Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium Part 54

LITTLE DOG TRAY.--The player is required to crawl under the table on all fours and bark like a dog.

LITTLE GERMAN BAND, THE.--Three or four players are told to imitate a little German band, each being required to represent a certain instrument, and all to join in rendering some popular air, which should be a.s.signed.

LITTLE SUNSHINE.--The player is required to walk around the room and bestow a smile on each person in turn.

LUNCH COUNTER.--An apple is suspended at head height on the end of a string from a chandelier or portiere pole. The delinquent player is required to walk up to the apple and take a bite from it without help from the hands. For obvious reasons, only one person should be allowed to bite at an apple.

MOODS.--The player is required to laugh in one corner of the room, to sing in the second corner, to cry in the third, and to whistle or dance in the fourth.

NEGATIVE SIDE, THE.--The player is required to answer "No" to a question put to him by each member of the company in turn. This may be made very funny if he be required, for instance, thereby to express dislike for his favorite occupations or friends.

PILGRIMAGE TO ROME, A.--The judge announces that the player who is to redeem this forfeit is about to make a pilgrimage to Rome, and requests that each member of the company give him something to take on his journey. The pilgrim is then required to pa.s.s around the room while each person, in turn, presents him with some article, the more inappropriate or difficult or c.u.mbersome to carry the better. These may consist, for instance, of a small chair, a sofa pillow, a house plant, a big basket, a lunch consisting of a nut, etc. These must all be carried at once, and when all have been collected, the pilgrim must make one entire round of the room before laying any of them down.

SAFETY POINT.--The player is required to put one hand where the other cannot touch it. He does this by placing the right hand on the left elbow, or _vice versa_.

SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR.--Two players are required to stand upon an open newspaper in such a manner that they cannot possibly touch one another. They will find the solution of the problem in placing the newspaper over the sill of a door, and then closing the door between them.

SPOON FOOD.--Two players are blindfolded and seated on the floor, each with a large towel or napkin pinned around the neck like a bib. Each is then given a bowl filled with corn meal or flour, and a spoon.

When all is ready, the two players are told to feed each other. This forfeit makes as much sport for the rest of the company as for those engaged in its performance.

THREE QUESTIONS.--The delinquent player is sent out of the room. While he is gone, the remaining players decide on three questions, to which he must reply "Yes" or "No" before he knows what the questions are.

When he returns, he is asked if he will answer the first question with "Yes" or "No." Having made his choice, the question is then repeated to him, often resulting in much laughter from the incongruity of the answer. The other questions are answered in the same way.

TIDBIT.--The player is required to bite an inch off the poker. He does this by holding the poker about an inch from his face and making a bite at it.

TOAST OF THE EVENING, THE.--The player is required to propose his or her own health in a complimentary speech about himself or herself.

UMBRELLA STAND.--A closed umbrella or a cane is held upright on the floor by pressing on the top of it with the forefinger. The player is then required to release his hold, to pirouette rapidly, and s.n.a.t.c.h the umbrella before it falls to the ground.

VERSE LENGTHS.--The player is required to repeat a verse or jingle, stating the number of the word after each word. For example:--

"Yankee, _one_, Doodle, _two_, went, _three_, to, _four_, town, _five_," etc.

WALKING SPANISH.--The player is given a cane or closed umbrella. He rests this on the floor, places both hands on top of it, and then rests his forehead on the hands. While in this position, he is required to turn around three times, then suddenly stand with head erect, and walk straight ahead.

ZOO, THE.--The player is required to imitate a donkey or any other animal.

SINGING GAMES

SINGING GAMES

DID YOU EVER SEE A La.s.sIE?

_10 to 60 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

This is a game for very little children, and with a little suggestion as to the exercises or movements to be ill.u.s.trated by the "la.s.sie,"

may be the source of some very good exercise as well as a pleasing game.

All of the players but one form a circle, clasping hands. They circle around, singing the first two lines of the verse. While they are doing this, the odd player stands in the center and ill.u.s.trates some movement which he chooses for the others to imitate. During the last two lines of the verse the players stand in place, drop hands, and imitate the movements of the center player, which he continues in unison with them.

Did you ever see a la.s.sie, a la.s.sie, a la.s.sie, Did you ever see a la.s.sie do _this_ way and _that_?

Do _this_ way and _that_ way, and _this_ way and _that_ way; Did you ever see a la.s.sie do _this_ way and _that_?

When a boy is in the center, the word "la.s.sie" should be changed to "laddie."

The player may imitate any activity, such as mowing gra.s.s, raking hay, prancing like a horse, or turning a hand organ; may use dancing steps or movements such as bowing, courtesying, skipping, whirling in dance steps with the hands over the head, etc.; or may take any gymnastic movements, such as hopping, jumping, arm, head, trunk, or leg exercises, etc.

[Ill.u.s.tration music: Did You Ever See a La.s.sie?

Did you ev-er see a las-sie, a las-sie, a las-sie, Did you ev-er see a las-sie do _this_ way and _that_? Do _this_ way and _that_ way, and _this_ way and _that_ way; Did you ev-er see a las-sie do _this_ way and _that_?

[Ill.u.s.tration: DRAW A BUCKET OF WATER]

DRAW A BUCKET OF WATER

_4 to 60 or more players._

_Indoors; out of doors._

This game is played in groups of four, generally by girls. Two players face each other, clasping hands at full arm's length. The other two face each other in the same way, with their arms crossing those of the first couple at right angles. Bracing the feet, the couples sway backward and forward, singing the following rhyme:--

[Ill.u.s.tration music:

Draw a buck-et of wa-ter, For my la-dy's daugh-ter, One in a rush, Two in a rush, Please, lit-tle girl, bob un-der the bush.

Draw a bucket of water, For my lady's daughter.

One in a rush, Two in a rush, Please little girl, bob under the bush.

As the last line is said, the players all raise their arms without unclasping the hands and place them around their companions, who stoop to step inside. They will then be standing in a circle with arms around each other's waists. The game finishes by dancing in this position around in a ring, repeating the verse once more.

The ill.u.s.tration shows in the left-hand group the pulling backward and forward; in the rear (center) group the lifting of hands and stooping under; and in the right-hand group the position for dancing around while repeating the verse.