Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium Part 40

"I'm on Tommy Tiddler's ground, Picking up gold and silver!"

Tommy may tag any one on his ground, and any one so tagged changes places with him. The players will learn to add to the interest of the game by venturing as near Tommy Tiddler as possible and being very tantalizing in inducing him to run after them. Tommy Tiddler, on his part, will find opportunity for considerable finesse, such as in appearing to give his attention entirely to one player, then suddenly turning and dashing for another.

TOSSING WANDS

_10 to 60 or more players._

_Gymnasium; playground; schoolroom._

This game is played in two forms, line form and circle form.

LINE FORM.--The players stand in two lines or ranks facing each other, all those in one line being provided with gymnasium wands about three feet in length. A leader is appointed who either counts or commands as a signal for tossing the wands back and forth from one line to the other: as, "One, two, three--toss!" This is even more effective if gymnastic movements be taken on the three counts, as bending the trunk forward with the wand downward, stretching the arms upward with the wand overhead, extending it forward at shoulder height, and then tossing backward over the head. The signals for this would be "Bend!

Stretch! Out! Toss!"

The wands should first be held in the hand with the palms upward, and caught with the hands in the same position. Later, the hand position should be reversed, the wand being grasped with the downward-turned palms.

CIRCLE FORM.--When players are proficient in catching in opposite lines or ranks, they should form a circle, facing around in single file, each player being provided with a wand which is tossed backward over the head and caught by the player behind. This may be done best rhythmically with the exercises and commands mentioned above, "Bend!

Stretch! Out! Toss!" The wand should be caught with the palms outward.

Any player failing to catch a wand drops out of the game. With a little practice, however, this usually resolves itself into a quick drill rather than a game; but it is a most interesting, skillful, and diverting play.

TRADES

_10 to 60 or more players._

_Indoors; out of doors._

This game is the boys' form of the game played by girls as "Old Woman from the Woods." The players divide into two equal parties. One party retires and decides on some trade or occupation, whereupon they advance toward the second party, saying:--

"Here are some men from Botany Bay.

Got any work to give us to-day?"

The second party asks, "What can you do?" The first party answers, "Anything." The second party says, "Set to work, then!" whereupon they go through pantomimic motions descriptive of the occupation chosen, such as planing, sawing, or hammering, for the carpenter; the motions of the bricklayer, tailor, cobbler, motor-man, etc. The second party guesses what this pantomime indicates. Should they guess correctly, they have a turn at representing a trade. Should they fail, the first party has another trial.

When played in a playground or gymnasium, where there is a good running s.p.a.ce, a successful guess should be followed by a chase of the actors by the guessing party, any players caught before a designated goal line is reached having to join the party of their captors. The party wins which secures all of the players.

The following activities and occupations were shown by one cla.s.s of city boys: milking cows, grinding coffee, hanging wall paper, traveling salesmen (displaying and measuring goods), rooting a baseball team, Marathon race, picking cherries, basket-ball game, oiling sewing machine, blowing up bicycle tires, running a lawn mower, bricklaying.

TREE PARTY

_5 to 60 players._

_Out of doors._

In these days of nature study this game is especially appropriate. It may be used on any ground or strip of woodland where there is a variety of trees, the game consisting in identifying the trees.

A tag or card is fastened on one or more trees of each variety within certain prescribed limits. These cards may be made as fanciful or as rustic as desired. Birch bark is very appropriate for them, and for either birch bark or a conventional card a pretty element may be added by writing some appropriate quotation or verse, after the j.a.panese custom. The main object of each card, however, is to bear a number.

Each player is provided with a card or slip of paper containing a list of numbers corresponding to those on the trees. Thus, if fifteen trees be numbered, there should be fifteen numbers on each player's card.

The players, having been provided each with a card and pencil, wander at will over the designated territory. Whenever a number is discovered on a tree, the player, if he knows the name of the tree, writes it on his own card opposite the corresponding number. For most companies, popular rather than botanical names of the trees are permissible. At a signal--a bell, whistle, horn, or call--the players all a.s.semble. The host or hostess then reads a correct list, each player checking the card that he holds. The player wins who has the largest number of names correct.

The writer has known this game to be a most beautiful diversion for a lawn party on a large estate, and has a feeling appreciation of how many trees most people will find it hard to name in even a familiar strip of woodland.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A CITY PLAYGROUND]

TRIPLE CHANGE

_10 to 60 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium; parlor._

The players form a circle, with the exception of three who stand in the center. Those forming the circle and those in the center number off in threes. The players in the center take turns in calling each his number, as "One!" "Two!" or "Three!" whereupon all of the players in the circle who hold that number quickly change places with each other, the one who called the number trying to catch one as he runs to a new place. Any player so caught changes places with the caller. For instance, the center player may call "Three!" whereupon all of the Numbers Three in the circle must change places. They may do this by changing with a near neighbor, or tantalize the one who called by running across the circle.

The center players take turns in calling numbers. For instance, if the first one fails to secure a place, then the second of the center group calls. Should the first succeed in catching one of the other players, the player so caught will await his turn in the center until Numbers Two and Three have each had a turn at calling before he calls a number.

TUG OF WAR

(See _Catch and Pull Tug of War_ and _Wand Tug of War_; also _Contests for Two_, under "Feats and Forfeits.")

UNDER THE CUCKOO'S NEST

_5 to 30 players._

_House party; out of doors._

One player is chosen as leader, and stands up, generally with his back against a wall or post, while a second player, who is the cuckoo, bends down, as for leapfrog, with his head against the leader. The other players stand around in a circle, each placing a finger on the back of the cuckoo. The leader then "counts off" the fingers of the players with the following rhyme, indicating a finger for each accent of the rhyme:--

"The wind blows east, the wind blows west, The wind blows under the cuckoo's nest.

Where shall this or that one go?

Shall he go east or shall he go west?