Reviving Ghana’s play heritage
Recently celebrated as Ghana Month in Ghana, March has become a time to reflect on culture, heritage, and the traditions that shaped earlier generations.
Nowadays, almost every school sets aside a day for traditional attire and cultural displays to foster a sense of patriotism, which risks being lost in this generation.
One of the most beautiful aspects of Ghanaian culture is the rich tradition of childhood games and storytelling that once filled compounds, schoolyards, and village squares with laughter and imagination.
This was the source of entertainment long before smartphones and tablets took over.
It was common to see children spending time after school, playing outdoor games such as ‘ampe’, ‘pilolo’, ‘chaskele’ and ‘alikoto’.
In addition to the entertainment, these games quietly nurtured the growth and development of children physically, mentally, socio-emotionally and cognitively.
Games
Many of these traditional games required running, jumping, balancing, and making quick moves.
Ampe, for instance, enhances motor development while challenging the brain to match or oppose an opponent’s step.
‘Pilolo’ required children to run around in search of hidden objects.
Games like Chaskele involved using an empty can as a ball which players struck with sticks, aiming to send it far away from a goal post made of objects like used car tyres.
The game was highly engaging and required sharp focus.
Players often teased the opponent playfully with chants of “Charles is dead”.
It was the task of the opponent to skilfully throw the can from wherever it landed into the goal post, outwitting the many sticks waiting to hurl it as far away as possible.
Through these activities, children developed strong muscles, stamina, and cardiovascular fitness.
There were also board games, such as the strategic Oware and Ludo, which were ideal for children who preferred mental challenges over physical activity.
These demanded careful planning and anticipating an opponent’s moves.
Even mathematical probability and strategic counting were all introduced through play.
Players learned patience, logic and problem-solving too.
Sometimes, these board games were even drawn on the ground, allowing children to use their artistic skills while staying engaged and physically active.
Mental skills
Mental skills like observation, attention to details, memory and thinking are all strengthened in these games.
Rules were negotiated, disputes were resolved, losing was a thing to be done honourably (not sourly) and playful teasing was the fun part. Older children guided younger ones too, reinforcing a sense of mentorship and community.
These games taught resilience and humility.
The confidence that came with mastery of skills, the ambition to improve, the exhilaration of winning and persevering, even when it was painful, groomed our children.
Clapping games and rhythmic songs strengthened language development and memory. Children learned new words and expressions in their local languages, communication skills and cultural narratives.
Children with a musical inclination sharpened their creativity by composing cheer songs for their team.
Then there were the stories of the clever spider Ananse. Storytelling was a way of teaching lessons about wisdom, honesty, courage, and humility.
These storytelling sessions nurtured imagination, moral reasoning, and cultural identity.
Screens
Today, many children spend long hours indoors interacting with screens rather than people.
It is a non-negotiable fact that technology cannot replace the rich developmental experiences that come from active play and storytelling.
Parents can create intentional time for outdoor play, traditional games, and fireside storytelling, while limiting unnecessary screen exposure.
Schools can integrate traditional games and folktales into physical education, language, and cultural lessons, giving children both fun and developmental benefits.
With such intentional effort, we can help children grow stronger in body, sharper in mind, richer in relationships, and deeper in cultural identity.
The writer is a Child development expert/Fellow of the Zero-To-Three Academy, USA.
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