LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION TOOLKIT FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN INDIA• 11
ACTIVITY TWO
My Life Auction
Group check in from other modules and sessions- Count the number of participants. Make twice as many cards. Ask the children what people
generally value in life. Encourage them to mention material or tangible things as well as abstract
things such as a good car, house, having sons, having a good friend, honesty, a healthy life, to be
famous, to be loved and so on. Write these on the cards, and stick them on the wall. Select a
few from each set. Tell the children that there will now be an auction of these selected items,
and each of them can buy whatever they want. Make sure you select both tangible and
intangible items. - Distribute play money of Rs. 1,000 to each child in denominations of Rs. 100 and Rs. 50. The
play money should preferably look like real money. Tell the children that this money will help
them to “buy happiness.” - Inform children of the rules of the auction. Once the goods are sold, they cannot be returned. The
children are free to buy or save their money. At each auction, two items will go up for sale. A child can
buy only one and does not have to buy both items. Of course, s/he may decide not to buy anything. - Select 10 pairs of items, putting a different value on each. As a rough guide, the sum of the value
of all the items should be worth double (or Rs. 2,000) of what each child has. This forces the
child to choose. Put higher prices on the necessary or valued items, which can be abstract. If
possible, draw a picture of the item so that all the children immediately understand what is going
up for auction. Make sure you have several copies of the items going up for sale, so that you can
give them to the children who decide to buy the items. - One example of an auction is presented below. Be sure to use the items that children have listed
earlier and adapt to the local conditions. Draw what is written so children understand better.
Some strategies of conducting the auction are in italics. Make sure you use them in the
appropriate place no matter what items you choose to auction.
Having discussed these questions with the children, the facilitator can now broach the subject of
how our “wants” are determined by our value system. Our value system in turn is shaped by our
family, society and life experiences.
It is important for the children to understand that our values make us act in a certain way to meet
our “wants,” i.e., our values influence our behavior. If we critically examine and review our values,
then we have the power to change some behavior that may be harmful for us.Adaptation
With Younger Children:
On one card write, “Want” and place it in one column on a flannel board or flipchart that every child
can see. On another card write, “Need” and place it in the next column. Use different color cards
for “Wants” and “Needs.” Ask the children to brainstorm what they think are “Wants” and “Needs.”
Accept all answers. On a card write only one item. Remember to use different color cards for
“Wants” and “Needs.” With the example of that one item, discuss the difference between “Wants”
and “Needs” with the children, and go over the list again. Shuffle the cards into a new list. Discuss
any changes. Were some “Needs” actually “Wants?” Do different children look at wants and needs
differently? Should you have more wants or needs? Why? Can this change?