Fun and for a good cause: Kid's games and charity donations

UNICEF is most probably the most recognizable charity that is concerned with the welfare of children and has been addressing issues relating to the welfare of children, and their mothers, for over 60 years, since its formation in 1946. Although UNICEF has a huge budget that is mostly funded by governments, it still requires more funding to pursue its mandate and that is contributed to by some 6 million individuals around the world. Anyone who wishes to contribute to a good cause and join the millions of people who are helping to make a difference, could look online and see how they can help. Children have been playing games since the dawn of time and it is widely recognized that game play is essential to a child's development. Although the modern interpretation of the term game probably correlates to something digital, as the term is now overwhelmingly associated with PC or console game play, rekindling an interest in traditional children's games may not be as difficult as many parents might expect, as due to the timeless appeal of these classic games, it isn't difficult at all to get kids involved and enjoying themselves with no joysticks or TVs involved.

Although UNICEF was originally formed in order to help children requiring assistance after the devastation of the Second World War, it has changed its mandate somewhat and now seeks to provide long term humanitarian assistance to children around the world. UNICEF's headquarters may be located in New York but most of their work is carried out in the field, as it has thousands of staff in over 190 countries around the world. Due to the size of the operation billions of dollars are required annually for it to go about addressing its mandate and this is why contributions from individuals are welcomed. There are so many traditional children's games that a parent can teach to their child and as many of them aren't games in which adults traditionally participate, one can teach their child and friends a game and then leave them to their own devices. One should remember though, why adults weren't welcome when playing certain children's games, of which rough games like British Bulldog and Red Rover are two of many, and as other parents may not approve of their children participating in games like these, one needs to be somewhat discerning in what games they teach their children.

charity cards are a popular way of supporting charities like UNICEF, as not only do they contribute to a good cause, but one can also make a friend or family member happy at the same time. The giving of charitable gifts is another way that one can do their part to alleviate suffering in other parts of the world and although many of the gifts that one can give will help by preventing disease and addressing issues associated with health and nutrition, it is important to remember that kids are kids and that play is important to their development as well as their enjoyment of life, so giving a gift like a football can assist with this. Parental assistance is often required to help their children understand the rules associated with games. As rules are essentially what differentiate games from free play, it is important for a child to understand these rules and play as the game was intended. Whilst there is certainly nothing wrong with free play, when playing a game it is important to have clearly defined rules so as to make a clear and undisputable distinction between winners and losers and avoid unnecessary conflict and therefore tears.

There are other ways that one can contribute to the good work carried out by organisations like UNICEF besides making monetary donations and purchasing gifts for needy children, as one can also donate their time to a worthy cause by volunteering. Positions exist all over the world for those who are able to do so, as not everybody is, and those who make the effort to assist in person by volunteering assist themselves by having such a rewarding experience. Games and play should be rewarding experiences and although it was just mentioned that rules are important, it also needs to said that rules aren't everything and that the most important aspects of children's game play are having fun and participating, for fun and participation are the most integral elements to children's activities and all children deserve to experience unrestrained, unrestricted play with friends. Education experts realise the importance of play on a child's development, and this has been given more attention in recent times as it's increasingly believed that there should be more game play as a means to increase the appeal of education, as ESL teachers and others who use game play as an educational tool undoubtedly already know.

Anyone who wishes to donate to charity can do so online and one can also get a good idea of how they'd like to donate, by making the occasional monetary donation, by purchasing gifts for a cause or by becoming a Global Parent. Sponsoring a child was a popular way of contributing and it was believed to be good for children as they could see for themselves how lucky they are and develop a more balanced world view in the process, but nowadays it's thought to interfere with family structures and as a result Global Parentage is seen as a better option. The process of rediscovering games that one played in their childhood with their own children is a magical one, and one that quite often cannot be put into words. There's something about children's games and many parents find themselves reminiscing about times long gone in which they were children, full of beans and in awe of the world. Although those times may be long gone, it doesn't mean that they have to be forgotten and they won't, should one make the time to rediscover them and share them with their children, who can in turn do the same.