In playing games children learn lessons of fair play, of mutual forbearance and patience, and of letting a playfellow "have a chance," which they learn in no other way. Apart from the important bodily exercise and development gained in the active physical games, the demand upon mental and moral qualities is of immeasurable value.

A child should never be permitted to cheat at a game, even "in fun." A game loses significance as a game when one person does not "play fair." The child to whom even the thought of so doing is impossible begins the race of life with an immense advantage, for we believe that the foundation for all real life is character.

We give a few games which have been tried with success either in the home, the kindergarten, or the playground. Some of these plays require materials; others do not. In some cases instructions are given for making the required materials.

TAG GAMES

Circle Tag

One person stands in the center of a ring of children and each one in the ring holds out his right hand. The one in the middle tags one of the hands and the owner immediately gives chase till he catches the pursued.

Vary by having both tagged and tagger skip, hop, etc., instead of run.

Racing Tag

Players form circle. One goes outside the ring and runs or walks around, suddenly quietly touching another player, who immediately races with him, going around the ring in opposite direction.

Vary by having contestants bow three times as they pass each other.

Wood, Iron or Paper Tag

One child chases another who touches for goal anything made of wood, or iron, or paper, etc., as has been decided upon beforehand. If the pursued is caught before he succeeds in touching such object, he becomes "it." The goal may be a wooden stick or tree, or an iron rake, or a paper book, etc.

Japanese Tag

Form a long line of children, one following closely behind another in a march or run. One child outside the line is "it." He tries to tag some one in the line. The leader endeavors to prevent this by twisting his file rapidly in and out in a curving line, and, by so throwing out his arms, as to protect the threatened one, as the line twists and turns with him. If one is tagged, the leader becomes "it." The leader and his train of children must of course be alert in mind and active in body.

Cross-Tag

Of a group of children the one who is "it" chases any one he chooses to begin with, but if another child runs in between the chased and the chaser, the chaser must follow the one who has thus run in between. If he shows signs of fatigue a third child may run across between the two, etc., he then being chased until the tagger succeeds in catching some one, who in turn becomes "it."

RACES

Allied to the tag games are the racing games, of which we give only two.

Potato Race (Twelve potatoes, two tablespoons)

Place six potatoes in a row about three feet apart. Place six others in a parallel row some distance away. Give two players each a spoon, and at a signal they start to race. Each player runs up his row, picking up the potatoes, one by one, carrying each in turn to a given point, then coming back for another potato, till all are thus carried. The left hand must not assist. The one who first gets his potatoes safely to the spot decided upon wins.

Clothespin Race (Handful of clothespins)

Arrange the children in two rows, equal in number. Give the first child a handful of clothespins, laid straight. At a signal he passes them down the line. If one is dropped it must be picked up by the one dropping it and put as before with the others and then passed on. Reaching the end of the line, they are at once passed back again to the starting point. The side wins which first get back all the pins.

AIMING GAMES WITH BEAN-BAGS

Kinds of Bags (1. Ticking or strong calico, strong thread, needle, baking-beans. 2. Felt, sewing silk)

1. Make a strong bag of bright colored material, 6 × 8 inches in size. Fill with the ordinary baking-beans and overhand the top.

2. Take a piece of felt or any pretty strong material which will bear the wear and tear of the game. Cut into two circles 5 or 6 inches in diameter. Sew together on the wrong side, with a seam of one fourth inch. Then cut in the center a small circle half an inch in diameter. Turn the odd-shaped bag inside out, fill with beans and overhand the small circular opening with close stitches of silk. These bags can be more easily caught than balls by little hands.

Kinds of Games

Children usually hand down familiar games from one generation to another. Here are a few:

1. Children stand in a circle with one in the center who throws the bag to each in turn all around the ring, or else tries to catch some one napping by throwing it unexpectedly.

2. Vary by having children stand in a row and the leader throws to each in turn. Or children stand in opposite rows and every one in one line has a bag which all throw in unison to the child opposite. These in turn throw back in perfect rythm.

3. Vary again by tossing into the air in unison. The accompaniment of music is always a thing to be desired in such rythmic games.

