Start a Trend

Hello Molly here

Elastics is a game where you have a long tied piece of elastic and you put it around two people's ankles, and a third person jumps over the elastic in a certain pattern.  It then gets harder as you move the elastics upwards from people’s ankles, knees, thighs, hips, belly button and then underarms.  You can watch this video on how to play elastics.  

The elastics game started in China in the 7th century.  It was called Chinese Jump Rope.   It has been popular for a long time - it used to be my mum’s and my nanna’s favourite game at school.  It is in a lot of countries where it has different names - it's called elastics in Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain,  Yoki in Canada, Rek in South Africa, Gummitwist in Germany and Jeu De L'Elastique in France.

But why am I talking to you about elastics?

Because it's the start of the U Shape Us story.

When I was six, some kids said I couldn't play with them.  I felt too shy to make new friends.  So me and my mum made a simple game to think of ways to make new friends.  This was the first ever version of U Shape Us. One of our ideas was to take an elastic to school and ask kids to play with me.  So I took an elastic and guess what?  I had kids to play with!  You never know what happened next, other kids started bringing elastics and the school invested in elastics! I had started a trend.

Elastics made me feel really happy as I got to be outside instead of staying indoors doing nothing and playing with people instead of being alone.  I think it's popular because it is super easy and includes catchy rhymes and everyone got a go.  It can help you make friends and you can imagine new rhymes for other people and you to do.

Our game U Shape Us gets players to think about connection ideas using four cards - invent, person, place, thing.  One of the Thing cards includes an image of elastics.  So when you play our game you can imagine different and new ways to play with elastics.  

If you play your idea with others, you might even start your own trend.

The best way to start a trend at school is to take something simple like elastics,  tell your friends how to play and  invite other kids to play. But please don’t force or bribe other people to play with you and just be patient. It's not a competition on who makes the best trend.

But now I have a question for you. I started a trend at my school but can you start one at your school, work or club to make new friends or meet new people? It doesn't take alot to start a trend, just bring in something like elastics!

Always remember, you shape us.
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Molly