Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium by Jessie Hubbell Bancroft (top novels of all time .txt) π
In the arrangement of material there has many times been a strong temptation to classify the games by their historic, geographic, psychologic, or educational interests; by the playing elements contained in them; or by several other possible methods which are of interest chiefly to the academic student; but these have each in turn been discarded in favor of the original intention of making the book preΓ«minently a useful working manual for the player or leader of games.
[Sidenote: Varying modes of play]
The same games are found not only in many different countries and localities, but under different names and with many variations in the form of playing them. This has necessitated a method of an
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- Author: Jessie Hubbell Bancroft
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10 to 60 players.
Schoolroom.
As here explained, this game is adapted to grammar (sentence construction, and punctuation). It may be made to correlate with almost any school subject, as explained.
The class is seated with an even number of pupils in each row. A piece of crayon is given to the last players in each row, all of whom at a given signal run forward and write on the blackboard at the front of the room a word suitable to begin a sentence. Upon finishing the word each player returns at once to his seat, handing the crayon as he does so to the player next in front of him. This second player at once runs forward and writes one word after the first one, to which it must bear a suitable relation. In this way each player in the row adds to the sentence being written by his own row, the last player being required to write a word that shall complete the sentence, and to add punctuation marks.
The points scored are 25 for speed (the first row to finish scoring the maximum, and the others proportionately in the order of finishing), 25 for spelling, 25 for writing, and 25 for grammatical construction, capitals, and punctuation. The row wins which scores the highest number of points.
The following modes of correlation are suggested for this game:β
Arithmetic.βEach relay of pupils writes and solves on the blackboard a problem dictated by the teacher just before the signal to leave their seats. The line wins which has the largest number of problems correct. Multiplication tables may also be written, one step for each pupil.
English grammar or punctuation, as explained previously; spelling, the teacher announcing the word for each relay as they leave their seats; authors, each pupil to write the name of an author belonging to a certain period or country; each pupil to write the name of some poem, play, story, essay, or book by an author whose name is given at the outset of the game; or the names of characters from a given literary work or author; or the next line or passage from a memorized selection.
Geography.βThe names of mountain ranges, rivers, capital cities, boundaries, products.
History.βThe names (related to a given period if desired) of famous menβstatesmen, military men, writers, artists, musicians; of battles, discoveries, etc.
BLACK TOM10 to 30 or more players.
Playground; gymnasium.
Two parallel lines are drawn on the ground with a space of from thirty to fifty feet between them. All of the players except one stand beyond one of these lines. In the middle territory between the lines the one player who is chosen to be It takes his place, and cries "Black Tom! Black Tom! Black Tom!" repeating the words three times as here given; whereupon the other players must all rush across to the opposite line, being chased by the center player, who catches any that he may. Any one so caught joins him thereafter in chasing the others.
The particular characteristic of this game lies in the fact that the center player, instead of saying "Black Tom," may trick or tantalize the runners by crying out "Yellow Tom," or "Blue Tom," or "Red Tom," or anything else that he chooses. Any player who starts to run upon such a false alarm is considered captive and must join the players in the center. This is also true for any player who starts before the third repetition of "Black Tom."
Another way of giving a false alarm is for any one of the center players except the original It to give the signal for running. Any runner starting in response to such a signal from any of the chasers, except the original It, thereby becomes captive and must join the players in the center.
The first one to be caught is center player, or It, for the next game.
The game as here given is played in Brooklyn, N.Y. The same game is played in the South under the title of "Ham, ham, chicken, ham, bacon!" the word "bacon" being the signal for the run, any player starting without hearing it having to join the center players.
BLIND BELL5 to 100 players.
Parlor; gymnasium; playground.
All the players but one are blindfolded and scatter promiscuously. The one who is not blindfolded carries a bell loosely in one hand, so that it will ring with every step. If desired, this bell may be hung around the neck on a string or ribbon. The blindfolded players try to catch the one with the bell, who will have to use considerable alertness to keep out of the way. Whoever catches the bellman changes places with him.
Where there are over twenty players, there should be two or more bellmen. This is a capital game for an indoor party.
BLIND MAN'S BUFF10 to 30 or more players.
Parlor; gymnasium; playground.
One player is chosen to be blindfolded and stands in the center. The other players join hands and circle around him until the blind man claps his hands three times, whereupon the circle stops moving and the blind man points toward the circle. The player at whom he points must at once step into the circle, and the blind man tries to catch him, and when caught must guess who the player is. If the guess be correct, they change places. If not correct, or if the blind man has pointed at an empty space instead of at a player, the circle continues and the game is repeated. The player who is called into the circle will naturally try, by noiseless stepping, dodging, etc., to give the blind man some difficulty in catching him, but when once caught must submit without struggle to examination for identification.
