The Project Gutenberg eBook of School, Church, and Home Games
Title: School, Church, and Home Games
Author: George Orrin Draper
Release date: August 26, 2005 [eBook #16599]
Most recently updated: December 12, 2020
Language: English
Credits: E-text prepared by David Garcia, Jeannie Howse, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net)
E-text prepared by David Garcia, Jeannie Howse,
and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
(https://www.pgdp.net/)
SCHOOL, CHURCH, AND HOME
GAMES
Compiled by
GEORGE O. DRAPER
Secretary for Health and Recreation
County Work Department of the
International Committee of
Young Men's Christian Associations
COMMUNITY RECREATION
Rural Edition
ASSOCIATION PRESS
New York: 347 Madison Avenue
1923
Dedicated To My Father
HERBERT EDWARD DRAPER
CONTENTS
| PART I. GAMES FOR SCHOOLS | ||
| CHAPTER | PAGE | |
| Foreword | vii | |
| I. | School Room Games for Primary Pupils | 1 |
| II. | School Room Games for Intermediate Pupils | 8 |
| III. | School Room Games for Advanced and High School Pupils | 16 |
| IV. | School Yard Games for Primary Pupils | 24 |
| V. | School Yard Games for Intermediate Pupils | 27 |
| VI. | School Yard Games for Advanced and High School Pupils | 37 |
| PART II. SOCIABLE GAMES for Home, Church, Clubs, Etc. | ||
| I. | Games for the Home | 44 |
| II. | Ice Breakers for Sociables | 55 |
| III. | Sociable Games for Grown-Ups | 59 |
| IV. | Sociable Games for Young People | 67 |
| V. | Trick Games for Sociables | 73 |
| VI. | Stunt Athletic Meet | 83 |
| VII. | Competitive Stunts | 88 |
| PART III. OUTDOOR GAMES | ||
| I. | Outdoor Games for Older Boys and Young Men | 94 |
| II. | Outdoor Games for Boys | 103 |
| III. | Games of Strength | 110 |
| PART IV. GAMES FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS | ||
| I. | Games at Dining Table | 113 |
| II. | A County Fair Play Festival | 119 |
| III. | Games for a Story Play Hour | 123 |
| IV. | An Indoor Sports Fair | 127 |
| V. | Racing Games for Picnics | 132 |
FOREWORD
We should all be prospectors of happiness. There are those who discover it in the solitudes of the mountains where freedom is breathed in the air that touches the lofty peaks. Others find it in the depths of the forest in the songs of the birds, of the brook, of the trees. Most of us must find it in the daily walks of life where the seeking is oft-times difficult. Nevertheless, there it is in the manufactured glory of the city, in the voices of children, and in the hearts and faces of men.
Happiness becomes a habit with some; with others it is a lost art. Some radiate it; others dispel that which may exist. Happiness can be produced by means of exercising certain emotions, by causing experiences which allow instinctive expression; the song, the dance, the game are examples.
Play is that which we do when free to do as we like.
Play produces happiness.
Work is the highest form of play. The great artist is playing when his imagination finds expression on the canvas in color. If he did not love to paint he would never have become a great artist. The engineer is playing when he produces the great bridge; the financier when he masterfully organizes his capital.
The imagination of the child leads him into all kinds of adventure. He becomes the engineer on the locomotive; he becomes the leader of the circus band; he is a great hunter of terrible beasts; an Indian, a cowboy, and a robber. In fact, he tries his hand at all those careers which interest him, and we call it play, or may even call it nonsense. In fact, some think play is but nonsense.
Play is the expression, the exercising of the imagination. Should the child be denied the privilege of play, should its visions never find expression, should its mental adventures fail to find adequate physical experience, a great musician, a great engineer, a great statesman, or a master of some great art may be sacrificed.
