Let’s go play in the park again! Last September, we played a bunch of fun games invented in the 1960s and 70s as part of the New Games movement. Then we made up our own.
We’ve just learned that one of the founders of this movement, Bernie de Koven, has stage 4 cancer. But this is what he says: “If you want to do something for me or because of me, grieving is not what I need. What I need is for you to continue your play/work however you can. Play games. Play the kind of games I like to teach – you know, those “funny games” – harmlessly intimate, vaguely physical games of the semi-planned, spontaneous, just-for-fun ilk, basically without equipment, or goal, or score or reason, even. Teach those games to everyone. Play them outside, these games. In public. With friends. And strangers. As many as want to play with you. Make up your own games. Make them up together with the people who play them. Play. Teach. Invent. Play some more.”
And so that is what we’re going to do. See you in the park!