Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium, Jessie Hubbell Bancroft [best books to read for knowledge txt] 📗
- Author: Jessie Hubbell Bancroft
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10 to 30 or more players.
Indoors; out of doors.
This game is played with a slipper, or a piece of paper folded in several thicknesses to present a surface of about three by eight inches, firm but flexible. This may be crumpled at one end to form a sort of handle, if desired.
One player is chosen to stand in the center. The others stand in a circle, shoulder to shoulder, so that the center player cannot see what goes on behind their backs. The players then pass the slipper from hand to hand behind their backs, taking every favorable opportunity to slap the one in the center with it; but instantly that this is done the player holding the slipper must put it again behind his back and pass it to the next player, to avoid being caught with the slipper in his hand. The one in the center should try to catch any player who thus slaps him before the slipper is passed to another player.
Very rapid action and much sport may be had from this game. It is rulable to hit the center player with nothing but the slipper, but the players will use any other feints they choose to mislead him as to who holds the slipper, pretending to pass it, or making a false move as though to hit him, etc. The center player must catch one of the circle men with the slipper actually in his hands to have it count. Should this be done, he changes places with that player.
This game may be played in the schoolroom, the class being divided into groups of ten or twelve players each. It is also an excellent parlor game, and is full of sport if played by quick, alert players.
This game is from Denmark.
SMUGGLING THE GEG10 or 30 to more players.
Out of doors.
This is an old Scotch game, evidently an outgrowth of smuggling. The "geg" is a small treasure or object easily handled, such as a pocket knife, key, marble, etc.
The players are divided into two even parties, one called the "Outs" and the other the "Ins." A den about four feet by six in size is marked on the ground in some central place. Both parties agree on boundaries beyond which it is unfair to go, though the space available for play should be very considerable. It is determined by lot or by counting out which of the parties shall be the first Outs, or smugglers, this being the more desirable position. The Outs have the geg, or treasure, which they give to one of their number in a manner that leaves his identity unknown to the Ins. They may do this by going out of sight around a corner of a building and choosing one of their number to take the geg, or by standing in a row within sight of the Ins, with their backs to a wall or fence, and pass the geg from hand to hand behind their backs, making many feints and passes intended to deceive the onlookers.
When the geg has been deposited with one of their number, the Outs run and hide, but before reaching their final hiding place, must give a call of "Smugglers!" This is the signal for the Ins to start on the chase. The object of the Ins is to catch the one player among the Outs who is custodian of the geg. The identity of this player may be a sheer matter of surmise on their part, when they will have to challenge any player whom they may catch. If the player holding the geg can return to the den without being caught, his party wins, and again goes out for the next game. But if the holder of the geg be caught before he gets to the den, the Ins win the game, and become the Outs for the next round.
Whenever one of the Ins catches one of the Outs, the latter is not a prisoner until he is "crowned"; that is, the pursuer must hold him, take off his cap, and place the palm of his hand on the prisoner's head, when he must cease to struggle. The pursuer then demands, "Deliver up the geg!" which must be done at once should this particular smuggler be the one who holds it. This fact is then shouted aloud, and all of the players return to the den. If the player caught should not have the geg, he is allowed to go free.
Of course it is to the interest of the Outs to engage the attention of the Ins as much as possible upon players who do not hold the geg, thus to give the holder of it a chance to make the den and so win for his party.
SNOW DART2 to 10 players.
For the snow.
This game is played with a wooden dart about eight inches long, whittled out of wood about the size of a broomstick, pointed abruptly at one end, and sloping gradually to the other. A narrow track or slide is made down the side of a hill or inclined place, about sixty feet in length. At four different points in this track snow barriers or bumpers are made. The track is iced by throwing water over it and letting it freeze.
The dart is started at a point at the top of the track. It is not rulable to shove it; it must simply be placed on the track and move of its own weight. The object of the game is to pass the dart in this way over as many of the barriers as possible without its leaving the track. Each player scores one point for each barrier, over which the dart passes without leaving the track, the one having the highest score at the end of the playing time winning. The players take turns in sliding the dart. Any player who can successfully pass his dart over all four barriers four times in succession, wins, irrespective of other scores. If desired, the players may play in partners.