Play is not only essential to the child, but, as Joseph Lee says, play is the child. The natural environment of the child is a play environment; if we are to lead the child or educate the child we have first to enter into his environment and into fellowship with him therein, and adapt our methods to that environment. The processes of education which have taken to themselves those things which are natural to children will meet deserved success. The schoolroom, the Sunday school room, or home in which a play atmosphere is experienced, small though this experience may be, is operating on a sound basis. Play is nature's method of education. As a kitten in chasing the leaves in the road is playing, it is also learning to catch the bird or the mouse essential for the maintenance of life. So the child, by nature, learns to live by play.
Activity is life. Directed activity means directed life. The body is but the means of activity and is developed only in accord with the activity demands of the individual. Character is but the trend of the activities of an individual. So the activities are more the individual than is the flesh and bone which we see.
If we recognize that in play the child is under the tutorship of nature, we should seek to encourage rather than discourage the process. By directing the play we are training for life—yes, more, we are creating life.
As play creates in the child, it re-creates in the adult. Activity is essential to growth. Having attained physical growth, the adult does not demand as much physical activity as does the child and as years increase the tendency toward physical activity decreases. There is real danger in this becoming too meager to maintain efficiency, and we recognize more and more the necessity for vacation periods when some of the old spirit of play or of joyful activity may be indulged in and a re-creation process be set up. This recreation is simply reawakened activity, making for greater abundance of life.
The spirit of play and the spirit of youth travel hand in hand. If we allow the spirit of play to depart from our life, we lose our grip upon life itself. Every man and woman should cultivate and vigorously maintain a play spirit. This might be done through some hobbies, games, or art into which they can throw themselves with abandon for periods of time, frequent, if brief. They should thoroughly enjoy the experience. For the wealthy, to whom all things are possible, this may be hard to find. To those of limited means and of little free time, opportunity is more abundant. To them joy shines forth from even the so-called commonplace things of life.
The joy on the faces of those who are playing games, the merry laughter, the jest, the shouting, place this type of activity on a pinnacle among those producing happiness.
This volume has been prepared, in order that the young and old may find greater opportunity for joyful activity, and experience the good fellowship, the kindly feeling, the exhilaration and life resulting from playing games, and that those fundamental agencies of civilization, the Church, the school, and the home, may be better equipped to serve mankind and to add to the sum of human happiness.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This collection of games has been selected from material sent in to the author, by Y.M.C.A. Physical Directors, playground directors, and school and college athletic directors, to which has been added some original material and games that have been seen by the author in his travels about the country.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
The author would suggest the following books on games:
Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium, Jessie Bancroft, Macmillan Co., N.Y.
Games for Everybody, Hofmann, Dodge Publishing Co., N.Y.
Social Games and Group Dances, Elsom and Trilling, J.B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia.
Icebreakers, Edna Geister, The Womans Press, N.Y.
Social Activities, Chesley, Association Press, N.Y.
Play, Emmett D. Angell, Little, Brown & Co., Boston.
Handbook for Pioneers, Association Press, N.Y.
Camp and Outing Activities, Cheley and Baker, Association Press, N.Y.
Community Recreation, Draper, Association Press, N.Y.
Part I
GAMES FOR SCHOOLS
CHAPTER I
SCHOOLROOM GAMES
For Primary Pupils
Cat and Mouse
One pupil is designated to play the role of cat, another that of mouse. The mouse can escape the cat by sitting in the seat with some other pupil. Thereupon that pupil becomes mouse. Should the cat tag a mouse before it sits in a seat, the mouse becomes cat and the cat becomes mouse, and the latter must get into a seat to avoid being tagged.
Aviation Meet
Three pupils constitute a team. Two are mechanicians, one the aviator. Each team is to have a piece of string about 25 feet long, free from knots. A small cornucopia of paper is placed upon each string. The mechanicians hold the ends of the string while the aviator, at the signal to go, blows the cornucopia along the string. The string must be held level by the mechanicians. The aviator first succeeding in doing this, wins for his team.
