As they lie on the table, write on upper side of each card "right," and on the under side write "wrong."
Then place each card so that the "right" side is up.
Take card A and on right side at middle of top place figure 1 and at each lower corner place a figure 2.
Do the same with Card B.
Turn B card over and on wrong side of B put figure 3 at each upper corner and figure 4 at middle of lower edge.
Do same with card C on wrong side.
Now we are ready to unite the cards by the ribbons.
Take one strip of ribbon and paste one end on right side of card A at figure 1. Run it beneath the card and bring it out so as to paste the other end on the right side of card B at figure 1.
Take two strips. Paste one end of each at 2 on card A. Run beneath card B and turn up over so as to paste on figure 2 of card B.
A and B are thus loosely united and the toy may be considered finished, but it is more mysterious if made longer, as follows:
Turn over and at each figure 3 on card B paste the ends of two strips of ribbon. (As ribbons already placed are loose this can be readily done.)
Run beneath B and bring up so as to paste the ends on each figure 3 of card C.
Take another strip. Paste the end on 4 of card B. Run ribbon beneath card C and turn up so as to paste on figure 4 of card C.
This completes set of three. Others can be added ad infinitum by ingenious children.
To operate (if the word be not too pretentious a one in this connection) take hold of one of the cards at either end and keep turning it up and down so that first one narrow edge and then the other is uppermost. The remaining cards should fall in a continuous cascade.
The rough sides may be finished by pasting on each a pretty paper lining cut just to fit. (See illustration.)
Chinese Kite (Kindergarten slats, paper, glue)
Take a firm, light paper (druggist's paper will do). Cut two oblongs, 7 × 10 inches. Cut off all the corners by an oblique line of three inches. Fold each oblong lengthwise. Place the folded edges back to back, still folded. Take two slats and place one under one oblong and over the other, horizontally. Do the same with the other slat, but reversing the under and over positions. Take four strips of paper, which should be about one inch wide. Paste two strips over the splints, one on each side, to hold them in place. Place a third strip from top to bottom of the folded oblongs to hold them together. (They meanwhile lying back to back.) Turn the oblongs over and place the remaining strip in corresponding position. The result is a four-winged kite. Tie a cord around the slats and it is finished.
Ash-Tray (Cigar bands, glass saucer, photographer's paste, square of felt)
For some time past children who are under the sway of the collecting instinct have acquired from friends or by purchase the bright colored bands that come around cigars and then have utilized them thus: Make an ash receiver by getting at a stationer's a glass dish and its accompanying piece of felt. Paste bands in pleasing positions upon the under side of the glass. (Photographer's paste shows no discoloration.) Meanwhile, the felt should have been thoroughly wet, stretched to fit the under side of the dish, and hung up to dry. When dry, paste upon the under side of the dish and trim off neatly the projecting corners.
Pen-Tray (Materials same as above, except that stamps or embossed letter-heads are substituted for cigar bands)
There are many who do not wish to encourage smoking, and to such we suggest a pleasing modification of the above.
Buy the glass dish and felt above mentioned, and instead of the bands paste upon the dish canceled postage stamps or letter-head monograms, etc., for a pen-tray. A smooth glass saucer and any piece of bright-colored felt that may be in the house may of course be used.
Scrap-Book (Colored paper-muslin, heavy sewing silk or worsted, paste, paste-stick)
Cut paper-muslin of pretty colors, pink, blue or tan, into pieces 8 × 13 inches (six pieces in all). Fold each one over once and fit together to make a book, the cover being of a color different from the body of the book. Sew all together by overcasting the back with stitches ½ inch apart in one direction, and then going back in the opposite direction through the same holes, thus securing a cross-stitch effect. Show the child how to paste scrap-pictures neatly in this book. He may keep it for himself or give it to the children's ward in a hospital or to some younger friend. A very little paste or glue will suffice; a bit in the centre and towards the corners of a picture.
If the child has collected a large assortment of cards before beginning to make the book, let him classify them, putting together on one page animals, on another plants, on another pictures typical of the different seasons, etc. He may in this way suggest a house, putting on one page kitchen furniture arranged in some logical order; on another page the furnishings of bedroom, etc. Pictures for this purpose may be cut from magazine advertisements, trade journals, etc. In the same fashion a store may be furnished with articles for sale, the counter, scales, and desk. This gives practice in selecting and arranging. Good taste may be inculcated even from such small beginnings.
While busy with thread and needle, the mother may find it necessary to suggest some happy employment for the little one who asks for something to do. What do the contents of the sewing-basket hint?
