GAMES AND PLAYS 



2376 



GAMES AND PLAYS 



is inseparable from indoor playing, and can 

 really stretch their muscles. Certain of the 

 games described above can easily be played 

 out-of-doors and some of those listed below 



DROP THE HANDKERCHIEF 



may be used indoors in stormy weather, if 

 there is a considerable open space. Especially 

 is this true of the bean-bag games. 



Games with Bean Bag*. A set of bean bags 

 should be in every schoolroom and the children 

 will usually be glad to make them. These bags 

 should be of some strong material, bright-colored 

 if possible, should measure about five by five 

 inches and should be about half full of beans. 



For the simplest of the bean-bag games the 

 children form a circle about one of their number 

 who is the "teacher." He tosses the bag to the 

 others either in rotation all around the ring or 

 out of turn with the object of catching some 

 player napping. The one thus caught becomes 

 "teacher" in turn. Then, to vary the game, the 

 teacher may throw the bag into the air and call 

 the name of some child who must spring forward 

 and catch it before it touches the ground. 



In another bean-bag game the children stand in 

 two rows, facing each other. The first child in one 

 row tosses the bag to the second in the other 

 row, who tosses it to the third in the first row; 

 the bag keeping its zigzag course until it reaches 

 the end of one row, when it is tossed directly 

 across and then back again in the same zigzag 

 manner. Thus the children who did not have a 

 chance to catch the bag as it passed down the 

 line have their turn on its return journey. 



Cat and Mouse. In this game the players join 

 hands to form a circle, and stand about an arm's 

 length apart. One player, the cat, stands* outside 

 the circle, while the mouse, the one to be caught, 

 stands inside. Those who form the circle may 

 raise their arms to allow cat or mouse to pass in 

 and out of the circle, or they may hinder them by 

 lowering their arms. When the mouse is caught 

 other players are chosen. 



Posture. The players stand in a circle, three 

 or four yards apart, and a ball or bean bag is 

 tossed rapidly from one to another. Each one 

 who misses must remain as though turned to 

 stone in the attitude in which he was when he 



failed, and the last to miss wins the game. He 

 tosses the ball into the air and catches it ten 

 times while the others retain their positions. 



Drop the Handkerchief. This is always a 

 favorite with the children and it is a good game 

 for a large party. All the players save one form 

 in a circle, the one taking his place outside with 

 a knotted handkerchief in his hand. As he runs 

 about the circle he sings : 



Itisket, Itasket, a green and yellow basket, 



I sent 'a letter to my love and on the way I 



dropped it, I dropped it, 

 A little boy picked it up and put it in his pocket. 



Quietly he drops the handkerchief and runs on, 

 trying to get around the circle and tag the player 

 behind whom he dropped it before it has been 

 picked up. If the player discovers it, however, 

 he picks it up and runs with it, trying to tag the 

 one who dropped it before he reaches the vacant 

 place. 



London Bridge. Two children join their raised 

 hands to form a "bridge" under which the others 

 must pass in line, the two singing : 



London bridge is falling down, falling down, fall- 

 ing down. 

 London bridge is falling down, my fair lady. 



With the last word the "bridge" is dropped over 

 one player who is led aside to the tune of 



Off to prison you must go, you must go, you 



must go, 

 Off to prison you must go, my fair lady. 



The prisoner is then asked to choose between two 

 objects, one of which has been selected by each 

 of the two "bridge-tenders," an<J takes her stand 



LONDON BRIDGE 



behind the one whose object she has chosen. The 

 game goes on until all have been imprisoned, the 

 side which has secured the most players winning 

 the game. 



Moon and Morning Star*. This is a game to 

 be played in the sunshine. The player who takes 

 the part of the moon stands in the shadow of the 

 schoolhouse, tree or other object, and is not per- 

 mitted to go into the sunshine. The other play- 

 ers, the morning stars, dance into the shadow near 

 the moon and call : 



O the Moon and the Morning Stars ! 

 O the Moon and the Morning Stars ! 

 Who will step Oh, 

 Within the shadow? 



The moon then attempts to tag the stars. Any- 

 one caught may be kept with her or change places 

 with her. 