Button, Button
The pupils sit or stand in a circle with their hands in front of them, palms together. The one who has been selected to be "It" takes a position in the center of the circle, with his hands in a similar position. A button is held between his hands. He goes around the circle and places his hand over those of various individuals, dropping the button into the hands of one. He continues about the circle, still making the motions of dropping the button in the hands of others, so as to deceive those making up the ring. After he has taken his place in the center of the circle, those in the ring endeavor to guess into whose hands he has dropped the button, the one succeeding in doing this takes the button and continues the game.
Bee
Some object is determined upon for hiding, such as a coin, a button, a thimble, etc. A pupil is sent from the room. During his absence the object is hidden. Upon his return the children buzz vigorously when he is near to the object sought and very faintly when he is some distance away. The object is located by the intensity of the buzzing.
Hide in Sight
In this game all of the pupils except one are sent from the room. The one left in the room hides a coin, or some similar object, somewhere in plain sight. It must be visible without having to move any object. When hidden, the rest of the pupils are called back and start the search. When a pupil finds the coin, after attempting to mislead the others by continuing his search in different quarters, he returns to his seat without disclosing its whereabouts. As it is found by others, the group of seekers will gradually diminish until there is but one left. When he finds it, the coin is again hidden by the one first finding it.
Colors
A certain color is determined upon. Each pupil in turn must name some object which is of that color. Failing to do this he goes to the foot of the line, provided some one beyond him can think of any object of that color. If no more objects can be thought of, a new color is selected.
I See Red
One pupil is given the privilege of thinking of some object in the room, of which he discloses the color to the rest of the pupils. For example, if he sees a red apple he says, "I see red." Thereupon the other pupils endeaver to guess what red object in the room is thought of. The one succeeding, next selects the object to be guessed.
Hide the Clock
This is a good quiet game for the schoolroom. A loud ticking clock is necessary for the game. All of the pupils are sent from the room. One of their number is selected to hide the clock. The others, upon coming back, try to locate it by its ticking. The one succeeding has the privilege of next hiding the clock.
Poison Seat
The children all endeavor to shift seats at the clapping of the hands of the teacher. Have one less seat than pupils, so that one may be left without a seat. This can be arranged by placing a book on one seat and calling this "Poison Seat." The child sitting on this seat is "poisoned" and out of the game. Add a book to a seat after each change, so as to eliminate one player each time. The one left after all have been eliminated, wins the game. Should the teacher clap her hands twice in succession, that is the signal for all of the pupils to return to their own seats.
Aisle Hunt
Some object—a coin will do—is selected to be hidden. The children of one of the aisles leave the room, the others determine upon a hiding place and hide the coin in plain sight. Those out of the room are called back and look for the hidden object. As soon as it is found, the first one finding it goes to his seat and calls, "First." He is not to call until he is actually in his seat. The second one to find it returns to his seat and calls, "Second," and so on until it has been found by all in the aisle. If there are six aisles in the room, the occupants of the first six seats in the aisle seeking the hidden object determine which aisle leaves the room next. For illustration,—if the pupil in the second seat is the first one to find the object, then the second aisle of the room will be the one to leave the room for the next hunt. Likewise if the pupil of the third seat is the first to find the object, the third aisle will be the one which next has the privilege of enjoying the hunt. If there are more pupils in the aisle than there are aisles in the room, the pupils in the last seats do not count.
New Orleans
The pupils of the room are divided into two groups. One side decides upon some action it will represent, such as sawing wood, washing clothes, etc., and thereupon represents the action. The other group has five chances to guess what the first group is trying to represent. Failing to do this, they must forfeit one of their players to the second group and the same side again represents an action.
When a group presents an action to the others, the following dialogue takes place:
Second Group: Where from?
First Group: New Orleans.
Second Group: What's your trade?
First Group: Lemonade.
Second Group: How is it made?
The first group then represents the action.