Spinning Button (Button, thread)
Show the child a button strung upon a strong thread about 12 inches long. Then hold the thread firmly between thumb and finger of each hand and twirl it rapidly, drawing it suddenly taut. The button whirls round, making a pretty spinning figure.
Stringing Buttons (Buttons, waxed thread)
If baby is so old that he is not tempted to swallow a pretty button, give him a strong thread waxed at the end to make it stiff, and let him make a chain of buttons. They may be strung according to size or color or shape, giving practice in counting, in arrangement, and in choice.
Buttons as Counters (Buttons)
Save disused buttons of the same kind and let the child classify into two or more sets to be used as counters in games like checkers or go-bang. See page 62.
Button-Mold Wheels (Molds, brush, water-color paints)
Give the child four wooden button-molds of the same size and let him paint spokes upon them so that they will be ready any time to use as wheels for a toy wagon. Call him a little wheelwright.
Button-Mold Tops (Molds, match or toothpick, gilding or paint)
Paint or gild a button-mold and then stick through the hole a toothpick or burnt match whittled to right size and show the child how to spin it.
Button-Mold Counters (See page 62)
Toy Furniture (See page 15)
Toy Tree Boxes (Spools, green paint, matches, green paper, scissors, paste)
Let the child paint an empty spool green, to be used as a tree box. Insert a burnt match to which has been pasted some green paper, previously fringed, to represent foliage. The child can make a row of such trees as a little boulevard up which he can draw an empty match box for a carriage.
Spool Tower Target (A number of spools, ball)
Pile a number of spools one on top of another and let the child try to knock them down with his ball.
Toy Road Roller (Spool, cord, toy horse)
Tie a cord through a spool and hitch it as a road roller to the Noah's Ark horse.
Pulley Elevator (Narrow cardboard box, such as a corset box or shorter one, spool, cord, another small box, either saved or made, narrow enough to fit inside the larger one, skewer)
Stand the large box on its narrow end and near the top punch a hole on each side so that the holes are opposite to each other. Take a spool and run through it an axle made of a slender piece of wood like a skewer. Then put the ends of the axle in the holes in the box. This makes the pulley. Use the smaller box as an elevator. Tie a string to this little box in such a way that you can hold it up evenly. To do this you must punch a hole in each of the opposite sides. Then tie one end of a longer string to the middle of the first named, and put the other end over the pulley. Revolve the spool by pulling one end of the string and the box will be raised.
Matching Colors (Spools of silk or cotton of various colors, silk and cotton fabrics of different colors)
Have a color game, asking the child to try to match the colors on the spools with those in the fabrics.
Breastpins (Broken needles, sealing wax, candle)
Take a large broken needle, such that it is intact except for the eye. Show the child how to make a pretty pin for dolly by melting the wax a little in the candle flame, inserting the head of the needle, and molding into shape the bit of wax that adheres.
Threading Needles (Needles, thread)
If eager to do something, give the child a number of needles with thread of white and black, and let him thread them and put them into a cushion so that they will be all ready for your use some morning when you are in a hurry to sew on a button or take a stitch in Tommy's little shirt.
Thimble Biscuits (See page 104)
Drawing Scissors (Scissors, paper, pencil)
Give the child scissors and paper and let him place the scissors on the paper and draw the outline around them. Then tell him to cut out this outline. Make several such and play at keeping cutlery store. Draw scissors open at different angles and tell names of angles; right, acute, obtuse.
Guessing Distances (Ruler or tape measure)
Let the children guess the height and length of various objects in the room. Verify by measuring with the tape-measure. Tell them of Oliver Wendell Holmes, the great poet, who, whenever he drove into the country, carried a tape-measure with which to determine the girth of any large tree he saw.
Let children measure the size of the panes of glass, window-frames, etc.; have them tell how many feet it would take to carpet the floor.
Tell them to put father's hat on the floor, near the wall, and guess its height.
Such little exercises develop the powers of accurate observation in a way that may prove very helpful in an emergency.
or
Expression with Pencil or Brush
Let the child early be given charcoal or colored chalks, and later the three pigments—red, blue and yellow—wherewith to express his ideas. Allow him some choice in the medium he uses—as pencil, charcoal or brush—as one may be best suited to his purpose one time, and another one at another time.
Encourage the child to tell a story by painting or drawing. The earliest graphic method by which man conveyed messages to one at a distance was through picture-writing.
