Games for Everybody Part 2

If the children are looking upon the same street the side that calls its number out first adds it to its score. It is more exciting if the different sides have different streets to look out on.

If on a train, one side sits on the right and the other on the left, and when an object is seen, they call out right, 5, or left, as the case may be, for the mother, or older person to put down on the score card.

The side which succeeds in reaching 100 first is the winning side. If the trip is long, 500 can be the limit.

THE SERPENT'S TAIL.

This is a j.a.panese game, and is played this way. All the children form a line, each resting his hands on the shoulders of the player in front of him. One child is chosen out, and is called the "catcher." The first child of the line, or "serpent," is called the "head," and the last one, the "tail."

The "catcher" stands about three feet from the "head" and when someone gives a signal he tries to catch the "tail" without pus.h.i.+ng anyone, or breaking through the line.

The children forming the "body" defend the "tail," by moving about in any way they choose, but the line must never be broken, as the "tail"

is considered caught if it is.

When the "tail" is caught, the "catcher" becomes "head," and the "tail" is then "catcher," the last child in the line being "tail," and the game goes on as before.

LITTLE BO-PEEP.

Dress the little girl in whose honor the party is given as little Bo-peep, with a little crook.

Hide small toy sheep all over the room in every nook and corner. As each child comes, give her a little stick fixed up like a crook, and tell the children to find the sheep.

After the hunt is over, award the child who found the most sheep some little prize. Each may keep the sheep she finds.

If the party is in honor of a little boy, change it to "Little Boy Blue," and have horns instead of crooks.

SPOOL ARMIES.

Children may derive a lot of fun from a large supply of empty spools of all shapes and sizes. Pieces of cotton batting stuck in the opening at the top may serve as heads.

For the "army" gather together as many spools of the same size as you can, numbering each one. Choose a large spool for the general.

Arrange them in rows with the general at the head of a chair or box. A small ball, or pieces of muslin knotted into small b.a.l.l.s, will serve as ammunition. When the battle begins, each child aims at the general, endeavoring to knock him over, and as many others as he can. The score is counted after each attack. If a spool has fallen over, but not off the chair, it counts but half its number; if on the floor, it is "dead," and the whole number is counted.

SPINNING FOR 20.

On a board or piece of cardboard, mark with pencil or ink, the design ill.u.s.trated, the size of the circles varying with the size of the board.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 4 concentric circles, numbered 20, 15, 10, and 5.]

A top may be made out of an empty spool by taking one end of it and sticking a piece of wood, pointed at one end about an inch long, through it. Each spool makes two tops which are spun with the thumb and forefinger. A penny may be used to spin, in fact any small thing that spins will do for a top.

Number the circles as in the diagram. Place the top on the dot in the center of circle 20 and spin it. The number of the circle the top stops on, is the number scored. If on a line it counts for the circle next it. If outside the line of circle 5 it counts nothing.

Any number can play and any number, such as 100 or more, may be the score.

SHOE HUNT.

Shoes, four inches long, are cut out of cardboard, from patterns found in catalogues. The pairs are mixed and hidden all over the room, high and low, behind pictures, under mats, etc.

The girl or boy finding the greatest number of shoes that prove to be pairs receives a prize.

To add to the merriment, several pairs of real shoes may be hidden, too, and the children will enjoy hunting for the mates.

HOP-OVER.

Fun for the children is in store when they play this game. All stand in a circle, not too near each other. One player stands in the center, holding a rope, or stout cord, at the end of which is attached a weight of some kind.

At the word "ready" the one in the center whirls the cord rapidly around near the floor. The players, to prevent it from touching their feet, hop over it as it approaches them.

In a short time every one is hopping and a lively time ensues. The one whose feet were touched takes the center place and endeavors to hit some other player's feet.

BOUQUET.

This is played similarly to "Stage-coach." Any number of children can play it. One is chosen out and is called the "gardener."

All the children sit in a circle and the "gardener" gives each one in turn the name of some flower. When all are named the "gardener" stands in the center of the circle and tells how he has gone to the woods to gather certain flowers, how he has transplanted them to form a lovely garden, the care he has to take of them, and so on, telling quite a long story and bringing in the names of all the flowers he has given to the children.

As a flower is mentioned, the child who has that name rises, turns around, and sits down again. Anyone who fails to rise when his flower is named must pay a forfeit. When the gardener says something about a bouquet, all the children rise and exchange seats. Then the "gardener"

tries to get a seat, and if he succeeds, the person who has no seat becomes the "gardener" and the game goes on as before.

MAKING SQUARES.