Birds Fly
This is an attention game. The teacher stands before the class and instructs them that if she mentions some bird or object which flies and raises her arms sideward, imitating the flapping of the wings of a bird, the pupils are to follow her example. But if she mentions some animal or some object which does not fly, she may raise her arms sideward and upward, imitating the flying position, but the pupils are not to follow her example. If they are caught doing so, they must take their seats. For example,—the teacher says, "Owls fly". Thereupon she and all the children raise their arms sideward and upward. She says, "Bats fly" and raises her arms. She next says, "Lions fly" and raises her arms, thereupon the pupils are supposed to keep their arms at their sides.
Music Rush
A march is played on the piano and the children march from their seats in single file around the room. As soon as the music stops, all rush to get into their seats. The last one in, must remain in his seat during the second trial. If there is no piano in the room, drumming on the top of a desk will do as well.
Change Seat Relay
The teacher claps her hands. This is the signal for all to shift one seat back. The one in the rear seat runs forward and sits in the front seat. The first aisle to become properly seated wins one point. Again the hands are clapped and the pupils shift one seat back, and the one then at the rear runs forward and takes the front seat and so the game continues until all have run forward from the back seat to the front. The aisle scoring the largest number of points wins.
Charlie over the Water
This is an old game and is always popular. The children form a ring, joining hands. One is selected to be "It" and takes his place in the center. Those in the ring then dance around, singing,
Charlie, over the sea,
Charlie, catch a blackbird,
But can't catch me."
Having completed these lines, they all assume a stooping position before "Charlie," who is "It," can tag them. If he succeeds in tagging one, that one takes his place in the circle and the game continues.
Tap Relay
The pupils of each aisle constitute a team. All bend their heads forward, placing their faces in the palms of their hands on the top of the desk. At the signal to go, given by the teacher, the one in the last seat in each aisle sits up, claps his hands and taps the back of the one in front of him, which is the signal for the one in front to sit up, clap, and tap the one next in front of him, and so the tap is passed until it reaches the one in the front seat of the aisle, who, upon being tapped, stands up, clapping his hands above his head. The first to stand and clap hands above head wins the race.
Rat-a-tat Race
Similar to the preceding race with the exception that upon the signal to go the one in the back seat knocks with the knuckles of his right hand on the top of the desk a "rat-tat, rat-tat-tat," as in a drum beat, and then taps with the knuckles the back of the one next in front of him, who repeats the performance, tapping off the one in front, and so on. The race ends when the individual in the front seat of an aisle taps the "rat-tat, rat-tat-tat" and stands up.
Bowing Race
A book is handed to the pupil in the last seat of each aisle. At the signal to go the pupils holding the book step into the aisle at the right hand side of their desks, holding the books on the tops of their heads with both hands, and make a bow. Then returning to their seats, hit the book on the top of the desk and pass it on to the next one in front, who repeats the performance, as does every one else in the aisle. The one in the front seat of the aisle finishes the race by bowing with the book upon his head, then running forward, and placing the book upon the teacher's desk.
Spin Around Race
A boy is selected from each aisle to take his place at least six feet in front of the aisle. Upon the signal to go, the last boy in each aisle runs forward to the right of his desk and links his left arm in the right arm of the boy standing in front of his aisle, and in this position spins around twice, returning to his seat, and tagging off the boy next in front of him, who repeats the performance. The last boy in the aisle to spin around ends the race when he has returned to a sitting position in his seat.
CHAPTER IIToC
SCHOOLROOM GAMES
For Intermediate Pupils
Initial Tag
A pupil who is "It" is sent to the board. He writes thereupon the initial of some other pupil in the room. That pupil is to try to tag "It" before he can return to his seat. If successful, he becomes "It" and continues the game by writing some one else's initial on the board.
Magic Music
One pupil is sent from the room. Thereupon the remaining pupils hide some object agreed upon. The pupil sent from the room is recalled. The teacher or one of the pupils plays the piano loudly when the seeker approaches the hidden article and softly when some distance from it. The seeker determines the location by the volume of the music.
