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40 hour Famine. Do Something Real! 15-17 August 2008
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My Famine > THE FAMINE weekend > Games and activities

Games and activities

Simulation and activities

Students may complain about their homework and chores, but none of that compares to child labour! The four workstations in this simulation game are based on typical child labour jobs that children do in India: packing matchboxes, stacking bricks, rag-picking and making beedis (cigarettes).

Activities
How to run the simulation activities

Activities

ACTIVITY 1 – Packing matchboxes

Materials needed:

  • Empty matchboxes
  • Craft matchsticks

Instructions:

  1. Sit crossed-legged on the floor with the matches in front of you and the matchboxes on one side.
  2. Scoop up a handful of matches making sure they are all straight and pack them into an empty matchox.
  3. Slide the matchbox lid on.
  4. Keep doing this until the signal to stop.

How to score:

Score one point for each completed matchbox

Note: A more comprehensive version of this activity will be available on the World Vision Australia teacher resources website by mid-August 2008.

ACTIVITY 2 – Rag-picking

Materials needed:

  • Plastic shopping bag
  • Cardboard box
  • Pile of waste products, including recyclable plastic bottles, cardboard and papers
  • Signs for Point A and Point B

Instructions:

  1. Carry the empty bag from Point A to Point B and fill the bag with waste from the pile.
  2. Carry the waste back to Point A, empty the bag on the ground and separate the plastic bottles, cardboard and papers into the cardboard box.
  3. Mix the bottles with the rubbish again and repeat the activity until the signal to stop.

How to score:

Score one point for each piece of waste that’s been collected and sorted.

ACTIVITY 3 – Stacking bricks

Materials needed:

  • Ten bricks
  • Signs for Point A and Point B

Instructions:

  1. Labourers carry the bricks from Point A to Point B and stack them five bricks high.
  2. If you get them all to Point B within the time limit, take them back to Point A and again, stack them five bricks high.
  3. Keep doing this until the time is up.

How to score:

Score one point for each brick that’s been moved and stacked. The bricks must be stacked and not just dumped!

ACTIVITY 4 – Making beedis (cigarettes)

Materials needed:

  • Pieces of paper 10 cm by 7 cm
  • Tea leaves or dry grass clippings
  • Ice-block sticks
  • Cotton thread
  • Tray

Instructions:

  1. Sit crossed-legged on the floor with the tray on your lap.
  2. Take a piece of paper.
  3. Put a small amount of leaves or clippings at one end.
  4. Roll up the piece of paper.
  5. Use the ice-block stick to fold over both ends with five neat folds.
  6. Tie a piece of cotton around the middle of each beedi.
  7. Keep doing this until the time is up.

How to score:

Score one point for each completed beedi.

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How to run the simulation activities

These activities can be run as a competition, to increase action and activity, or it can be adapted to be run as a demonstration.

1. Gather your materials

  • Stopwatch
  • Whistle
  • One instruction card and scorecard for each group
  • 2 x markers for both Point A and Point B
  • Enough materials for several students to do each activity at the same time

2. Set up

Allocate four areas in the room – one for each activity – with enough room for the equipment. Allow space for students to move between activities. Mark Point A and Point B for Activities 2 and 3.

3. Divide into groups and give instructions

Give participants time to decide on their roles. Group roles include:

  • Child labourers
  • Group leader
  • Timer
  • Scorer

Hand a scorecard to each group’s scorer and assign a group leader to ensure quality control and confirm scoring. Use the instruction cards to explain what they have to do at each activity. (Each group will rotate around the four activities.) At each activity give the child labourers one minute to have a practice run to decide on the best strategy, with help from their team.

4. Run the simulation

Run a 3-5 minute session of work using the stopwatch and whistle as a sign to stop. The child labourers see how many points they can score for their group. Repeat the practice time and session of work for the other three activities.

5. Debrief by discussing

Compare scores and discuss these questions in groups:

What team strategies worked well?
How would it feel to do this kind of work for 10-12 hours every day?
How would it feel to have no other options?

Did you know?

A child labourer is capable of packing one matchbox in seven seconds.

Beedi makers can complete 3-4 beedis per minute and must keep up this speed to complete 1,500 - 2,000 per day.

Download Simulation scorecard (PDF: 29 KB)

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The 40 Hour Famine is a community education and fundraising initiative of World Vision Australia.
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