With summer upon us, depending on the weather at your place? Let us continue our study into the lives of the occupants of the 100-acre wood by observing their leisure activities. One of the popular games that is played there is called Pooh Sticks.1 For those who are not familiar with how to play, it is as follows;
Find a bridge over a body of water. To get the best benefit out of the game, I suggest a moving body of water, the gentler the better. Also note, that the wider the bridge is, the better it will be for the game.
A collection of sticks, there is no restriction on the size or weight, even pine cones have been used.
Most importantly, some friends to play with/against. The minimum number required to play is two individuals, although there are solo options available.
To play, all those participating will select a stick and gather on the upside stream of the bridge. Then, in a fair manner drop the stick at the same time into the water. The participants will then cross to the other side of the bridge to see whose stick appears first.
So what is the purpose of this game?
Without referring to any other in-depth studies, I can make a couple of observations based on the nature of those who may play the game. For those of a competitive nature, like Tigger and maybe Roo, the game's object is clear, it is to win! The fact is, you can develop an exact sports science around the nature of the game, starting with the object to be dropped, i.e. does the size matter? Are hard-woods preferable over soft-woods? Or whether the flow of the water is the determining factor in the winning of the game, for instance, is mid-stream the best place to secure for the placement of your stick, or do eddies influence who wins? Now, if you deem it best to make a competition out of the game, that is up to you and I would suggest the best of three races to determine the winner.
There are, however, definite social advantages to playing this game and this is the attitude exhibited by Winnie-the-Pooh (the inventor), Piglet, and Christopher Robin when playing. Yes, there is the anticipation of seeing whose stick will appear first from under the bridge, but there is also the taking of time just to be with friends, especially from the demands of life, to reconnect and check in with each other. For example, to talk about the state of the supply of acorns, which is always a worry for Piglet, and to suggest where you saw an abundant supply that would reassure his fragile disposition. Or to act as an active ear for Owl's latest philosophy or Pooh's newest rhyme, let's be honest, we all have something that we need to express, and being isolated from others is a definite hazard to our mental health. Therefore, I suggest that you find an activity like Pooh Sticks and allow yourself to causally engage with others.
I must conclude with a warning, however. Do not mistake friends floating down the river as a stick involved in the game. There may be an unfortunate reason for their predicament and it is perfectly fine to pause the game and to offer your friend some assistance.
For an in-depth description of how this game was invented see the study, "In Which Pooh Invents a New Game and Eeyore Joins In." in Milne, A. A., & Shepard, E. H. (2016). The House at Pooh Corner. Egmont UK Limited.
Hunting is my Pooh sticks