Lego's

For class on Monday we were asked to bring in ideas about the different games that we discussed in class last Wednesday. Out of all the games that were discussed I knew immediately that I wanted to play Legos. As a child Legos were considered a boy game, so I never really got the chance to play with them growing up unless I was at a friends house. The instance we were allowed to play with the games in class I grabbed hand  full after hand full of various Lego's. I just started to make a staircase with various pieces, that is what makes Lego's so much fun to me you get to see which pieces fit together and make something really cool! Lacy actually came up to me during my building and asked what I was creating, but honestly I did not know. Then we got into a discussion about how they are making Lego's for girls but they are based solely on work or jobs that they can have, which made me made because boys get the ones where they are allowed to create whatever comes to their minds.

I able to connect really this activity to the HOMAGE category "Messing Around", because of the topic of interest driven activities. When you are given a big box of Lego's you automatically know what you are planning to create and from then on you fixate on that idea. Usually your "idea" is interest driven because people want to relate everything they do back to their favorite interests or activities.

 (my "masterpiece"; notice the only pink Lego in relation to my writing)

What is your favorite game?

When asked to bring in a game for class Wednesday I thought that it was going to be a strange class. Out of the many possible thoughts that were streaming through my mind, all I could think about was possibly bringing in Apples to Apples which is my favorite game. But sadly I left it at home in Clemmons so that game was totally out of the picture. Shortly after watching Lacy's video I knew the game that I would bring to class would be Minecraft. I have never actually played this game but when you give your phone to a 7 year old things like this end up on your phone. The more I test the game out the more I like it.

I was able to relate the game activities to the Hanging Out article, not through my own experience but through the eyes of my cousin who is seven years old and very into games like Minecraft. I was noticing through the stimulation of this particular game he was gaining a lot of insight and strengthening his motor and intellectual skills. This game provides you with the ability to determine your life in the game and you also must find ways to survive against the enemies within the game.

 (The minecraft app)

(my cousin and me)

Cup and Saucer

I found it different walking into the class and being asked to get get string. My first reaction to the idea was that i believed that it was going to be some type of necklace that you would put on a name tag. Once I realized what the string was for, I thought that it could be fun and/or interesting. The string allowed my mind to be busy; but it also brought up some small talk between my neighbors and me. Each new string game I tried to complete was challenging because at times my fingers could not always reach a certain destination. When I was a young child I was introduced to the world of sports, not to string games and other other hands-on activities. So being asked to tryout the different pieces was difficult but also fun. I like to learn from my mistakes. This activity allowed me to try and fail multiple times before some accident occurred and I was able to complete the task. The cup and saucer game was very fun for me; I already knew how to make the ready "position" but could never move further than that. After watching Lacy demonstrate in front of the class I was able to learn by watching her movements and by also failing a couple of times.

By playing the string games I was able to make a connection with the article by Paul G. It made me think of the "Well-Order Problems" section in particular. The string gave me a hands on experience and it made me question the motives behind each individual game. I also felt as if I was taking a risk because of the types of things that needed to be made. It made me feel like it was okay to fail because that is how you learn.