My experience.

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I know better.

Four children, aged around 14, were playing a game of darts with each other in the playroom. I was working in the kitchen and heard the kids playing. They were having a great time but when I listened carefully I heard that their scoring was not in accordance with the "official rules". I walked up to them and then proceeded to explain the rules of the game to them (double in the outer ring and triple in the inner etc. etc.). I thought I had explained it clearly, kids said they got it and I went back into the kitchen feeling satisfied. Once in the kitchen, in no time at all, the darts became a quarrel. Children were calling each other names and blaming each other for not being good at scoring. I had to break them up and tell them to go do something else.

What have I learned from this?
Evert, don't get involved in everything, don't show as an adult or group leader that you know better. However well I meant it, the effect was clearly less. Children have their own imagination and they probably could have managed just fine with me in the background.

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