This is one of the oldest recorded games and is found in practically all countries. The ancient Greeks called it "Brazen Fly."
BODY GUARD10 to 30 or more players.
Playground; gymnasium.
A small space is marked off at one end of the ground as a "home" or goal. One player is chosen to be the Panjandrum, an important personage requiring a body guard. Two other players are chosen to be the guard. The game starts with these three players in the home ground and the balance of the players at large. The three issue forth, with the two players who act as body guard clasping each other by the hand and preceding the Panjandrum as a shield. The object of the game is for the players at large to touch or tantalize the Panjandrum without being tagged by his guard.
The guard will shift around their charge to avoid these attacks, and the Panjandrum himself may evade them by moving around his guard. Whenever a guard succeeds in tagging a player, the Panjandrum and his guards return at once to the home; whereupon the player tagged changes places with the Panjandrum, and the game goes on as before.
BULL IN THE RING10 to 30 or more players.
Playground; gymnasium.
All but one of the players stand in a circle with hands firmly clasped. The odd player stands in the center and is the bull. The bull tries to break through the ring by parting the hands of any of the players. If he breaks through, the two players whose hands he parted immediately give chase to him, and the one catching him becomes the bull.
This is a very rough game.
BUNCH OF IVY20 to 60 or more players.
Parlor; gymnasium; playground.
The players in pairs form a ring. The inner player of each couple kneels. The outer player of each couple holds the upraised hand of the kneeling partner and circles around her, asking the following questions. The partners reply as indicated, mentioning each time one hour later by the clock, until six o'clock has been reached.
"What time does the king come home?"
"One o'clock in the afternoon."
"What has he in his hand?"
"A bunch of ivy."
This dialogue and the accompanying movement of the players should be rhythmic and spirited in time. As the kneeling players say "A bunch of ivy," they begin clapping their hands in the same rapid time; whereupon the outer players run around the entire ring to the right until each player has returned to her partner, once for one o'clock, twice for two o'clock, etc., until six o'clock has been reached. The players change places each time after this series of circling, the outer players kneeling, and those who formerly knelt, standing. The time of both the dialogue and the running should be rapid to keep the game spirited. The larger the circle that may be described around each kneeling player by the partner the better.
BUNG THE BUCKET10 to 30 players.
Playground; gymnasium.
This is a game of leapfrog. The players are divided into two parties. Half of them form one continuous "back," on which the other half jump, one at a time, until all are seated. The players who form the "back" stand one behind another, the first player resting his head against the stomach of one who stands upright, backed by a wall or fence. Each player in turn grasps the coat tail or waist of, and rests his head or shoulder against, the player next in front. They should thus make one long, even, and solid "back" or row of backs. These are called the buckets. The other players are called the bungs, and stand at some little distance to get a run for the leap. They will naturally select their best leaper as the first of their line, as he may not move forward after he has once landed on the backs, and it is desirable that he should leave as much space behind him as possible for the others to sit. None of the players may move forward after once landing on the backs. If all of the bungs succeed in seating themselves without any break occurring among the buckets, it counts one in favor of the buckets. When such a breakdown occurs, the two parties change places, the bungs taking the place of the buckets; otherwise the game is repeated with the same bungs and buckets. The party wins which has the highest score to its credit at the end.
Reprinted from Dr. Isaac T. Headland's "The Chinese Boy and Girl," by kind permission of Messrs. Fleming H. Revell & Co. BUYING A LOCK
5 to 30 or more players.
Playground; schoolroom.
What kind of a lock shall it be?
We'll buy a broom handle; if that will not do,
With a poker we'll try it alone.
But if neither the broom nor the poker will do,
We'll open it then with a stone.
This game is suitable for very little children. They stand in a long line or rank side by side, holding hands. While repeating the verse, one end of the line winds in under the raised arms of the last two players at the opposite end, but instead of passing entirely through, as in many other winding games, the player next to the last only turns far enough to face in three quarters of a circle, or so that the players will eventually, when all have so turned, be brought into single file, one standing behind the other. In this position the arms are dropped over the shoulder, so that the player's own left arm crosses his chest with the clasped hands (his own left and his neighbor's right) resting on his right shoulder. Each player should clasp his neighbor's hands at the start, so that the palm of his own left hand faces forward and the palm of
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