WINSTONE SHARRAD MUSEBE

From the dusty estate corridors of Nairobi to the mango groves of rural Kenya, childhood has always been fuelled by imagination, rhythm, and fearless joy. From Barabara to Bano captures the heart of Kenya’s most beloved games—Kati, Brikicho, Bano, Kora, Kalongo, Chero, rain play, climbing trees, singing chants and more —and reveals the powerful developmental lessons hidden inside them. Through warm storytelling and vivid descriptions, this book shows how each game builds essential skills: creativity, confidence, teamwork, discipline, resilience, coordination, problem-solving, and cultural identity. It’s a celebration of the play that shaped us—and a guide to help today’s children reclaim it. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, guardian, or nostalgic adult, this book will remind you that play is not just entertainment. It is learning. It is culture. It is childhood at its best.