Hunt the Rattler
All of the players in the room are blindfolded, except one, who is given a tin can in which is placed a loose pebble. He is known as the "rattler." The blindfolded players attempt to locate and tag the rattler by the rattle. The one successful takes the place of the rattler.
Sticker
The pupils stand in a circle in the center of which is "It" blindfolded, holding in his hand a blunt stick about 12 or 15 inches long. Those in the circle dance around two or three times, so that the blindfolded player may not know their position. At the command "Stand," given by the one blindfolded, all must stand still. Thereupon, by feeling with his stick, "It" tries to discern an individual in the ring. "It" is forbidden to use his hands, in trying to discover who the individual is. If he succeeds in guessing, the individual guessed must take his place. Otherwise he proceeds to some other individual in the circle whom he tries to identify.
Name Race
The pupils of each aisle constitute a team. A slip is handed to the one in the first seat in each row. At the signal to go, he writes his full name thereupon and passes it immediately to the one next behind him, who writes his name and passes it on. When the one in the last seat in the row has added his name to the slip, he rushes forward and places the slip upon the teacher's desk. The aisle first succeeding in accomplishing this task, wins.
Frogs in Sea
One pupil sits in tailor fashion in the center of the playing space. The others try to tease him by approaching as closely as they dare, calling him "Frog in the sea, Can't catch me." If the frog succeeds in tagging any of the other players, that player must take his place. The frog is not allowed to change from his sitting position in his effort to tag the other players.
Corner Spry
The pupils in the room are divided into four equal teams. Each team is assigned to a different corner. A leader stands in front of each team with a bean bag, cap, or ball. At the signal to start the leader tosses to and receives from each member of his team in turn the bean bag. Having received the bag from the last one in his line, he takes his place at the foot of the line, and the one at the head of the line becomes leader and proceeds to toss the ball to each member as did the preceding leader. The group, in which all have served as leaders and which successfully completes the game first, wins.
Flag Race
The pupils of each aisle constitute a team. Flags are given to the pupils in each front seat. On the signal to go, each pupil holding a flag steps out on the right hand side of the seat, runs around the front of his own aisle, back on the left hand side, around the rear seat, returning to his own seat up the right hand aisle, and hands the flag on to the one next behind him, who continues the race. When all the pupils in the aisle have circled their row of seats with the flag, the last one, instead of returning to his seat, runs forward and holds the flag above his head in front of his aisle. The one first succeeding in reaching the front, wins the race.
In this race it is often better to run two aisles at a time and thus avoid the possibility of pupils bumping into each other in their attempt to race through the aisles. In this way the various winners can race against each other, making an interesting contest.
Seat Vaulting Tag
A pupil is selected to be "It." He attempts to tag any other pupil in the same aisle in which he stands. The pupils avoid being tagged by vaulting over the seats. No one is allowed to run around either end. "It" cannot reach across the desk in his effort to tag another. He must be in the same aisle or tag as one is vaulting a seat. A pupil becomes "It" as soon as tagged.
Jerusalem, Jericho, Jemima
This is a simple game of attention. The three words in the title are near enough alike to require close attention on the part of the pupil to distinguish between them and to act accordingly. Have the pupils turn in their seats facing the aisle. If the teacher says "Jerusalem", the pupils stand. If she says, "Jericho", they raise their arms momentarily forward and upward. If she says, "Jemima", they sit down. Any child making a mistake sits in her seat and faces to the front.
Compass
An attention game. The pupils stand in the aisle beside their seats. In starting the game, the teacher asks them to face to the north, then to the south, then to the east, and to the west, so that they have the directions fixed in their minds. She then proceeds to tell a story or to make statements such as the following, "I came from the north." At the mention of the word "north" all the pupils must turn and face towards the north. "But since I have arrived in the south,"—at the mention of the word "south" they all turn and face the south, etc. If the teacher should say "wind," the pupils imitate the whistling of the wind; if "whirlwind" is mentioned, all must spin about on their heels a complete turn. Failing to do any of the required turns, the pupil takes his seat.
