today
Caithfimid suas ‘is suas
Caithfimid suas an páiste
Caithfimid suas ís suas
‘IS tiocfaidh sí ‘nuas amárach
Throw her uppity up
Throw her up so high
Throw her uppity up up
And she’ll come down nearby
Jump in time to the Irish words.
Throw a ball into the air for “ups”
All in together!
All in together!
This fine weather!
When I count your birthday,
Please jump out.
January, February, March, etc.
Those whose birthday month is coming up leave the rope. When the last child is left, the children start counting and they must continue skipping until the date of their birthday is reached.
Teddy bear, teddy bear
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Turn around!
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Touch the ground!
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Jump up high!
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Touch the sky!
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Bend down low!
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Touch you toe!
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Turn to the right!
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Say good night!
Skip and sing this next rhyme to the tune of “Happy Birthday.”
Happy International Children‘s Day to you!
Happy International Children‘s Day to you!
Happy International Children’s day to you!
Happy International Children’s day, dear (child’s name).
Happy International Children’s day to you!
(Repeat with the next child’s name as they take a turn.)
Skip, Skip, Skipping Rope
Sing this rhyme to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” For skipping individually or in a group.
Skip, skip, skipping rope,
Such a lovely thing.
Hop, hop, on each foot,
As fast as you can sing.
(Repeat and try to skip faster with each verse.)
Skipping Feet
To the tune of “Jingle Bells,” this skipping song will be an easy.
Skipping feet, skipping feet,
Skipping all the day.
Oh what fun it is to skip
The whole long day away. Oh….
Jelly on a Plate
Jelly on a plate, jelly on a plate,
Wibbley wobbley, wibbley wobbley, ( try introducing a wiggle to your skiooing here)
Jelly on a plate.
As I was in the kitchen
As I was in the kitchen – Doing a bit of stitching – In comes the boegy man and I ran out…
Not Last Night
Not last night but the night before
Twenty-four robbers came a-knocking at my door,
They called me out for the world to see,
And this is what they said to me,
“Spanish dancer turn around,
Spanish dancer touch the ground,
Spanish dancer do the kicks,
Spanish dancer do the splits.
I like coffee, I like tea
I like coffee, I like tea,
I like (friend’s name) in with me (friend skips in under the rope)
I don’t like coffee, I don’t like tea
So O -U -T goes (friend jumps out) and…
Vote, vote, vote for de’Valera
Vote, vote, vote for de’Valera
In comes ( names friend who jumps in) at the door, i, oh
(Friend) is the one who will have a lot of fun,
And we don’t want (original skipper) anymore, i, oh