Mexican
Activities
Introducing Mexican games to your classroom can be a fun experience for you and your students. Mexican children have many games, just like we do. Some of their games are very similar to ours, and others are very different. For instance, do soccer, tennis, and rodeos sound familiar? How about tlachtli and balonmano? Look into “Mexican Fun and Games” to find out more…
These activities can start your class off in the right direction to learn about the Mexican culture. Bring physical education and art into your unit easily. Sounds like something the whole class will enjoy.
Mexican Fun and Games
In Mexico, children have many games. Some of these include: futbol, jailai or pelota, charreodas, tlachtli, balonmano, handclapping rhymes, and bullfighting.
· Futbol is like our soccer. There is an Azteca Stadium in Mexico City where major futbol events take place.
· Jaialai or pelota is similar to our tennis but much faster. It is originally a Spanish game, and is played with a hard rubber ball and a cesta (wicker bat).
· Charreodas (rodeos) are also popular. In this sport, the charros (riders) perform tricks on horseback and rope bulls with lassoes.
· Tlachtli is played by teams on a flat field divided into sections. A rectangular area is marked off into 2 halves, and then each half is divided midway with a line. A Hacky Sack or beanbag is used and each team has to take turns moving the sack from the centerline back toward their own midway mark without letting it hit the ground. Players may use any part of their bodies except their hands. If the sack hits the ground, it’s the other team’s turn. 5 points are scored each time a team crosses its own mid-line. The first team to reach 25 wins.
· Balonmano (handball) is an ancient Mayan religious ceremony that has evolved into a game for children. At one time the ball represented the powerful Sun God, and whoever dropped the ball died. However, now it is just an enjoyable game played on the handball courts.
· Palmada (handclapping rhymes) are also very popular among Mexican children.
· Bullfighting is another Spanish originated event. The season for this sport begins in November and ends in April. There are 220 bullrings throughout Mexico, and the largest is the Plaza de Mexico in Mexico City. The matadors (bullfighters) wear a “suit of lights”, a skintight outfit studded with silver and gold disks that shimmer in the sunlight, and they are admired for their bravery.
Some teenagers may even take part in El Paseo, which is a tradition of strolling through the park on a warm evening to win the heart of someone you admire.
Birthdays are special for everyone. A mariachi band outside of the birthday boy or girl’s bedroom wakes them up on the morning of their special day. Piñatas are also special on these occasions (see Mexican Arts and Crafts).
The Day of Saint Anthony the Abbot occurs on January 17th. This day honors the saint who loved children and animals. Young people wash and brush their pets, and sometimes they even dress them in decorated collars and fancy hats. Then they parade through town for all to see, winding into the churchyard where the parish priest blesses the animals one by one. Children’s pets may include cats, dogs, turtles, goldfish, chickens, ducks, sheep, burros, and much more.
