GAMES AND PLAYS 



2375 



GAMES AND PLAYS 



the wheels, one the bell, one the conductor, one 

 the engine, and so on. They take their places in 

 a row and run their "express train" through the 

 aisles and around the room, each child acting out 

 his part so far as possible. When the teacher 



FOLLOW THE LEADER 

 (Details of the game are on page 



1374.) 



calls out that the train is at a station the chil- 

 dren take their seats and another group becomes 

 the train. Very little children find much diversion 

 In this and it is a good recreative game 



Do As I Do. A "teacher" is chosen from 

 among the pupils and takes his place in front of 

 the others, who stand either at their desks or in a 

 semicircle. All except the leader then sing : 



"Now, John, will you teach us 



A new game to play? 

 We'll watch you and try to 

 Do just as you say." 



The "teacher" performs some simple exercise in 

 which he wishes the others to follow him, as rais- 

 ing his arms above his head and bending to touch 

 the floor with the fingertips, running in place, or 

 rowing, and the others do as he does. 



I Saw. A child in each row is called on to tell 

 of some action he has seen : "I saw a dog run- 

 ning," he says, or, "I saw a frog jumping," or, "I 

 saw a swallow flying ;" and all the children in 

 the row imitate the action, while following the 

 leader about the room. In any such play as this 

 care must be taken to select occasionally the 

 bashful children, who will not speak out unless 

 they are expressly called upon. 



Catch the Squirrel. This game is certain 

 to Interest the children, but It gives only one or 

 two exercise at a time and should, therefore, not 

 be used as often as those games which permit all 

 the pupils to be in action at the same time. Each 

 child blinds his eyes and lays his head upon his 

 desk, but keeps one hand open that the child who 

 has been chosen as "squirrel" may drop a nut 

 into it. The child who receives the nut springs 

 up instantly and runs on tiptoe after the squirrel, 

 trying to catch him before he can reach his seat. 

 If he fails to catch him, he becomes squirrel in 

 turn. 



In the Home 



Games that are to be played in the home 

 are of necessity quieter and call for fewer 

 players than do the schoolroom games, but 

 some of them at least should have some action. 

 On a stormy day when children must remain 

 within doors and they become restless in con- 



sequence, a game or two of action, played in a 

 room with open windows, will "tame them 

 down" wonderfully. 



Ring-Ton*. This is a game which has real 

 educational value, In that it develops precision of 

 movement and a ready response of muscles to 

 mind. A circular stick about a foot in length a 

 portion of a broom handle will answer excellently 

 is made to stand upright by driving It tightly 

 into a hole which has been bored In a board about 

 a foot square and five or six rings are provided, of 

 such size that they will slip easily over the stick. 

 The players then take their station a few feet 

 away and attempt to toss the rings over the stick, 

 each player throwing all the rings and keeping 

 count of his successful tosses. Gradually the 

 distance between the player and the stick Is in- 

 creased. 



The Garden Gate. All the players except 

 one j n hands and dance in circle about the one 

 who is been chosen as "it," who meanwhile 

 sing-'j . o them to the tune of "Here we go round 

 the mulberry bush" : 



Open wide the garden gate, the garden gate, the 



garden gate, 

 Open wide the garden gate and let me through. 



They then dance in the opposite direction, singing 

 all together : 



Get the key of the garden gate, the garde.i gate, 



the garden gate, 

 Get the key of the garden gate and open and let 



yourself through. 



The one inside' the circle then pretends to weep 

 and sings in reply : 



I've lost the key of the garden gate, the garden 



gate, the garden gate, 

 I've lost the key of the garden gate and cannot let 



myself through. 



Still dancing round and round her the others sing: 



You may stop all night within the gate, within the 



gate, within the gate, 

 You may stop all night within the gate, unless you 



have strength to break through. 



The prisoner then rushes suddenly to the ring and 

 throws her whole weight upon the clasped hands 

 of two of the children, trying to break through ; 

 and if she succeeds another player takes her 

 place in the ring. 



My Lord's Toilet. Each child In the party 

 Is given the name of some article of a gentle- 

 man's dress and then all take their seats but one, 

 for whom no chair is provided. This one, called 

 the Valet, takes his stand in front of the rest and 

 calls rapidly for the different articles. "My lord's 

 up and wants his collar," he cries, when the per- 

 son who represents the collar must jump up 

 quickly, call out "Collar," and sit down again. If 

 any player does not respond Instantly he must 

 pay a forfeit. Occasionally the Valet exclaims, 

 "My lord's up and wants his whole toilet," when 

 all the players must jump up and change chairs, 

 the Valet scrambling for one also. The one who 

 is left standing becomes Valet in turn. 



Out-of-Doors 



Of course, the ideal playing ground is out- 

 of-doors; not only is the air purer, but the 

 children are rid of the cramped feeling which 