Painting From the Real Object (Paints, chalk or charcoal)
Place before the child an apple, banana or flower of simple form and let him copy directly from the object without previous drawing. Encourage his efforts, however crude the results at first. It is more educative to draw from the real object than from a copy. Give him at first three colors only, in paints, till he learns how to get other colors by mixing these. For this purpose point out beautiful sunsets and cloud effects in Nature.
Life Stages of Seedling (Paper, paints, seedling)
Place before the child a bean or pea. Give him an oblong of paper 3 × 8 inches. Fold it into four parts. In the first let him draw or paint the seed as he sees it. Then let him plant the seed. In a day or so let him paint a picture of the seedling, after having grown so as to show the development of the seed leaves. Draw two other pictures to show later stages of growth. This gives a picture history of the little plant and while so occupied the child is learning to observe and note that which he sees.
Calendars (Water-colors, brush, paper, calendar pad)
Draw circles, squares, etc., and let the child fill in the outlines with color. A tiny calendar may be pasted in the center and ribbons put through wherewith to hang it up.
In filling in these figures show the child how to hold the brush lightly so as to secure freedom of stroke. Let him make long strokes beginning at the top of the paper and moving from side to side slowly downward, or rather as rapidly as is consistent with neatness. Have enough water on the brush so that the color will not dry from one long stroke before you are able to go back and carry it on to the next stroke. Practice making a clean, smooth surface.
Nature Pictures
Let the child fill one sheet thus with blue, a picture of the sky. Another sheet may be covered with green, a meadow. Still another sheet may have the upper part blue and the lower green.
Prism (Secure glass prism from kindergarten store or from some candelabra you may have at home)
Place in sunlight and let child observe colors and the order in which they appear; always in the same order—the cold colors at one end, the warm ones at the other. Let the little child try to catch and hold the lovely "light-bird."
Pigments (Water-color paints, glasses of water)
Dissolve a little red, yellow and blue paint in three separate glasses. Then, by mingling these—the primary colors—show how the secondary colors—orange, green and violet—may be obtained.
Transparent Papers
Get at a kindergarten store the transparent papers and isinglass used in color work. By overlapping one upon another different hues may be obtained. This may be done also, though less effectively, with colored tissue papers; but these are not so pure in tone.
Color-Top
Color tops may be procured at kindergarten stores. With the top come paper circles, of standard colors, with their tints and shades, giving a great variety. These are so slit that by placing two or more on the top according to directions and revolving the top, any tint or hue may be mathematically produced.
If the child has made his own button-mold top, let him cut circles of white paper and slip them over the axis of the top. Make a dab of color here or there on the paper with paint or chalk. Whirl around and observe the effect. This will lead up to a better understanding of the above-mentioned color-top which is manufactured by the Milton Bradley Co.
Toy Wagons and Houses
If the child has made wagons or houses of wood or cardboard, let him paint them in broad, free strokes. It is desirable that the little child be given work which involves the free movement of the larger muscles which such work demands. This may not appeal to one as belonging under the head of art, but we learn from Mr. Pennell that in Sicily the wagons of the peasants are beautifully decorated with landscapes and other pictures, and that the artists are particular to make their names conspicuous.
In any case a certain artistic feeling is required in choosing the colors and rightly applying them even in house-painting and wagon decoration. And meanwhile the child is learning how to wield his instruments.
Place Cards
Take a clover leaf and practice painting from it until able to make a copy good enough to paint upon a place card for the table. If the drawing be correct, just a flat wash of color will do for the painting at first.
An autumn leaf will do for a Thanksgiving card.
See Festival Occasions for other ideas.
If a button-mold top has been made, it may be painted in concentric rings or the entire surface may be neatly colored.
Match-Safe
This has been described upon page 34.
Designs for Rugs (Paper, brown or white, paints or chalk)
Let child draw or paint design for toy rug he is making for doll-house. He may make an oblong of one color, and at each end draw lines across, which are to be woven in another color. There may be one line at each end, or two, or three, etc. The arrangement of these lines and their distance apart allow much scope for taste and judgment.
Designs for Wall-Papers, Oilcloths, Etc. (Parquetry papers, paste, etc.)
1. Have child observe oilcloth designs and then with kindergarten parquetry papers try to make similar ones for doll-house.
