72 Nature in Recreation 



In other words, keep the spirit of "The Living Christmas Tree" incorpo- 

 rated in selecting your stage properties! 



ANIMAL TRACK CAMPFIRE 



Divide everyone into groups of four or five and give them scissors and 

 paper. Ask them to cut out animal tracks which they are later to place 

 around in the center of the campfire circle in a way that will tell a story. 

 Of course when one group places its tracks the other groups must try to 

 interpret them. The two illustrations above might be interpreted as follows: 



Diagram A 



Mr. Rabbit was strolling leisurely through the woods one day when all at 

 once Mr. Weasel, his most dangerous enemy, darted out from behind a tree 

 and sprang at him. Just then a hunter came along and, seeing the skirmish, 

 fired at them. He must have killed Mr. Weasel because there are no more 

 tracks, and Mr. Rabbit ran away as hard as he could. (Note how far apart 

 his tracks are.) 



Diagram B 



Two people must have been on a nature walk. Note how often they 

 stopped along the trail to observe. All at once they came upon Mrs. Skunk 

 and her two babies. See how quickly they moved to get away. Mrs. Skunk 

 and her babies went equally fast in the other direction. 



SIMPLE MASKS 



Simple masks cut into the shapes of leaves or flowers may be used effec- 

 tively to dramatize nature. Out of stiff cardboard cut the masks in the 

 desired shape and paint it in the color of the nature object it represents. 



