We all like to play games -- be it sports, electronic hand-helds or on the boards.
Whatever variety, they take us out of the real world for a little while and give us a chance to exercise our minds and, in some cases, our bodies.
What about those larger-than-life games?
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to play Monopoly with a gymnasium floor as your game board?
Students at Sandymount Elementary in Finksburg don't have to wonder.
Thanks to the efforts of physical education teachers Robin Stansbury and James Hitchner, students are playing Monopoly -- big-time Monopoly.
The Monopoly game was set up for students in grades one through five last month to learn more about movement through gymnastics.
Students used oversized play money and illustrated signs to move from station to station.
"This was something that Mr. Hitchner and I had both seen at the Maryland Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance convention held a couple of years ago," Mr. Stansbury said. "We first tried it last year and it was so successful that we thought we would do it again this year."
The object of the game is much the same as the traditional Monopoly board game -- whoever has the most money at the end wins.
The winner of this Monopoly game is the team that makes the most money by successfully completing a variety of gymnastics and movement skills -- not the team that acquires the most real estate.
Working together and sharing responsibilities, teams of four to five students move through 18 stations that require such skills as rope climbing, vaulting, balancing on a beam and work on parallel bars.
"Each block has a theme with a skill and a dollar amount received once the skill is completed by the team," Mr. Stansbury said. "The harder skills get larger money amounts while the simple skills receive less money."
As in any physical education class, safety is an important issue and this revised Monopoly game incorporates a hospital as a replacement for the jail.
"If a student violates the safety rules, he or she is sent to the hospital," Mr. Stansbury said. "A fee is charged and the other team members are required to do a physical workout while the violator fills out a form."
Math, reading and cooperative skills are a very important part of this game.
Students need to know how to count their money, read instructions at the stations and work together to achieve a common goal.
The combination of these physical and educational skills in the game does not deter students from wanting to play.
"We do our gym activities in the game and we get a lot of money," said fifth-grader Chelsea Carr-Epstein. "I like the cargo net where you have to climb up the yellow rope blocks to get to the ceiling."
Fifth-grader Joey Stasik agreed.
"It's pretty fun," he said. "The vaulting box is my favorite. You run up to a springboard and you can go off to the side or over the top. It's one of the harder activities, but it's a lot of fun."
Sandymount students finished their unit on Gymnastics and Movement last week.
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It's a great time of year to be south of the border.
If you're in kindergarten or older, the Westminster branch of the Carroll County Library offers a program on Mexico.
Thursday at 7 p.m., you're invited to sing songs, hear stories and learn more about Mexico.
Registration is required.
Information: 848-4250.
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This Saturday beginning at 3 p.m., the Furry Friends Puppet Theatre will be presented at Bear Branch Nature Center.
Registration is required.
Later that day from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., ages 12 to adult can enjoy making a valentine potpourri.
Blend a mixture of natural botanicals to make a valentine sachet.
The cost is $10 for members and $12 for nonmembers.
Registration is required.
Planetarium shows are planned from 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. for ages 6 and up. Members can attend this show free. Nonmembers will be charged $2.
Registration is required.
For information on the programs, call 848-2517.