The players form a ring, leaving one outside, who passes round it singing, "I have a little dog and he won't bite you," and as he does so, touching each player in turn with a knott...
Place six hard boiled Easter eggs on each side of the room about one foot apart. A large basket is placed at the far end of the room. The players are divided in two sides, each sid...
If your garden is very small, but is against a sunny wall, the growing room can be increased by fixing a number of pockets, made of wood or of flower-pots, against the wall. These...
[Illustration: a / X \ / \ / \ / \ \c d/ \ / \ / \ >X< / b] The children stand behind each other in couples at one end of the playground, ready to dance off when the song begins. T...
Divide the company into two sides. One division sits around the table on one side, the other on the opposite side. The members of division "A" put their hands under the table and a...
Take water and meal and make dough. Write on slips of paper names of several of opposite sex friends; roll papers into balls of dough and drop them into water. First name to appear...
In another place in this book (pp. 228-233) will be found instructions for making furniture for very small and simple dolls' houses; but for a good dolls' house with several good-s...
Two rows of children are formed facing each other, with a long chalk line between. The children join hands. [The first row advances to the chalk line, singing:-- KEY F. d:--:d d:--...
Seat yourselves in a circle and choose one of the company to be the leader, or Simon. His duty is to order all sorts of different things to be done, the funnier the better, which m...
Another home-made game is described by E. H. thus:--"The game is taken from the player's favorite ballads. In our play the eldest of the four players, who was also the best organiz...
The mastiff is the best of all guards; it is more pure instinct with him to guard his master's property than it is with any other breed. He is honest through and through, and as a...
Provide each player with slips of paper and pencil. The hostess then announces that each one is to write some question at the top of the paper, fold the paper over and pass it to t...
"Hide and Seek," which is perhaps the best out-of-door game without implements, needs no explanation. It is usual to give the player who hides a start of as much time as it takes t...
One child holds the ball in her hand and stands at a little distance from the wall against which it is to be thrown. The other children are gathered near in a group or semi-circle....
Fill a cup with peanuts, two of which are blackened with ink on one end. The guests play one at a time. No. 1 sits down by a table, empties the cup of peanuts in a pile on it and i...
Of all Hallow-e'en spells and charms associated with nuts, the following is one of the oldest: If a young man or woman goes at midnight on Hallow-e'en to a walnut tree and walks ar...
The bullfinch is squarely built, with a black head and pink breast. No bird can be more affectionate and intelligent. He will learn to pipe tunes if you put him in the dark and whi...
_3 to 30 or more players._ _Out of doors; gymnasium._ This is a game of tag. When there are more than thirty players, it is desirable to have two or more who are It, or taggers. Th...
The players are divided into two groups--A and B. One group (A) performs some action representing an occupation, as sewing, picking flowers, driving nails, etc. The other side (B)...
Pass pencils and paper to each guest with the following written upon it:-- 1 (A Dairy product.) 2 (A Vegetable.) 3 (A Country.) 4 (A Girl's name.) 5 (A structure.) 6 (A name often...
The real name of this game may be something else, but "Observation" explains it. A small table is covered with a variety of articles, to the extent of some twenty or thirty. It is...
The wish-bone of a goose makes a good skipjack. It should be cleaned and left for a day or two before using. Then take a piece of strong thin string, double it, and tie it firmly t...
(Herr Slap Jack; Skipaway) _10 to 30 or more players._ _Playground; gymnasium; parlor._ The players stand in a circle, clasping hands. One player runs around the outside of the cir...
Paper and cardboard articles can be prettily decorated by spatter-work. Ferns are the favorite shapes to use. You first pin them on whatever it is that is to be ornamented in this...
_10 to 30 or more players._ _Indoors; out of doors._ There are two ways of playing this game. The one first described is better suited to schools and general playground conditions;...
_10 to 30 or more players._ _Parlor; schoolroom._ This a French form of a game known in America as Spin the Platter. Each of the players is named for some article of My Lady's toil...
For blowing bubbles the long clay pipes are best. Before using them, the end of the mouthpiece ought to be covered with sealing-wax for about an inch, or it may tear your lips. Com...
The greatest fault of the Irish terrier is his fondness for barking unnecessarily; but he is particularly intelligent, active, and vigorous, and will learn any trick your ingenuity...
Smaller children, who have not yet learned to paint properly, often like to trace pictures either on tracing paper held over the picture, or on ordinary thin paper held over the pi...
This is a very confusing game of contraries for five players. Four of them hold each the corner of a handkerchief. The other, who stands by to give orders, then shouts either "Let...