Geography
The pupils of each aisle constitute a team. Those in the front seats are Number 1, those next behind them, Number 2, and so on back. The teacher calls some number. The pupils having that number race to the board and write thereupon the name of some river, returning to their seats. The first one back wins one point for his team. The game continues until all the numbers have been called, the team having the most points wins.
Spelling Words
Have the pupils in aisle 1 face those in aisle 2, those in aisle 3 face 4, those in aisle 5 face 6. Appoint a captain for each aisle. The captain of one team starts spelling a word containing more than three letters. The captain of the team facing his, adds the second letter, not knowing what word the captain of the other team had in mind. The second man of the first team adds a third letter; the second man of the second team adds a fourth, each team trying to avoid completing the word. The team completing the word loses one point to the other team. For example, the first man of team A says "g," the first man of team B says "o," thinking of "gold." The second man on team A says "o," thinking of "goose." The second man on team B can only think of "good" and contributes "d," ending the word. Team A thereupon scores a point. The third man of team A continues the game by starting another word. When the ends of the aisles are reached the word, if uncompleted, is passed to the head of the line and continued.
If there are four aisles in the room, there will be two groups playing at the same time; six aisles, three groups; eight aisles, four groups. The captains of opposing teams keep a record of the score.
Rhymes
This game stimulates quick thinking. Some one is selected by the teacher to start the game, and thereupon gives some word to which the first pupil in the aisle must give a rhyming word before the former can count ten. Failing to do this, the leader continues and gives a word to the second one in the aisle. The rhyming words are to be given before the leader has completed his count of ten. Then the one succeeding in giving the word replaces the leader.
Clapping Song
A pupil is selected by the teacher to clap the rhythm of some familiar air. The rest of the children in the room endeavor to guess the song clapped. The pupil succeeding in doing this is given an opportunity to clap another song.
Indian Trail
A pupil is blindfolded and placed in the front of the room. Other pupils, one or two at a time, are given the opportunity to stealthily approach the one blindfolded, in an endeavor to take some object, from before his feet, such as a flower pot and saucer, or a tin can with a loose pebble in it, without being detected by the one blindfolded. If a pupil succeeds in taking back the object to his seat without having been heard, he wins a point for his aisle. Where two pupils are sent forward at the same time, two similar objects must be placed at the foot of the one blindfolded. The aisle scoring the largest number of points in this way wins the game.
Number Relay
The pupils of each aisle constitute a team. They are numbered, beginning with the one in the first seat. The teacher describes some mathematical problem she desires done and calls certain numbers. All the pupils having those numbers rush to the board and compute the problem. The first back to his seat wins a point for his team, the aisle gaining the largest number of points wins the game.
Multiplication Race
The pupils of each aisle constitute a team. The teacher decides on a multiplication table which is to be placed upon the board. A piece of chalk is handed to the first pupil in each aisle. At the signal to go Number 1 goes to the board and writes the first example in the multiplication table thereupon. Returning to his seat, he hands the chalk to the one next behind him, who puts the next step in the multiplication table on the board, and so the race continues until the one in the last seat has returned to his seat, after adding his part to the table. The one first back to his seat wins for his aisle.
History Race
Similar to the preceding, with the exception that the pupils are requested to write upon the board the name of some historical personage or some historical event, date, etc.
Poem Race
The pupils having learned some poem may use it in a game in the following way:
The pupils of each aisle constitute a team. At the signal to go the last pupil in each aisle stands up and recites the first line of the poem, returns to his seat and taps the one next in front of him, who stands up and repeats the second line of the poem, sits down and taps off the third pupil, who repeats the third line, and so the game continues. If the poem has not been completed after the one in the front seat has said his line, he taps the one next behind him, and that one is supposed to give the next line and so on back. The aisle first completing a poem wins the race.
If the poem be a very small one, words of the poem instead of lines may be used. If it be a long one, verses instead of lines may be used.