Games United

We wanted to achieve three objectives within the Erasmus+ programme. First, to introduce and practise at least 20 traditional games and sports from four partner countries: France, Poland, Turkey a...

We wanted to achieve three objectives within the Erasmus+ programme. First, to introduce and practise at least 20 traditional games and sports from four partner countries: France, Poland, Turkey and Ireland, including Turkish kabaddi, hurling, schottische and regional games from Picardy and Poitou, in order to promote cooperation, respect, inclusion and European belonging. Secondly, to offer an alternative to screens in order to reduce digital exposure and support physical, cognitive and psychosocial development through active and collective activities. Finally, to ensure the inclusion of under-represented young people, those with disabilities or from disadvantaged backgrounds, with strong participation by girls, in order to reduce gender inequalities in school sports. We also wanted to test a replicable educational model integrating traditional games into the curriculum and organise intercultural exchanges between young people from partner countries to strengthen cultural dialogue and European citizenship skills.

The project was rolled out in three main phases. A preparatory phase in Paris enabled educational coordination and the launch of activities. Upon returning from this phase, the young participants also took part in a collaborative creative challenge to design the official project logo, promoting co-construction and collective ownership. The second phase, in Poland, focused on intercultural discovery, including traditional games, customs and local social practices. It was also at this point that the first experiments with the selected games began. Finally, the final phase in Turkey saw the practical implementation of the games, with opportunities for practice, facilitation and active participation. A significant amount of time was devoted to setting up the games and collective learning through play, consolidating the unifying and educational dimension of the project.

The project produced concrete and inclusive results. We collected, practised and documented 24 traditional games from four cultures (France, Poland, Turkey and Ireland). A 24-page educational booklet entitled ‘Jeux Unis’ (United Games) in English was made available online as a free PDF. A dedicated website brought together all the resources (game sheets, videos, photos). Communication was very active on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and especially via the eTwinning TwinSpace, which served as a daily collaborative platform. Two transnational mobility events (Poland and Turkey) took place with 100% participation. More than 500 pupils were involved locally. Around 10 traditional games have been permanently integrated into the PE programmes and intercultural activities of two schools. Local tournaments brought together dozens of families and spectators. Among the most assiduous pupils, a self-reported average reduction of 1 hour 20 minutes in daily screen time was observed. Four innovative hybrid games, including ‘Gaelic Kabaddi’, were tested and played. Finally, two press articles appeared in the local press in Poland and France in particular.