Education K–12: Indigenous Perspectives: Games & activities

People worldwide have passed on games as part of their culture. Both children and adults played games in all Indigneous nations and, because most relied on symbols, these games could be played by people from different nations who didn't speak the same language. Many games were played for entertainment, but many also had a religious meaning or were used as learning tools.

Many games were introduced to children by elders to help them learn and develop skills necessary for survival, building strength and agility, hunting and gathering food in harsh weather environments. Many of these active games will also help children increase their
physical activity levels while strengthening their sense of culture and tradition.

The naming of places is a cultural phenomenon dating back to the earliest of human history. Assigning names to places is a practice that serves many purposes. Indigenous place names reinforce an intimate relationship with the land, convey a broad range of knowledge such as travel routes and traditional hunting and fishing grounds, and are touchstones for history and legends. They also embody and honour the teachings of Elders, and are a tool for educating youth.