Here are some of them: BURNING BALL PLACE: Open or closed area. NUMBER OF PLAYERS: A group game. EQUIPMENT: A ball, a chalk.

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1 G A M E S, F R E E T I M E A N D H O L I D A Y S I N P O L A N D G a m e s i n P o l a n d It is a clear fact, that today in Poland we are the witnesses of enhancing fantastic world, where the high technology is common. This high technology is very useful for human beings, but its results sometimes can be disastrous, such as an internet and computer. In today s life especially our children aren t able to move away from the front of the computer and steadily spend the long hours there. Computer and internet aren t bad things, they are also highly beneficial, but sometimes their outcomes could be dangerous. It s a fact, our children are getting more and more weak and fat because of that And obesity is spreading all over the world! Nowadays we try to remember ourselves the games of our parents and grandparents, where we aim, even if it is a bit, to move the children away from the internet and engage them into the real life with real friends and real excitement. Here are some of them: BURNING BALL NUMBER OF PLAYERS: A group game. EQUIPMENT: A ball, a chalk.

2 HOW TO PLAY We must divide the players into two groups and draw two lines and their distance must be 20m. One group stands between the lines and the other group must divide into two groups again and stands behind the two lines. And the groups which are standing behind the lines try to hit the group which are standing between the lines with a ball. The player which was hit by the group throwing the ball, stands out of the game but if one of his friends catches the ball from throwing group he has got a chance to include his out standing friend into the game again. If there is one player left in the game, we must count till the 12 while throwing the ball and still the throwing group can t hit him/her, his/her group wins the game and the game begins again. CATCH THE HANDKERCHIEF NUMBER OF PLAYERS: A group game. EQUIPMENT: A handkerchief HOW TO PLAY We divide the players into two groups and we choose one of them as an it. And he/she stands middle of the two groups. There must be 25 m distance between the two groups and the it holds a handkerchief and when he says; begin. One of the players from each group starts running and tries to catch the handkerchief. The player who catches the handkerchief runs and tries to come back to his group without being catch by the player of the rival team. If the player can t catch, he will stand out of the game. And at the end of the game wins the group with bigger number of players. SKIPPING ROPE NUMBER OF PLAYERS: A group game. EQUIPMENT: a rope

3 We determine two person to hold the rope counting with a rhyme and they start to swinging the rope and the other players try to jump without touching the rope. When player touches the rope, he / she is replaced by the swinging one. And every player says the rhyme. HOPESCOTCH NUMBER OF PLAYERS: Minimum two players. EQUIPMENTS: A flat stone and a chalk. HOW TO PLAY The players should draw the game s shape. They throw the flat stone into the squares in the game s shape. If the stone drops on the lines or out of the lines it turns to the other player. If the throwing is successful, the player jumps on his one leg and passes all the squares. The player should step on the 5-6 and 7-8 squares with his two legs. After that he/she returns with taking his/her stone and passes the other section. He/she finishes the game with throwing the stone to each of the sections in the game s shape. Free time & HOLIDAYS May Holidays Under communist rule, the 1st of May was celebrated as Labour Day with governmentendorsed parades, concerts and similar events. Following the 1989 changes, the Polish

4 Parliament (Sejm) decided to keep this day a public holiday but to give it the neutral name of State Holiday. In addition, the 3rd of May was created as Constitution Day. May holidays (1st, 2nd and 3 May) are called in Polish "Majówka", a pun made from the May month name (it can be translated as May-day picnic). Of course, all the time the religious holidays, like Christmas, Easter, Corpus Christi and others were more or less (depending on regime) popular; in after- communism period (since 1989), the old holidays came back into the tradition- Constitution (3 May) and Independence (11 November) Days. Most people in Poland have their own ways of spending free time. Sometimes they just want to have a rest but other times they try to do something more pleasant. They have many different hobbies, which help them to relieve weekly amounts of stress and forget about everyday problems. Earlier, especially in the post- war period, there wasn t a wide choice of ways of spending free time, so people often used to choose what was available in their neighborhood- but they should be careful anyway, as even spending the spare time, everybody should behave politically correct and was often watched by hidden agents Through the years, the majority of Polish people like backpacking and travelling, they search for new places which they have never seen and incorporate exciting and breathtaking experiences into their journey. Some, prefer climbing mountains, where they can test their

5 strength and improve mental discipline. Others, go to the sea or lake where they can have a sunbathe and swim. In the post- war period, spending the holidays inside the Poland was an absolute norm, as holidays abroad were either too expensive (socialist countries) or impossible, due to being behind the iron curtain, contacts with abroad weren t highly recommended Many people (but not all!) still practice sports regularly in their spare time (as their parents used to do). They usually are completely mad about football which seems to be the Polish national sport. It is like an obsession because football fans try to support their teams by donating huge amounts of money which was quite unusual many years ago. Watching sport, as well as practicing it, is a good way to relax. Moreover, everybody knows, that participating in sporting activities is very beneficial for our health. Many people, the young men particularly, like keeping fit and they go to the gym often, to do some overall fitness (girls) or body-building classes. Recently in fashion are cycling, going to fitness centres, bowling and roller skating. Only watching television enjoys greater popularity - Poles watch an average of 4 hours a day. Growing older, we often use to change playing to watching it on TV screen We have many other leisure and recreational habits but I think that everybody should be keen on resting, relaxing and doing the things they like best.

6 Walking the dog is one of Poles' most popular forms of spending free time- it s rather new in comparing with how popular it was with our parents or, rather grandparents... Probably, this is a product with changing legal regulations. In recent years visiting shopping malls has grown as the most popular pastime. It is not however something to propose to foreigners as Polish hypermarkets do not differ in any ways from those found in the EU or the USA. It is better to choose the cinema, as our grandparents or parents did. And anyway, going abroad is not about watching the same films as one can see at home. However, trips to the theatre and concerts are highly recommended. But take note - Poles traditionally, as their parents many years ago, attending such events treat them as special occasions and dress elegantly for them (as long as it isn't avant-garde theatre). So, not wanting to arouse too much curiosity, it may be better not to visit the theatre in a T-shirt and worn jeans This would of course be more than suitable for an outing to the countryside. There are still fewer cars in Poland than in the West, though enough of them to create traffic jams in all the larger cities. Planning a trip into the heart of nature, it is necessary to be patient. Especially so as the main routes are also becoming increasingly crowded. Almost every lorry which crosses Europe, from East to West and back, passes through Poland. It is necessary therefore to get used to the large number of lorries on the not so wide roads. Especially so at the weekend, when journeys out of and especially the return to the city, may take a really long time due to the heavy traffic. If they do drag out so long that one gets hungry, however, one can stop off at one of the numerous roadside restaurants with traditional Polish cuisine. Though nothing beats a Polish meal at home, traditionally!