Pooh Sticks Championships

by Bryony Harrison (subscribe)

Freelance writer and poet from London; if you would like to read my poetry, please check out my book, 'Poems on the Page', available from goo.gl/Ta4oAX.

Event: 24/03/2013

So Much Fun With Just One Little Stick

large image

Oh for those sweet innocent days of childhood, when the simplest things like throwing a stick in the river brought the biggest smiles our faces. My parents and I live opposite a river, and when I was a child they would take me to the bridge where we would collect sticks or leaves, then throw them over the railing and wait to see whose appeared first on the other side.

I might no longer play Pooh Sticks, but I still love everything to do with that famous bear who invented the game. Pooh Sticks was first devised by A.A. Milne in his children's book The House at Pooh Corner; although sticks were originally used, any number of floating objects can be substituted. In the Disney animation, the characters used pinecones, and in autumn, leaves are the perfect tool of choice.

large image

So popular is the game, that in 1984, the World Poohsticks Championships were created, and takes place every year on Little Wittenham Bridge at Day's Lock on the River Thames. And this is not just some little obscure British tournament; contestants from across the globe come to compete.

2013 marks the the 30th championship games and will be held on the 24rd March, so why not go along and join the fun. It costs £2 to enter, £12 for teams, or you can just watch and enjoy for free.

Help us improve Click here if you liked this article 17