Since the early 1970s, proponents of the New Games movement have been using interactive cooperative games to bring diverse groups of people together. The games sometimes include competition, but where participants play together rather than against one another. The capacity to join and have fun with others is more important than winning during cooperative play. In other words, we don’t have to suffer the extremes of competition.
New Games Embody an Attitude Toward Play
Remember when you were a kid and got left out of a game, even if you were in it? I certainly do. That happens to everyone, sooner or later. In New Games everyone who wants to play is included in a meaningful way.
New Games are not computer games or board games. They are sociable and active play where people relate to each other in fun group games. No big reward is given for winning a game. “You won? Great, you can start the next game.”
New Games Promote Social Skills for All Ages
Everyone can play New Games regardless of age, ability, size, or gender. They require little or no equipment and are presented and played in a safe manner that encourages participation, creativity, and personal expression. New Games offers a new direction for traditional sports, physical education, and recreation. Ultimately, by cooperating in play, we learn to live together better.
When I grew up, I was always out playing games with neighborhood kids. We now live in a time when children, as well as adults, are becoming more isolated and less active. The results are we don’t learn or practice social skills and are less fit, tending towards obesity. New Games provide a way of overcoming these trends.