This theme addresses the concept of play and games that historically range from antiquity to the present. Through interactive activities, children participate in the design and assembly of toys and games inspired by the common history between Egypt and Syria. Children were introduced to the history of play and taught when and where traditional games like hopscotch, jump rope, and kites were invented. In addition to these, children learnt about the history of board games, whether popular ones like Chess, Backgammon and Checkers or lesser known games such as Manqala and Pachisi, or obsolete games such as the Ancient Egyptian Senet and the Mesopotamian Royal Game of Ur. Children were encouraged to demonstrate the games that have been commonly played in their families through the years. After learning to play these games, children made their own chess pieces inspired by characters from the Kritliyya myths and checkers pieces with Islamic designs. They created kites and figurines inspired by toys from Ancient Egypt and Syria.

Toolkit: Play

This theme addresses the concept of travel and immigration and the idea of displacement from one country to another. Through the children’s design and implementation of games that allow them to travel between eight cities of the Arab world and the Mediterranean Sea to gain points, they learn information about each city. During the workshops, children worked together to design collage playing cards and create quiz questions by gathering information about the history of cities in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Tunisia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Andalusia. Questions focused on the histories of these cities during the Islamic period and the relationships between these cities. For example, a question could be asked about a certain Islamic landmark in the city, such as the Alhambra Palace in Andalusia, or the relationship between Cairo and Istanbul when Cairo’s artisans were rounded up and taken to Istanbul during the Ottoman period, or players could be asked to perform a historical scene, or song.

Toolkit: Travel

This theme was explored through two sub-themes; the first looking at family narratives through storytelling and the second thinking about the family home through art and building. The young storytellers learnt how to express themselves through songs and short stories they wrote themselves while exploring stories of travel and immigration in history and within their family narratives. On the other hand, the young builders reflected on the meaning of home in the past, present, and future. They were first asked to discuss their homes now and in the past then compare them to the traditional home they visited (Bayt al-Kritliyya). Then they worked on a model of a traditional home to furnish it and introduce characters within a storyline that had a family living in the house hosting an immigrant family. Finally, they explored the future by producing models of their dream bedrooms.

Toolkit: Family