4. One child stands in center of ring and tries to catch the bag as it is tossed across to some one on the other side of the ring.

AIMING GAMES WITH BALLS

The games just described may be played with balls as well as with bean-bags, and thus require more co-ordination on the part of the child's muscles. We give a few other games in addition.

Counting-Ball

Let one child bounce the ball, striking it from above with the palm of his hand and counting one, two, etc., until he fails to hit it, when another child takes a turn.

Guess-Ball

A row of players number off from one end 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. The last number steps in front of the row a distance such as may be needed to secure certainty of aim and touch on the part of those who throw the ball. The player in front stands with his back to the others. Those in the row now begin to pass the ball sideways from one to the other. The player in front having counted a given number, the one who happens to hold the ball at the time must at once throw it at the player in front. If struck, the latter turns quickly and tries to judge from the attitudes of the various players which one threw the ball. If he is right, places are exchanged. If he guesses wrong, the game continues as before.

Cup and Ball (Cardboard, worsted, funnel)

Make the ball by cutting from cardboard two circles about two inches in diameter. Inside the large circles draw smaller ones about one-half inch in diameter. Cut the smaller circles entirely out, thus leaving a hole in the middle of each large circle. Keep these two large circles together. Now, with a needle, wind worsted round and round through the opening in the two circles until it is completely filled, so that the needle cannot be pushed through. Hold in the left hand, and with sharp pointed scissors cut the worsted at the edge of the circles, spread the circles a little apart, and tie a strong thread firmly around the worsted between the two cardboard circles. Then tear the cardboard circles away and a pretty ball remains. Tie this ball, with a string twelve inches long, to a kitchen funnel, and let the child try to catch the ball in the funnel.

AIMING GAMES—MISCELLANEOUS

Ring-Toss (Small wooden box, broom-handle or dowel, nail or glue, embroidery rings or hoops of small keg)

Saw a foot from a broom-handle or dowel (a child's broom will best serve the purpose). Glue or nail this to a box. Let the child practice tossing over this post rings taken from a small keg; or embroidery rings may be used. These may be wound around with bright colored strips of lining or with ribbon. The rings should be graduated in size.

Grace-Hoops (Basket reeds, raffia)

Make a wand of three or four basket reeds cut into two foot lengths. Wind these more or less loosely with string, just so as to hold them together. Then wind around and around closely and smoothly with a strand of raffia so as to bind firmly together. If held smoothly, several strands of raffia may be used at one time. If reeds are not to be had lilac branches may be used instead. The result should be a wand firm and stiff.

Make the hoops by soaking the reeds first in water for an hour to make flexible. They should be cut into lengths of about 2½ feet. Curve several into a hoop and tie. Then wind smoothly and firmly with the raffia. The ends of the latter may be disposed of by threading upon a large needle and running it a short distance in and out of the part already wound.

Two wands and one hoop are required for each player. One tosses a ring from her two wands to her opponent, who must catch it upon her own wands.

This once popular game cultivates both alertness and grace.

In the kindergarten the children use wand and ring in playing "knights." One child holds the ring while the little knight gallops around the circle on an imaginary steed and tries to capture the ring on his lance (wand), as at an old-time tournament.

Croquet with Peas (Peas, hairpins or double-headed tacks, nail or match, toothpick, cork, cover of starch-box)

Bend hairpins into shape or use double-headed tacks as wickets. Insert into the cover of a wooden starch-box for ground. For a stake use a nail or a painted match-stick. Sharpen this to a point and insert it in a hole previously made by hammering in a nail. Make mallets by inserting matches or toothpicks into heads made of small pieces of cork. Use peas for balls.

Put the whole outfit in a box and give to little sister for her doll's birthday.

Egg-Shell Game (Egg-shell, long table, four tumblers)

Blow an egg-shell and paint with some college colors as a foot-ball. Take four tumblers and place two at one end of a long table for goals and two at the opposite end for goals, the two which make a pair being four inches apart. Divide the party into two competing groups. Those on one side must try to blow the shell between the tumblers of their opponents. These must try to defend their end of the table and at the same time try to blow the shell between the tumblers of their opponents. This makes a merry game for young people.

