Book aims to help kids rediscover simple games of the past

Mary Rose Keane – the woman behind the innovative book Up Up & a Play – is aiming to instil children with wonder, adventure and cultivate healthy doses of creativity in the children of today.

The Donegal woman – currently living in Oranmore with her husband Brendan and her two children Thomas (5) and Jonathon (1) – wants the children of tomorrow to rediscover the games of yesterday.

“The inspiration for the book came from watching my eldest boy Thomas play. He was about two and a half at the time. Despite lots of fancy toys I could see that he got most fun from very simple things, like playing chalk games, gathering and painting stones, playing with sticks, cardboard boxes and mud,” she explains.

Mary Rose grew up on the slopes of the Glenties and spent her youth creating games and playing among the elements, reflecting upon her own youth and the type of childhood that children experience nowadays, she set about compiling a compendium of creativity of sorts.

“Children still gravitate towards natural resources like mud, sticks and stones and old fashioned fun and games. It occurred to me that you seldom see children playing some of these games anymore. This inspired me… to preserve some of the past and ensure that children have an appreciation for the simple things in life,” she says.

So she set about writing a book to help children learn to play again, away from the glare of technology.

The journey was a fruitful one. “I honestly loved doing every bit of it, so it didn't feel like work. It took me two and a half years to write, paint the illustrations and prepare the crafts,” explains the author.

The culmination of two and a half years work has seen the creation of a beautifully illustrated and written book that offers over 80 activities and crafts to reignite children’s imaginations in an age where even a two year old can navigate an iPhone or a tablet.

Something the author can undoubtedly relate to.

“My one year old has a keen interest in smart phones. He managed to order two king size memory foam mattresses from Groupon at the tender age of ten months on my birthday… I gave him my phone to distract him while trying to stuff his mouth with porridge and he decided to do a little online shopping while having breakfast,” quips the author.

Her book successfully recaptures the wonderment and innocence of youth whilst helping forge creative between adults and children alike.

“[Writing the book] made me think about my own childhood. We played outside all day everyday during the summer holidays. We played outdoor games, did lots of skipping and cycling. We made up games and created things from natural resources.”

And the publication has a heavy Galway influence in that only the designer of the new book was located outside of the county. Mary Rose mentioned in particular Julia Dunin, ‘a really talented Galway based photographer who really got my vision for the book and helped make it happen’.

She acts as both the author and illustrator, exemplifying the type of creativity she wants to foster in the youth of today.

Her book is comprised of seven chapters that help parents pry their tech savvy children’s eyes away from flat screens everywhere.

The book includes chapters on the great outdoors, chalk and skipping games, picnics, games for rainy days, seasonal ideas covering the likes of Halloween, Christmas and Easter as well a list of crafts to engage even the littlest mind.

It succeeds in tapping into peoples’ reserves of nostalgia. Parents will enjoy recounting tales of Red Rover, Kick (or Tip) The Can to their children, allowing children to play the games their parents did.

According to the author this book is about “encouraging everyone to leave down the screens and look and enjoy the world around [them].”

The book is available in both Charlie Byrnes Bookshop in the City and in ‘Books n More’ located in Oranmore. There are paperback and hardback editions.

However, if you’re unable to pry yourself away from the screen just yet the book is also available from www.thebookdepositary.com or www.amazon.co.uk

■ For further information on the book and author visit www.upupandaplay.com.