Like children around the world, the children of Oceania enjoy games, pastimes, and spontaneous performances. Many of these activities require speaking, singing, and moving, as young minds and bodies learn their culture by playing with it. Many children’s games use musically performed counting and other repetitive processes that help children form conceptions of quantity, volume, and space. Such games include juggling (figure 2), often accompanied by singing.
A widespread pastime in Oceania...