Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium Part 35

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium; schoolroom._

The players stand in a circle, with one in the center. Those in the circle bend their elbows, which should touch the sides, and extend their hands in front, with palms downward. The object of the one in the center is to slap the hands of any player in the circle while thus extended. The circle players may bend the hands downward or sideways at the wrist, but may not withdraw the arms, or change the position of the elbow. Any one slapped in this way changes places with the one in the center.

The success of this game will depend upon the alertness of the one who is in the center, who should dodge quickly and unexpectedly from one part of the circle to another, with many feints and false moves that will keep the circle players uncertain where he is going to slap next.

Played in this way, the game calls for much alertness on the part of all concerned. The circle should not be too large, or the action will be too slow to be interesting.

SCHOOLROOM.--In the schoolroom this is played in groups with the players seated instead of in a circle. Two rows face each other to form a group, with feet drawn well under the seats. The one who is It walks up and down the aisle.

SLAP JACK

(Herr Slap Jack; Skipaway)

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium; parlor._

The players stand in a circle, clasping hands. One player runs around the outside of the circle and tags another as he runs. The player tagged immediately leaves his place and runs in the opposite direction. The object of both runners is to get back first to the vacant place. Whoever succeeds wins, and remains in that place, the one left out becoming runner the next time.

This is sometimes varied by having the players bow and shake hands as they meet. This adds an element of self-control, but detracts from the vigor and sport of the game. This game is one of the standard favorites for little children.

SCHOOLROOM.--In the schoolroom this game is played with all of the pupils seated except one. The odd player walks or runs through the aisles, touches some player, and runs on around the room in the direction he is going. The one touched at once leaves his seat and runs around the room in the opposite direction. The one wins who first gets back to the vacant seat. Dodging through aisles to shorten distance is not allowed; the run must be around the outer aisles of the room.

SLIPPER SLAP

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Indoors; out of doors._

This game is played with a slipper, or a piece of paper folded in several thicknesses to present a surface of about three by eight inches, firm but flexible. This may be crumpled at one end to form a sort of handle, if desired.

One player is chosen to stand in the center. The others stand in a circle, shoulder to shoulder, so that the center player cannot see what goes on behind their backs. The players then pa.s.s the slipper from hand to hand behind their backs, taking every favorable opportunity to slap the one in the center with it; but instantly that this is done the player holding the slipper must put it again behind his back and pa.s.s it to the next player, to avoid being caught with the slipper in his hand. The one in the center should try to catch any player who thus slaps him before the slipper is pa.s.sed to another player.

Very rapid action and much sport may be had from this game. It is rulable to hit the center player with nothing but the slipper, but the players will use any other feints they choose to mislead him as to who holds the slipper, pretending to pa.s.s it, or making a false move as though to hit him, etc. The center player must catch one of the circle men with the slipper actually in his hands to have it count. Should this be done, he changes places with that player.

This game may be played in the schoolroom, the cla.s.s being divided into groups of ten or twelve players each. It is also an excellent parlor game, and is full of sport if played by quick, alert players.

This game is from Denmark.

SMUGGLING THE GEG

_10 or 30 to more players._

_Out of doors._

This is an old Scotch game, evidently an outgrowth of smuggling. The "geg" is a small treasure or object easily handled, such as a pocket knife, key, marble, etc.

The players are divided into two even parties, one called the "Outs"

and the other the "Ins." A den about four feet by six in size is marked on the ground in some central place. Both parties agree on boundaries beyond which it is unfair to go, though the s.p.a.ce available for play should be very considerable. It is determined by lot or by counting out which of the parties shall be the first Outs, or smugglers, this being the more desirable position. The Outs have the geg, or treasure, which they give to one of their number in a manner that leaves his ident.i.ty unknown to the Ins. They may do this by going out of sight around a corner of a building and choosing one of their number to take the geg, or by standing in a row within sight of the Ins, with their backs to a wall or fence, and pa.s.s the geg from hand to hand behind their backs, making many feints and pa.s.ses intended to deceive the onlookers.

When the geg has been deposited with one of their number, the Outs run and hide, but before reaching their final hiding place, must give a call of "Smugglers!" This is the signal for the Ins to start on the chase. The object of the Ins is to catch the one player among the Outs who is custodian of the geg. The ident.i.ty of this player may be a sheer matter of surmise on their part, when they will have to challenge any player whom they may catch. If the player holding the geg can return to the den without being caught, his party wins, and again goes out for the next game. But if the holder of the geg be caught before he gets to the den, the Ins win the game, and become the Outs for the next round.

Whenever one of the Ins catches one of the Outs, the latter is not a prisoner until he is "crowned"; that is, the pursuer must hold him, take off his cap, and place the palm of his hand on the prisoner's head, when he must cease to struggle. The pursuer then demands, "Deliver up the geg!" which must be done at once should this particular smuggler be the one who holds it. This fact is then shouted aloud, and all of the players return to the den. If the player caught should not have the geg, he is allowed to go free.

Of course it is to the interest of the Outs to engage the attention of the Ins as much as possible upon players who do not hold the geg, thus to give the holder of it a chance to make the den and so win for his party.

SNOW DART

_2 to 10 players._

_For the snow._

This game is played with a wooden dart about eight inches long, whittled out of wood about the size of a broomstick, pointed abruptly at one end, and sloping gradually to the other. A narrow track or slide is made down the side of a hill or inclined place, about sixty feet in length. At four different points in this track snow barriers or b.u.mpers are made. The track is iced by throwing water over it and letting it freeze.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SNOW DART]

The dart is started at a point at the top of the track. It is not rulable to shove it; it must simply be placed on the track and move of its own weight. The object of the game is to pa.s.s the dart in this way over as many of the barriers as possible without its leaving the track. Each player scores one point for each barrier, over which the dart pa.s.ses without leaving the track, the one having the highest score at the end of the playing time winning. The players take turns in sliding the dart. Any player who can successfully pa.s.s his dart over all four barriers four times in succession, wins, irrespective of other scores. If desired, the players may play in partners.

This game is an adaptation from one played by the Cree Indians.

For it the author is indebted to Mr. Stewart Culin's _Games of the North American Indians_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SNOW SNAKE

Menominee Indian holding snow snake preparatory to throwing. From Hoffman.

_Reproduced from "Games of the North American Indians," by Stewart Culin; with kind permission of the author and of the Bureau of Ethnology, Washington, D.C._ ]

SNOW SNAKE

_2 to 10 or more players._

_For the snow._