I started PetanqueforKids.com in September of 2011 at Foothills Park in Lake Oswego Oregon by teaching the game of pétanque to my grandchildren and the granddaughter of a friend. Their ages were 6, 5, and three of them were age 3 1/2. The children sat
quietly and listened to instructions and opened their pétanque sets for the first time.
We practiced and then played games. It was a very fun day. We later played at Millenium Park where some other children joined the game. At the Portland Art Museum we participated in an art in action project on a temporary court. Again, other children joined the games and all had a great time. On other fall and winter days we were able to play again but we have all been waiting for spring and good weather to arrive!
Since we launched PetanqueforKids.com so late in the season we are just getting started again in April of 2012. I am a retired Spanish and French teacher and I have been playing pétanque for almost two years. So far I have participated in several tournaments and I love the game. It has so much strategy, skills to learn, measuring and teamwork that I find it a perfect game for children. Other family members can buy the game sets and participate at the same game level as the children. Everyone has to learn a new set of skills and that makes it an excellent family game.
I hope you will enjoy it.
Janet Kirtland is a certified K-12 teacher, a student teacher supervisor for Pacific University, and a member of Federation of Pétanque USA.