Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium Part 41

Or shall he go under the cuckoo's nest?"

The player whose finger is indicated by the last word of the rhyme must then go to any place directed by the cuckoo, who, if he has any intimation of the ident.i.ty of the player, may use considerable tact in choosing a difficult or interesting place; as on some high point to which it is difficult to climb, or under some low object under which it is hard to crawl, some distant place, etc. One player, however, must be directed to hide under the cuckoo's nest, and this player takes a position at the feet of the cuckoo. This is a favored position. When all of the players have been thus disposed, the leader calls, "Pom, pom, cooketty coo!" As soon as this call is heard, the players run back and pound the cuckoo on the back until the last one is in. This last one becomes the cuckoo for the next repet.i.tion of the game.

VAULTING SEATS

_10 to 60 players._

_Schoolroom._

This game is played the same as Changing Seats, except that the pupils vault over the seats instead of sitting in them. The game may be played anywhere above the third year.

The teacher gives the order "Right, jump!" whereupon all of the pupils jump over their seats toward the right-hand side of the room. The row that is displaced, now standing in the right-hand aisle, runs at once around the room to the left-hand aisle. The teacher then repeats her command. The directions for the vaulting should be varied and unexpected, several being given to the right, then several to the left, etc.

The method of vaulting is to place one hand on the edge of the desk at the back of the seat to be vaulted over, and one hand on the desk that goes with the seat to be vaulted over. The hand should preferably be placed halfway between the two aisles, to a.s.sist both the jump and the landing. While placing the hands, pupils should crouch in a position ready to spring, with the heels raised, knees spread outward, and back straight and erect. They should land in the same position, as the bend of the ankle, knee, and hip joints breaks the jar of landing.

WAND RACE

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Gymnasium; playground; schoolroom._

An objective line, fence, or wall is chosen, and from ten to twenty feet from it and parallel with it a starting line is drawn. The players stand behind this line and toe it. If there be a large number, they form in compet.i.tive files as for a relay race, the leaders of each division toeing the line. Each leader balances on the forefinger a gymnasium wand, the other hand being placed on the hip, and walks forward to the objective line, all starting at a given signal. Should the wand be dropped, it must be picked up and the effort resumed from the place where this happened.

The first one to reach the objective line wins; or, if a relay, scores for his division. The division wins that gets the largest score. If desired, the winners, _i.e._ those scoring for the different lines, may "play off" against each other, after all of the other players have had their turn.

WAND TUG OF WAR

_10 to 100 players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

This game is played with wooden gymnastic wands, from three to five feet in length, and not less then one inch in diameter. There should be half as many wands as there are players. A line is drawn across the center of the floor or playground. The players are divided into two divisions, one standing on each side of the dividing line, so that each player faces an opponent. These grasp each the end of a wand, held horizontally between them. At a signal a tug of war begins, each player trying to pull his opponent across the line. Any one who puts a foot on the ground of the opponent's territory ceases the struggle and must come across the line. The division wins which has the greatest number of players on its side of the line at the end.

The game is best played in two or three five-minute intervals, with rests between.

WATER SPRITE

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

The players stand in two lines facing each other, with a large open s.p.a.ce representing a river between. One player, representing the water sprite, stands in the middle of the river and beckons to one on the bank to cross. This one signals to a third player on the opposite bank or side of the river. The two from the banks then run across to exchange places, the water sprite trying to tag one of them. If the water sprite be successful, he changes places with the one tagged.

This is a Chinese game, reported by Miss Adele M. Fielde, and is based upon the superst.i.tion that a water sprite waits in the middle of a stream to entice people into it, probably an outgrowth of spring freshets.

WEATHER c.o.c.k

_10 to 60 players._

_Schoolroom._

This game, besides offering much sport, may be made to serve a useful purpose in familiarizing children with the points of the compa.s.s.

The cla.s.s having learned which directions are north, east, south, and west, one player, who represents the weather bureau, stands in front of the others (or the teacher may take this part), and calls out which way the wind blows. For instance, when he says, "The wind blows north"

the players turn quickly toward the north; if he says "west," the players turn to the west; whenever he says "whirlwind," the players all spin around quickly three times on the right heel.

The interest will depend very largely on the rapidity and variety with which the leader calls the various points of the compa.s.s. For older children, halfway points may be named, as northwest, southeast, etc.

WEE BOLOGNA MAN

_2 to 60 or more players._

_Parlor; playground; schoolroom._

"I'm the wee Bologna Man.

Always do the best you can, To follow the wee Bologna Man."

A leader who can be very brisk in movement and resourceful in ideas stands in front of the other players and repeats this verse rapidly, imitating each time he repeats the verse some one action characteristic of the members of a band. For instance, the first time he may go through the pantomime of playing a fife; the next time, without any pause between, he may imitate the beating of a drum; the next, playing a fiddle, trombone, flute, cymbals, triangle, imitate the drum major, etc. All of the other players follow his movements.

The sport will depend largely upon the rapidity of the time and the vivacity that is put into the movements.

FOR THE SCHOOLROOM.--The head players in the different lines of seats should take turns in being the Bologna Man, and the movements should be such as will afford effective exercise. For instance, the first player will stand and repeat the verse while hopping on one foot, the entire cla.s.s joining in the hopping. The moment he is through, the leader of the next row should jump up, face the cla.s.s, and repeat the verse, going through some other motion, such as hopping on the other foot; he, in turn, to be succeeded by the next leader, etc. Many gymnastic movements will suggest themselves, such as jumping on both feet, jumping forward down the aisle frog fashion, jumping high in place, running in place, stretching the arms out sideways and bending sideways like a walking beam, whirling both arms around like a windmill, taking a dance step, etc.

This is one of the Scotch plays, and like most Scotch things of the sort, should be done in brisk time.

WHIP TAG

(Light the Candle; Beetle-goes-Round)