Finding a balance
Aim:
To think about the balance of school, work and play.
You will need:
Large paper and pens/blackboard and chalk.
Duration:
20 minutes
Children have the right to go to school. They also have the right to leisure time for play and relaxation. As we get older, some young people like to take part-time paid jobs to earn some pocket money to spend. The amount of time we spend at school, play and work varies as we grow up.
Think about each of the ages in the list. Consider how much of the time you think a person would spend playing, at school, and working at each stage. What do you think is the right balance?
- Age 3
- Age 7
- Age 13
- Age 18
Write up each age from the list. Under each heading draw a circle. The circles represent an average day. Divide each circle up according to the proportion of the day you think the person would spend playing / relaxing; at school / studying at home; and doing a paid job.
You will find that at some ages there are only 1 or 2 relevant categories. Draw a symbol in each section to represent what it shows (e.g. toy for 'playing', book for 'studying', and money for a job). You could estimate the proportion of time each section represents (e.g. play 20%, school 75%, work 5% = total 100%)
Your ideas may vary depending on where you live. In some countries children start school later. In poorer countries children sometimes leave after primary school, to do paid work to support their families. Think about the situation in your own country, then try to think how it would be different in a poorer/richer country.