Playing Jacks

A lazy, summer morning spent playing a *good* 'ole fashioned game...

I remember my girlhood days on the floor of my family kitchen playing Jacks endlessly. Now it's my daughter trying to learn....

She's counting and working motor skills and coordination. Our youngest son is interested too...hey, there's a ball involved.

I sit on the floor and wonder how I ever stretched that far! The swishing sound and feel of grabbing the jacks in a sweeping motion is so familiar to senses of sight, touch and sound...if only my muscles could travel so easily back in time.

It's a sweet morning with me and the "littles" while the older boys still sleep their growing sleep. We encourage each other and giggles ensue.

"Film this, Mom," my son says. He must sense that it's a special time too. Me sharing a joy of my childhood that happens to be as fun and relevant to their childhood....

I wonder if they'll play Jacks with their kids someday? Suddenly, I remember that it was my mother who taught me how to play.

Links...in a chain...family life is like that.

And more than a game, Jacks have educational value....

"How important is it to develop and eye Q? Two studies; “The Art of Inner Seeing,” by GK Lovgren published in 1977 and “How to Use Your Power of visualization.” By EB Lyons published in 1980, state that 85% of an adult’s daily intellectual decisions are based on what is observed though seeing, now or in the past. Parents are doing their children a great service by working with them on their child skills of vision.

The Game of Jacks
Visual child skill that are improved when playing jacks are:

* Tracking

* Peripheral Vision

* Changing Focus

* Depth Perception

Why Playing Jacks is a Visually Educational Game

In order to play jacks well, several senses have to work together. In order to pounce and catch the ball the eyes need to track. Move beyond bouncing and catching,then one must change their focus quickly form the bouncing ball, to the jacks and back again to the ball. Next, the skill of peripheral vision comes into play. As the jack is being picked up, the visual skill of peripheral vision must be used to keep track of the ball. Lastly, depth perception is used to tell how far away the jacks and the ball are and how far the hand will have to move to pick up the jacks and catch the ball.

The sense of hearing and touch are also involved in Jacks. No wonder, the game of Jacks is hundreds of years old, and was once used to prepare the skills necessary for hunting. "

Yes...GOOD ole' fashioned fun!