Cherry-Stone Game (Save and dry a dozen or more cherry-stones)

Scatter the stones lightly on the table. They will fall so that some lie closely together, others far apart. The first player selects any two stones and draws his finger between them so that he touches neither. If he succeeds thus far he must then try to snap one (with thumb and middle finger) so that it strikes the other. If this succeeds also the two stones belong to him and he has another turn, continuing until he either touches a stone in trying to draw a finger between two or fails to make one of the two hit the other. The second player will not fare so well, because the remaining pairs will lie closer together than those first chosen, so that great care will be needed in drawing the finger between two. Sometimes it is necessary to use the little finger. At the end the player having most stones wins the game. The stones may be dyed or painted if desired. The game suggests tiddledy-winks and crokinole.

Donkey Game (Picture of a donkey, minus a tail, and one dozen separate tails. These may be bought in large sheets for ten cents, but may be cut out of paper if drawn first by skilful hands)

Pin the picture to the wall in some spot where it will not deface it. Give each player a tail with a pin sticking through it. Blindfold him. Turn him around three times and send him in the direction of the picture to pin the tail on the donkey. The one who succeeds in fastening a tail nearest to the proper place wins the game.

Blowing Out the Candle (Candle in candlestick)

Place a candle on the table. Blindfold a player, turn him around three times about six feet from the candle. Then let him try to find his way towards it and blow it out. He may have three trials.

MISCELLANEOUS PLAYS

The Countess of the Huggermuggers (Two candles in candlesticks)

Give two players each a candle. They take places about eight feet apart. Then each takes a step forward at the same time and makes a solemn bow without smiling; then another step and bow; and then a third. Then one says solemnly, "The Countess of the Huggermuggers is dead." The other one rejoins, "I am very sorry to hear it." The first one replies, "So am I." Then each takes three steps backward, with a bow each time, and all without a smile. Whoever smiles must give up his place to another player.

Rope and Sandbag (Rope ten feet long, with handle at one end which may be made by knotting the rope, and a sandbag or other weight at the other. Sandbag may be made of strong goods sewed into a bag and filled with sand. In a kindergarten a weight has been improvised out of a child's rubber shoe)

Some one stands in the center of a circle of children and swings the rope so that the weight just grazes the ground. The children must be sufficiently attentive and agile to evade the rope by jumping over it as it passes them. Do not begin until the rope has acquired momentum enough to move with a degree of regularity.

Omnibus Swing (Strong rope or chain, staples, soapbox, wooden plank, nails)

If fortunate enough to have a barn or summer-house, or a playroom with a strong beam in the roof or ceiling, place a pair of strong staples in the beam (hammock hooks would serve the same purpose) a few inches apart. Six feet from these place another pair of staples in the beam. From each pair of staples or hooks suspend a loop of rope so that it comes about one foot from the floor.

Take a plank about eight feet long and one foot wide and cut four notches in it, two on each side, about six inches from the ends. Place the plank so that it hangs held by the two ropes, which slip into the notches in the plank, the notches keeping the ropes in place. Upon this several children can swing back and forth lengthwise, and so play at rowing, riding, trolleying, etc., as imagination dictates. If a soapbox be nailed at one end the baby may be put into this for a safe ride.

Anagrams (Tinted Bristol board, black ink or paint, heavy pen or brush)

Cut the Bristol board into 1-inch squares and let the child paint or draw upon these squares the letters of the alphabet, one letter to each square. There should be at least a dozen of each letter and many more A's, E's and S's, as these letters occur frequently in English words. Two games may be played with these letters as follows:

1. Give the child the four or five letters that compose a word and let him try to put them together in the right way as: H-s-e-r-o (Horse).

