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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Read book online Β«Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium by Jessie Hubbell Bancroft (top novels of all time .txt) πΒ». Author - Jessie Hubbell Bancroft
5 to 10 players.
Parlor; schoolroom.
Each player is provided with ten slips of paper, numbered conspicuously from one to ten, but arranged irregularly in a pile. The players gather around a table or sit in a circle, each one being given the name of an animal; the sport of the game will consist largely in choosing unusual or difficult names, such as yak, gnu, camelopard, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, Brazilian ant-eater, kangaroo, etc.
Each player holds his slips with the numbers turned downward. The first player turns up his upper slip so that the number is visible and lays it down in front of him. In doing this he must turn it away from himself, so that the other players see it first; the next player then does the same. Should the two slips happen to coincide in number, for instance, should the first player have turned up number three and the second player turn up number three, they must each at once call each other's names, as "Yak!" "Hippopotamus!" or whatever name was assigned to them. The one who first calls the other's name gives away his slip to that other, the object being to get rid of one's slips as fast as possible.
Should the slip turned up by the second player not correspond in number to that turned by the first, he also lays it down in front of him; the third player then turns his up, and this is continued around the circle until a slip is turned that corresponds in number with any that has already been turned up, when those two players must immediately call each other's names, as before explained. The player wins who first gets rid of all of his slips.
For schools, a class should divide into small groups for this game, which may be made to correlate with geography or history, by using proper names from those subjects instead of names of animals.
For older players the game may be made very funny also by assigning to each player the name of a patent medicine instead of the name of an animal, and playing cards may be used instead of the numbered slips.
FEATS AND FORFEITS FEATS AND FORFEITSAthletic feats requiring skill, strength, or agility are a very interesting and amusing feature for gymnasiums and many other conditions, and contain possibilities for some excellent and vigorous physical development. As some of these may be used for forfeits (although some kinds of forfeits cannot take the place of athletic feats), these two classes of amusements are included here in one chapter. The searcher for forfeits will do well, however, to look through the section on feats.
I. Contests For Two: Wrestling Matches and Tugs of WarThe following group of wrestling matches and races make a very interesting and vigorous form of game with which to close a lesson in formal gymnastics. For instance, if pupils are in a formation that admits of immediately turning toward partners without change of formation, this may be done and any of these games then used without further rearrangement of a class. When used in this way the wrestling matches are generally determined by the winning of the best two out of three trials.
These wrestling matches and races may of course be used also for forfeits.
BALANCE WRESTLE.βTwo contestants stand each in a forward stride position, the right foot being lengthwise on a line (the same line for both contestants) and the left foot back of it, turned at right angles to the right foot with the heel touching the same line. The toes of the right feet should touch. In this position players grasp right hands. The objects of the game are to make the opponent (1) move one or both feet, or (2) touch the floor with any part of the body. A point is scored for the opponent whenever a player fails in one of these ways. After a trial has been made with the right hand and foot, the wrestle should be repeated with the left hand and foot extended, and so on alternately.
BOUNDARY TUG.βTwo lines are drawn on the floor, five feet apart. Within this space two contestants face each other, the right toes touching and each stepping backward in a strong stride position with the left foot. Both players grasp a cane or wand, and each tries to pull the other across one of the boundary lines.
HARLEQUIN WRESTLE.βThis is a one-sided wrestle between two persons. Each stands on one leg; they then grasp right hands and each tries to make the other lower his upraised foot to the ground, or touch the floor with his free hand. The opponent may not be touched with the free hand.
INDIAN WRESTLE.βTwo players lie on their backs side by side, with adjacent arms locked. The feet should be in opposite directions. At a signal the adjacent legs are brought to an upright position and interlocked at the knees. The wrestle consists in trying to force the opponent to roll over from his position.
INTERFERING.βThis is one of the hopping relays, but the shoulders may not be used in it. Two contestants fold arms, and each, while hopping on one foot, tries to make his opponent put the other foot to the floor. As neither arms nor shoulders may be used, this is done entirely by a side movement of the free leg.