This game is an adaptation from one played by the Cree Indians. For it the author is indebted to Mr. Stewart Culin's Games of the North American Indians.
Menominee Indian holding snow snake preparatory to throwing. From Hoffman.
Reproduced from "Games of the North American Indians," by Stewart Culin; with kind permission of the author and of the Bureau of Ethnology, Washington, D.C. SNOW SNAKE
2 to 10 or more players.
For the snow.
This game is played by skimming or skipping sticks over the hard surface of the snow, as stones are skipped over the water. Each player is provided with from three to five small sticks. These may be especially whittled, or they may be pieces of branches. A perfectly smooth stick is best, and one that has some weight to it. Each stick is notched, one notch on the first, two on the second, three on the third, etc.
The players stand at a given line and take turns in skimming their sticks over the surface of the snow, each player throwing but one stick at a time. When each player has thrown, the stick that has gone the farthest scores for the thrower according to the number of notches on it. For instance, if the stick had but one notch, it scores one point for the player; a three-notched stick scores three points, etc. The sticks are then gathered up and put to one side, and each player in turn throws the next stick in his bunch, the successful player of the first round having the first throw in the second round, and scoring in similar manner. This is continued until all of the sticks have been thrown. This may close the game, which is won by the highest scorer, or it may be repeated indefinitely, either with a time limit or until a certain score is reached.
This game is an adaptation of one played by the Wabanaki Indians. The Northern Indians have many games belonging to the Snow Snake class.
SPANISH FLY5 to 30 or more players.
Playground; gymnasium.
This is a game of leapfrog in which the leader (first over) sets feats for the others to perform, as in Follow the Leader, any player who fails taking the place of the back. The following feats are popular:—
The jumper leaps over, touching the back with one hand only and waving his cap with the other.
The jumper leaps over without touching the back.
The jumper makes a quarter turn while going over.
HATS ON DECK.—The leader, as he vaults, places his cap on the back, and must clear without touching it. Each player, in turn, adds his hat to the pile, the last player having to jump over all. If any one knocks over the pile, he must become back, and the game begins over again. If all jump successfully, the last one over then jumps again, removing his hat as he goes over without disturbing the others, and so on until all have been removed.
HATS FULL OF WATER.—The jumper places his own hat on his head upside down and balances it there while leaping over the back.
SPANS2 to 10 players.
Out of doors; indoors.
This is a game played by snapping buttons against a wall, their landing point determining a score. Each player has a button. One of the players lays his button on the ground near a wall or fence. The others, in turn, snap their buttons against the wall so as to rebound near to that of the first player. Should the button snapped drop within one hand reach or span (i.e. the distance between stretched thumb and fingers) of the button first laid down, it scores two points for the player throwing it. If it comes within two such spans of the first button, it scores one point. Should it hit this button and bounce away within but one span, it counts four points. Should it so bounce within two spans, it scores three points; and should it go farther than this, it scores but one point. The number of points in the game, twenty-five or fifty, is agreed on at the outset. The players take regular turns, and the first to score the required number wins the game.
SPIN THE PLATTER10 to 30 or more players.
Parlor; schoolroom.
All the players are numbered and seated in a circle, except one, who stands in the center and twirls a platter, tray, or some other round object. As he starts it spinning, he calls any number that he chooses, and the player bearing that number must at once spring forward and try to catch the platter before it ceases to spin and falls to the floor. If successful, he returns to his place in the circle. If not successful, he takes the place of the spinner and pays a forfeit. The forfeits are all redeemed at the end of the game.
This game may also be played by calling the players by name instead of numbering them.
SPOONING10 to 30 players.
Children's party; adult house party.
All but one of the players stand in a circle. The odd player is blindfolded and placed in the center. He is given two silver tablespoons. The players in the circle clasp hands and move around until the blindfolded player clicks the spoons together, at which signal the circle
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