Children's Games (Pieter Brueghel The Elder)painted 1560 Poem by Sheena Blackhall

The children are at play like mini town councillors
The children have taken over the civic buildings
Having acquired the skills to run the affairs of adults

Balancing sticks-blind man's bluff- blowing balloons-bowling
Practising team work, sleight of hand- grandstanding

Making cats' cradles- climbing- dice playing- drumming
Learning to gamble, to multi-task, to succeed

Flying kites- hand standing-playing hide and seek
Showing off projects, learning to grab the limelight

Hobbyhorse riding- hop scotch-knuckle knocking
Setting the pace- keeping just within the rules- political tit for tat

Tossing marbles - mask making- performing handstands,
Trying out different personas, identity balancing act

Pitch an tossing- piggybacking- footballing-leap-frogging
Jostling for position,planning, manoevering

Playing with dolls- pole vaulting- rattle-shaking-ribbon dancing
The culture committee- gender equality-health

Rock paper scissors- rolling hoops- running rounders
Sports department- strategy-leisure- statistics

Sand castle building- somersaulting- spinning tops-stilt walking
The housing department- jumping through hoops for permission

Swimming- swinging- weaving-wrestling
Politically correct…no winners, except at Olympics