2. Several players are needed for this game. The cards must be placed upside down in a box so that the letters are not seen. Each player takes a letter in turn, the first time round, and places it in the centre of the table. At the second time round, each, as he takes a square from the box, tries to form a word with it, either by using a letter from the central pool or by taking away an opponent's word. If he takes from an opponent he must take an entire word. As he forms a word he places it before himself, the aim being to get five or ten words before any opponent does. If he can form no word he puts his letter in the pool. The number of words making the game must be agreed upon beforehand. For example: In the pool are placed in turn the letters g, b, f, t. Player I, continuing, draws from the box the letter a and with the letters in the pool can form bat, which he places in front of him, leaving g and f in the pool. Player II draws an l, and as he can form no word, he puts it in the pool. Player III draws an e and takes away the bat of No. I, turning it into beat. Player II draws an o, which with the g from the pool, he turns into go. Player I then draws again, and so the game continues until one player has, we will say, five words, the number agreed upon, and so wins.

Weighing Honey

One child crouches, clasping his hands beneath his knees tightly. Two older persons then take the handles of the honey-jar (the child's arms) and swing him back and forth, counting one, two, three, etc., with each swing until the hands give way. The number of counts tells the number of pounds in the jar.

SUGGESTIONS FOR CHILDREN'S PARTIES

Peanut Party (Several quarts of peanuts, and a pretty little bag measuring 6 × 8 inches for each guest)

Before the little guests arrive, hide the peanuts in corners, under cushions, and in all possible hiding-places, singly, or two or three together. At a signal all of the children begin to search for the peanuts. The one finding the most wins. Give a reward of a peanut doll. (See page 80.)

In no such games of competition is it a good plan to have expensive prizes. That plan ministers to a weakness inherent perhaps in human nature, but one to be discouraged—the desire to win, not for the sake of success, but for the sake of the prize. The giving of a valuable prize engenders feelings of envy and caters too much to the gambling instinct. It tends to destroy the spirit of fun and play which is the real object of a social gathering.

A part of such an entertainment would appropriately be the making of peanut taffy or of peanut animals. (See page 23.)

Spider-Web Party (Balls of pretty twine, one color for each guest)

Take a ball of twine and to the end attach a card bearing the name of one guest. Then unwind it, twisting it around different articles of furniture, chairs, table-legs, door-knob, chandelier, etc., till the thread is judged to be long enough. Then cut, and to this end tie some trifling gift. Arrange in this way one ball and gift for each child expected. When the time for playing the game arrives, give to each child the card bearing his name, to which twine is attached. At the signal for beginning, each one follows up his line, unwinding and disentangling it as he goes along, till the end of the cord bearing the gift is reached. As each little visitor receives something, there is no unwholesome spirit of rivalry.

Thimble-Biscuit Party (Dough, silver thimbles)

While making biscuits for supper give the little child a silver thimble to use as a biscuit cutter, first rolling the dough to a thickness one-third the height of the thimble. When he has made a good array put them into the oven. They will bake quickly and to the child will seem to surpass the best cake made.

Invite a group of little children to a thimble-biscuit party. A dough of flour, water or milk, a little salt and baking powder will be sufficient and the little workers will be very happy making the wee biscuits. Only silver thimbles should be used.

While the biscuits are baking a few games, notably "Hide the Thimble," will pass the time. Served with a little jam or milk they will make a delicious repast, with dolls and Teddy Bears for company.

Butterfly Party (White paper, oil paints, in tubes)

Uncovering the tube, make a dab of paint with it near middle of a sheet of paper. Immediately beneath make a long stroke of another color. Now fold over lengthwise along the middle of the long line of paint. While folded press and smooth with finger over the first spot. This when opened will be the head of the butterfly. Keep paper still folded, however, and press along the line of paint to make body and then make a side pressure to make the wings. Open out, and there is the general suggestion of a beautiful butterfly, which, held up so that the light shines through, may be really very pretty. A little experiment will show how improvements can be made. Any color may be used. Invite your friends to an evening butterfly party and give a prize for the best one made; the prize may very suitably be something in butterfly form; a penwiper, or lamp-shade, or something similar.

Autograph Picture (Ink, paper, coarse pen)

At the butterfly party, autograph portraits also may be made. With a coarse pen, filled with ink, each person writes his own name in turn. Take the flowing autograph, fold it lengthwise through the middle and crease, making special pressure at the top and drawing out slightly at the side. Open up and the result is a queer portrait of the owner of the autograph with suggestion of head and arms.

Enclose autograph on two sides by straight lines; when folded and then opened, the portrait will be framed.