Friendly Matches
#3 in Puffin poetry Series
on Goodreads (15)
What’s inside...
A collection of football poems covering many aspects of the game. It is written in a variety of verse forms - sonnets, rhyming couplets, and more. The poems touch on different aspects of football including referees, team talks, and the 1966 World Cup, and utilize different poetic structures such as sonnets, rhyming couplets, and narrative poems.
Discussion points
Which poem did you enjoy the most in 'Friendly Matches' and why?
How do the characters in the poems express their feelings during games or sports?
Can you think of a time when you felt similar to any of the characters while playing a sport or game?
What lessons do you think the poems teach us about winning, losing, and playing fair?
How do the illustrations in the book add to the stories told in the poems?
Tip: Role play these questions
Start by reading the poems together with your child, letting them pick a few favorites to discuss more deeply.
Encourage your child to express which poems they connected with and ask them to explain what specifically stood out to them.
Discuss the importance of sportsmanship and fair play, relating it back to the child’s own experiences in sports or games.
Use the illustrations in the book as a visual aid to deepen the discussion about the themes and emotions in the poems.
Encourage your child to think creatively by asking them to come up with their own poem about a favorite sport or game.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Teamwork and Collaboration
Explanation: Through various poems in 'Friendly Matches', children are shown characters working together in sports teams, displaying how collaboration leads to success.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by participating in team sports or group projects at school, learning the importance of working together to achieve common goals.
Example Lesson: Resilience and Perseverance
Explanation: The characters in the poems often face challenges but learn to persevere and not give up easily, teaching children the value of persistence.
Real-World Application: This lesson helps children understand the importance of continuing to try in the face of difficulties, whether it be in learning new skills or solving problems.
Example Lesson: Enjoyment of Physical Activities
Explanation: The book celebrates sports and games, encouraging children to enjoy and participate in physical activities.
Real-World Application: Children are encouraged to be active and engage in physical play, which is essential for their physical health and social development.
Example Lesson: Respect and Fair Play
Explanation: Sportsmanship is a recurring theme in the book, where characters learn to play fair and show respect to opponents.
Real-World Application: This lesson can be applied in real life where children learn to treat others with respect and fairness in all situations, be it during play or in other interactions.
Example Lesson: Appreciation for Poetry and Literature
Explanation: By presenting the stories in poetic form, the book fosters a love for poetry and literature.
Real-World Application: This instills an early appreciation for reading and can encourage children to explore various forms of literature as they grow.