KNEE AND TOE WRESTLE.βTwo players sit on a mat, facing each other. The knees should be drawn up closely and the players should be near enough together to have the toes of each touch those of the opponent. Each player passes a stick under his knees, and then passes his arms under it and clasps his hands in front of his own knees. The wrestling begins at a signal and consists in each player trying to get his toes under those of his opponent and throw him backward.
LUNGE AND HOP FIGHT.βA circle six feet in diameter is drawn on the ground. One player takes a lunge position forward, so that his forward foot rests two feet within the circle. The second player stands in the circle on one foot with arms folded across the chest. The hopper tries to make the lunger move one of his feet. The lunger in turn tries to make the hopper put down his second foot or unfold arms. Either player is defeated also if he moves out of the circle. The lunger may use his hands and arms.
PUSH AND PULL.βTwo lines are drawn on the floor at an interval of five feet. Within these lines two players take their places with two stout sticks, canes, or wands between them, each player grasping one end of each cane. The object of the feat is to push the opponent across the boundary line behind him, or to pull him over the nearer boundary line.
The relative positions of the opponents may be reversed and the same struggle gone through back to back, still holding the canes.
This differs from Boundary Tug in the way the wands are held and the fact of there being two wands.
ROOSTER FIGHT.βThis is an old Greek amusement. A ring six feet in diameter is drawn on the ground. Two players are placed in this, who stoop and grasp each his own ankles. In this position they try to displace each other by shouldering. The player loses who is overthrown or who loosens his grasp on his ankles.
SHOULDER SHOVE.βFor this, the players are divided into groups of five; each group marks on the ground a circle about eight feet in diameter. All five players stand within the circle. Four of them must fold their arms across the chest and hop on one foot. The object of the game is for these four players to push the fifth one, who is It, out of the circle with their shoulders. They may not use their hands. The fifth one may stand on both feet and use his arms. Should one of the hoppers place both feet on the ground or unfold his arms, he must leave the circle. The player who is It may avoid the hoppers by running and dodging. Should he be pushed out of the circle, the four hoppers are considered to have won the game.
WAND AND TOE WRESTLE.βTwo players sit on the floor with knees bent and toes touching those of the opponent. One wand is held between them, which both grasp so that the hands are placed alternately; there should be a short space in the center between the hands. The object of the tug is to pull the opponent up and over the dividing line. This is an excellent form of wand wrestle and will hold the interest of a class for months, especially if a continuous score be kept for the same contestants.
WAND TWIST.βTwo players stand and grasp at or near shoulder height a wand or cane held in a horizontal position. The object of one player is to raise or twist the wand out of the horizontal position, and of the other player to prevent this. The one who is trying to hold the wand in the horizontal position should have his hands next to each other in the center of the wand. The one who tries to twist the wand should place his hands outside of and touching those of the player who is resisting.
WAND WRESTLE.βOne player holds a wand or cane at full arm's length above his head, the hands being at about shoulder width distant on the wand, which should be held horizontally. The other player tries to pull the wand down to shoulder height. He may pull it forward at the same time, as it may be almost impossible in some cases to lower it without this forward movement.
II. RacesESKIMO RACE ON ALL FOURS.βThe performers stand with hands and feet on the floor, the knees stiff, the hands clinched and resting on the knuckles. The elbows should be stiff. In this position a race is run, or rather "hitched," over a course that will not easily be too short for the performers.
This is a game of the Eskimos, reported by Lieutenant Schwatka.
ESKIMO JUMPING RACE.βFold the arms across the breast with the knees rigid and the feet close together. Jump forward in short jumps of an inch or two.
This is the regular form of one of the games of the Eskimos, reported by Lieutenant Schwatka.
III. Miscellaneous FeatsANKLE THROW.βThis feat consists in tossing some object over the head from behind with the feet. A bean bag, book, or basket ball, is held firmly between the ankles. With a sudden jump, the feet are kicked backward so as to jerk the object into an upward throw, which should end in its curving forward over the head. It should be caught as it comes down.
ARM'S LENGTH TAG.βTwo players stand each with an arm extended at full length at shoulder level, and try to touch each other without being touched in return. This will require some rapid twisting, dodging, and bending. A touch on the extended hand does not count.
BACKSLIDING.βThe hands are placed palm to palm behind the back with the fingers pointing downward and thumbs next to the back.
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