In Tamifor’s country, it rained for six months every year. Although she loved to go out to the field and play with her friends, the rainy season kept her indoors. So, Tamifor invented a special pebbles game to play with her friends on those rainy days.
One rainy afternoon, she invited her friends, Ngola and Chombe, to her house. They all sat on the veranda, listening eagerly as Tamifor explained the rules of her game.
“Here’s how you play,” she began. “You sit on the floor, spread your legs, and place seven pebbles in a line between your legs. You choose one pebble, throw it in the air, and while it’s in the air, you have to pick up one of the other six pebbles from the ground. If the pebble you threw falls to the ground or if you catch it without picking up another pebble, you lose. Then, it’s the next player’s turn.”
Tamifor continued, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “The game gets harder as you go. For the final challenge, you have to throw the seventh pebble in the air twice and catch it after picking up all six pebbles at once! I’ve already done it!”
Ngola and Chombe were eager to try. They had a bit of trouble at first, but they didn’t give up. After six rounds of mistakes, they started to concentrate and soon were catching as many pebbles as they could. Laughter and joy filled the air as they played.
After 30 minutes, Tamifor’s mother heard the children laughing loudly and having fun. After an hour and a half, their excitement and noise were so great that she couldn’t stay inside any longer. Curious, she came out to see what was happening.
With joy, all three children tried to explain the game to her. Tamifor’s mother listened with a proud smile, then gave each of them a high five and some snacks, suggesting they take a short break.
As they rested, Tamifor’s mother asked, “Tami, why did you create this game?”
Tamifor’s face lit up with happiness. “I thought it would help us learn to count,” she replied.
Her mother beamed with pride. After their break, the children eagerly ran back to continue their game, having a wonderful day despite the heavy rain outside.
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