Games and Play for School Morale Part 6

FROG IN THE SEA

One player is chosen to be frog and sits in the middle of the circle, with his feet crossed tailor fashion. The other players stand in a circle around the frog and repeat: "Frog in the sea, can't catch me."

They dance forward toward the frog, teasing him and trying to keep from being tagged by him. Should one be unfortunate enough to be tagged by the frog, then the tagged player and frog exchange places. The frog is not allowed to move at any time from his position in the middle of the circle.

Challenge.

HOUND AND RABBIT

The players stand in groups of three, clasping hands to form a circle or tree. The other players, one for each tree, are rabbits. An extra player, who is the hound, tries to steal a tree from one of the rabbits as they exchange places. The hound then becomes a rabbit, leaving the slow player to be hound. No two rabbits may dodge into the same tree.

All rabbits must move at signal.

Physical alertness.

Fifth Grade

DODGE BALL

Boys and girls form separate circles. The players form a circle, facing inward. Every other player steps inside the circle, facing outward. The outside players throw a basket or tennis ball at those in the center, trying to hit them. The center players run about in the circle trying to dodge the ball. As soon as a player is. .h.i.t he must step out of the circle. The game continues until all have been put out. The game then begins over with the other players on the inside.

Make five minutes time limit for each side and permit no one to tag above the knee.

Dodge game.

FALSE ALARM

Two parallel lines are drawn on the ground, about 40 feet distant. All of the players except one stand beyond one of these lines. In the middle territory between the lines the one player chosen to be "it"

takes his place and cries. "Black Tom! Black Tom! Black Tom!" whereupon all the other players rush across to the opposite line, being chased by the center player, who catches any that he may. Anyone so caught joins him thereafter in chasing the others. Sometimes the center player, to tantalize or mislead the other players may say, "Green Tom" or "White Tom" or anything else he may choose. If a player starts to run upon any such false alarm or starts before "Black Tom" has been repeated three times, he is taken captive, and must join the players in the center.

The first one caught becomes "it" for the next game. No one but the original "it" is permitted to give the signal.

Challenge.

GOT LEFT

The players stand in couples behind each other. One player is chosen to be catcher and takes his place about ten feet in front of the other players and facing in the same direction. Without turning his head he calls "Last couple out, one, two, three," clapping his hands three times. The last pair in the line runs forward, the right hand one on the right side of the double line, and the left hand one on the left side, and try to join hands in front of the catcher. The catcher may not chase them before they are in line with him and may not turn his head to see when and where they are coming. They should try to vary their method of approach, circling in and out on either side of or close to the lines. If the catcher succeeds in tagging them before they clasp hands, the one he does not touch becomes his partner and they take their place at the front of the line. The tagged player becomes catcher. If they are not caught they are free and the game continues until someone is caught.

STATUE TAG

Any number of players may partic.i.p.ate in the game. The one who is "it"

begins the game by striking a posture to be a.s.sumed by the other players. To escape being tagged, the players must a.s.sume this posture, but no one may do so in safety more than three times. After that he may be tagged. The first one tagged is "it" and sets a new posture.

THIRD MAN

Players stand in couples, facing each other, couples scattered in any way about the room. One player is chosen as runner, another as chaser.

The runner is free from being tagged when he steps between the two players of any couple, and the chaser now must chase the one toward whom the runner turns his back.

INDIAN DANCE

The players form in a circle about two steps apart. The leader stands in the center holding a cord with a small sand or shot bag attached to the end. He swings the cord around the circle so that the shot bag is close to the ground. Each player on the approach of the bag must jump up to avoid being hit. Each one struck by the bag or cord steps out of the circle, and this is continued until all are out. The last one put out becomes leader and the game continues as before.

JOLLY MILLER

Place the boys on the left and the girls on the right. The cla.s.s marches in a double circle. One child acts as miller, standing in the center. With the completion of the song the boys face about. The song is then repeated, the boys marching one way and the girls the other.

The miller claps his hands three times and all run for a partner, the pupil not getting one becomes "Miller."

Jolly is the miller, who lives by the mill, The wheel goes round with a right good will, One hand on the hopper, and the other in the sack, The right steps forward and the left stays back.

RELAY RACE

Players are divided into two or more teams, the members of each standing one behind the other, directly back of the starting line. The first player of each team holds a handkerchief in one hand and at the word "Go" runs to a certain goal and returns, handing the handkerchief to the second in line and taking his place in the rear. This continues until all have run, the team finishing first winning the race. Each team has a separate goal, but all must be equally distant.

HILL DILL

Players are arranged in two opposite lines facing the center. One player is chosen to be "it" and takes his place in the center of the playground. The center player then calls,

"Hill Dill, come over the hill, Or else I'll catch you standing still."

He claps his hands three times, whereupon the players run across to the other side. While they are crossing, they may be tagged. Those tagged must then help in catching others until all have been tagged. The last one tagged begins the game anew.

TOMMY TIDDLER'S LAND

A square or circle drawn by Tommy around himself represents Tommy's land. Tommy stands in the center trying to protect his supposed huge stores of treasure from the enemy. The other players try to invade his sacred territory and as they enter they shout,

"Here I stand on Tommy Tiddler's Land, Picking up gold and silver."

If Tommy can touch or tag any player, that person becomes Tiddler.

TEN STEPS

One player who is blindfolded stands in the center of the room. The other players stand anywhere they wish and in such positions as seem safest to them. The blindman is then told to take ten steps in any direction and try to capture a player by groping for him. If unsuccessful, he may take ten steps in another direction, and so on until someone is captured. The steps may be long or short as the blindman wishes.

CIRCLE STRIDE BALL

A football or basketball is necessary to the game.