Games for All Occasions

A Running Maze

Form a long line of children--one behind the other. The leader starts running, and is followed by all the rest. They must be sharp enough to do exactly as the leader does.

After running for a moment or two in the ordinary running step, the leader changes to a hopping step, then to a marching step, quick time, then to a marching step, slow time, claps and runs with hands on sides, hands on shoulders, hands behind, etc.

Finally the leader runs slowly round and round into the centre, and can either wind the children up tightly or can turn them on nearing the centre and run out again. For another change the long line can start running and so unwind the spiral.

The leader throws the bean bag to the child at the head of the line who returns it to the leader. The leader throws it to the next child, who throws it back to the leader, and so it is thrown back and forth to each child in turn. Any one in the line who fails to catch the bag must go to the foot of the line.

If the leader fails to catch the bag he must go to the foot of the line and the one at the head of the line takes his place.

"BIRDS FLY."

This is a very simple game. Each player places a finger on the table, which he must raise whenever the conductor of the game says: "Birds fly," "Pigeons fly," or any other winged creatures "fly."

If he names any creature without wings, such as "Pigs fly," and any player thoughtlessly raises his finger, that player must pay a forfeit, as he must also do if he omits to raise his finger when a winged creature is named.

The child passing the button holds it between her palms and goes to each one, in turn, slipping her hands between the palms of the children. As she goes around the circle she drops the button into some child's hands, but continues going around as long after as she pleases, so the rest will not know who has it.

Then she stands in the middle of the circle and says: "Button, button, who has the button?" All the children guess who has it, the one calling out the correct name first is out and it is his turn to go around with the button.

Bingo

"The miller's dog lay at the mill, And his name was little Bingo, B with an I, I with an N, N with a G, G with an O, His name was little Bingo.

"The miller he bought a cask of ale, And he called it right good Stingo, S with a T, T with an I, I with an N, N with a G, G with an O, He called it right good Stingo."

One child represents the miller, the rest stand round him in a circle, and all dance round and sing the verse. When it comes to the spelling part of the rhyme, the miller points to a child who must call out the right letter.

Anyone who makes a mistake must pay a forfeit.

Blindman's Buff

Before beginning to play, the middle of the room should be cleared, the chairs placed against the wall, and all toys and footstools put out of the way. The child having been selected who is to be "Blind Man" or "Buff," is blindfolded. He is then asked the question, "How many horses has your father?" The answer is "Three," and to the question: "What color are they?" he replies: "Black, white, and gray." All the players then cry: "Turn around three times and catch whom you may." "Buff" accordingly spins round and then the fun commences. He tries to catch the players, whilst they in their turn do their utmost to escape "Buff," all the time making little sounds to attract him. This goes on until one of the players is caught, when Buff, without having the bandage removed from his eyes, has to guess the name of the person he has secured. If the guess is a correct one the player who has been caught takes the part of "Buff," and the former "Buff" joins the ranks of the players.

Blowing the Feather

All the children, except one, sit on the floor around a sheet or table cloth which they hold about eighteen or twenty inches above the floor. A feather is placed on the sheet and at a signal the child nearest it blows the feather toward another child. The object is to keep the feather in the air, not allowing it to light.

The remaining child runs back and forth around the group trying to catch the feather. When he is successful, the person on whom the feather rested or was nearest to, changes place with him.

Cock Fighting

This is a most amusing game, and although only two boys can play at it at one time they will keep the rest of the company in roars of laughter. The two who are to represent the "cocks" having been chosen, they are both seated upon the floor.

Each boy has his wrists tied together with a handkerchief, and his legs secured just above the ankles with another handkerchief; his arms are then passed over his knees, and a broomstick is pushed over one arm, under both knees, and out again on the other side over the other arm. The "cocks" are now considered ready for fighting, and are carried into the center of the room, and placed opposite each other with their toes just touching. The fun now commences.

Each "cock" tries with the aid of his toes to turn his opponent over on his back or side.

The one who can succeed in doing this first wins the game.

It often happens that both "cocks" turn over at the same time, when the fight commences again.

Catching the Mouse

The children sit in two rows opposite each other with a space between. One child takes the place of "cat," being blindfolded, the cat standing at one end of the row and the mouse at the opposite end. They start in opposite directions, guiding themselves by the chairs, the cat trying to catch the mouse. When the mouse is caught it is made the "cat," and one of the company takes the place of the mouse.

"A tisket, a tasket A green and yellow basket, I wrote a letter to my love, But on my way, I dropped it; A little child picked it up And put it in his pocket."

He must drop the handkerchief behind one of the players, who picks it up and tries to catch him before he can run around the ring and jump into the vacant place. As soon as this happens, the first player joins the ring, whilst it is now the turn of the second to "drop the handkerchief."

Donkey's Tail

A good-sized donkey without a tail is first of all cut out of brown paper and fastened to the wall. The tail is then cut out separately, and a hat-pin is stuck through the end. The players arrange themselves in a line some little distance from the wall, and the fun begins. Each player must, in turn, advance with closed eyes towards the donkey, and, still keeping his eyes tightly shut, fasten the tail in what he believes to be the right position. When, amidst much laughter, he is told to open his eyes, he finds that he has very carefully fastened the tail to the tip of the donkey's ear, or on the side of his nose.

Frog in the Middle

One child is seated on the ground with his legs under him and the other players form a ring round him. They then pull him about and give him little pushes, and he must try and catch one without rising from the floor.

The child who is caught takes the middle, and the frog joins the circle.

Green gravel, green gravel, The grass grows so green, The fairest of ladies, Is fit to be seen. Dear ----, Dear ---- Your true love is dead; The king sends you a letter To turn back your head.

The process is repeated calling each child by name until all of the children have so turned. Turning the head is the sign of sorrow. The game is continued by the following verse in which the lost lovers appear:

Dear ----, Dear ---- Your true love's not slain, The king sends you a letter To turn around again.

And the dancers who have all turned about, are one by one made to face the ring.

Hunt the Ring

For this game a long piece of string is required. On this a ring is threaded, and the ends of the string are knotted together. The players then take the string in their hands and form a circle, whilst one of the company, who is called the "hunter," stands in the center. The string must be passed rapidly round and round, and the players must try to prevent the "hunter" finding out who holds the ring. As soon as he has done this, he takes his place in the circle, whilst the person who held the ring becomes the "hunter."

Hot Tamales

The "tamale" in this game is a knotted handkerchief. One player is chosen for the Hot Tamale man and stands in the center of the room while the others sit around in a circle.

The Hot Tamale man begins the game by saying, "hot tamales, hot tamales," at the same time throwing the hot tamale to some one in the circle who must throw it to another player in the circle and so on, tossing it from one to another without stopping.

The Hot Tamale man tries to catch it and if he succeeds, the one who last tossed it changes places with him and the game continues.

The cobblers pass the shoe round to each other as quickly as they can, taking care that the customer does not see which of them has it. When the customer comes to get it he is told that it is not ready. He pretends to get angry and says he will take it as it is. He must then try to find it, and the cobbler who has it must try to pass it on to his neighbor without its being seen by the customer. The person upon whom the shoe is found must become the customer, whilst the customer takes his place in the circle on the floor.