2. Having made pasted designs, let him copy same in water-colors.
Design for Stained Glass Window (Transparent paper, scissors, white paper, paste)
Cut a circle out of the white paper. Fold it once, which gives a half-circle; fold again, which gives a quarter-circle. Holding it folded, cut several ellipses, triangles, etc., into the folded edges. Open out and you have framework of a rose-window. On the back of this paste a piece of transparent paper (see page 75), red or green or yellow, and let the light shine through. Hang in window for transparency. Suitable for Easter gift. Vary by cutting like cathedral windows. (See illustrations in dictionary under "Tracery.")
Chased by a Goose (Pencil, paper)
Once some boys lived in a house (make a dot) surrounded by a strong fence (draw circle round the dot). A short distance off was a large pond (an oval, a little below and to the right of the circle). One day the boys ran down to the pond (draw curved line from house to pond) and began to splash in the water and to throw it at each other (a number of oblique lines from right hand end of pond). Some distance off lived some Indians in two wigwams (two oblique lines meeting at the top and next to them a similar pair, like two tents, just below the pond). When the Indians saw the boys throwing the water out they began to chase the boys, running up a zigzag path (from each tent draw an oblique line to the right for a short distance and then turn to the left till it meets the pond). The boys ran as fast as they could up a winding path parallel to the one they ran down (draw curving line parallel to first one), and then ran to the left partly around the fence surrounding the house. They had to run around the barn, too (an oblique line to the left and then another to the right till it meets the circle again), and when they looked behind them they found they had been chased by a goose!!!
A little practice will make this easy for the story teller. The original dot and circle form the head and eye of the goose. The curving path is the neck. The water splashing out makes the tail feathers. The wigwams and the zigzag path form the legs and feet, and the path around the barn makes the bill.
What little girl does not love a doll? The more variety in their size and style the better pleased is she. Below are a number of suggestions for simple home-made dollies that may be prepared as a birthday or other surprise by older brothers or sisters.
1. Clay-Pipe Doll
Ink in the eyes, nose and mouth on the back of the bowl of a pipe; dress in calico gown and apron, and put on a sunbonnet to conceal the top of the pipe.
2. Clothespin Doll
Ink features upon the head of the clothespin and clothe as either boy or girl.
3. Wishbone Doll (Wishbone, sealing-wax, material for trousers)
Clothe the two limbs in trousers and ink in the features upon the flat joining bone. Feet may be made of sealing wax melted, pressed into shape and attached while still warm.
4. Peanut Doll (Peanuts, sewing-silk, glue, thread and needle, silk for dress)
Make into Chinese doll. Take one peanut and ink in the features, making the eyes slanting. Glue on a queue of braided silk. String together several peanuts to make the body. To the upper one add on each side one or two as arms and string several together to make legs. Dress in wide-sleeved jacket and wide-legged trousers of Oriental design.
5. Yarn Doll (Skein of white cotton yarn)
Cut the skein into lengths of 12 inches. Double the skein over in the middle and tie a string tight around about two inches from the top, forming a neck and so making the head. Tie another string further down for a waist line, but leave out a few threads on each side, of which to make two arms. Tie these near the ends to indicate wrists. Before tying the wrists cut the threads to right lengths for arms. The features may be put in with ink.
6. Cork Doll (16 or more corks saved from olive bottles, etc., smooth wire or hairpins—three in number)
String several corks upon the wire or hairpin for head and body. Through the second cork from the top run a hairpin sideways for arms, and fasten two corks upon each projecting end, cutting off any of the wire that may extend beyond the cork. Through the lower cork of the body run another hairpin and fasten two corks upon it for legs. Turn the end corks sideways to suggest feet. Dress the doll as desired.
7. Paper Doll (Fashion papers and catalogues, scissors, paint, paste)
Most little girls find great pleasure in making their own paper dollies and the garments therefor. Fashion papers and catalogues afford many dolls for cutting out, and tissue paper, crinkled paper, the lace paper found in candy boxes, etc., form the raw material for beautiful Parisian gowns.
Dolls may of course be cut out of white paper and beautiful countenances painted upon them, or holes may be cut in the head for eyes, nose and mouth.
8. Rag Doll (White cotton cloth, cotton batting, paints, scissors, needle, thread, water-color paints or blueing and red ink, raveled rope, etc.)
Cut a large newspaper pattern of a doll. Then double the cloth, pin the pattern upon it and cut the two sides for the doll. Run neatly around with close stitches, beginning at the neck, and when nearly finished turn inside out, stuff with the cotton batting, and sew up the head. Paint in the features or use blueing for eyes and red ink for mouth and cheeks. Ravelings of rope will make silky hair, and fingers may be indicated by stitches.
1. Cigar-Box House (Small cigar-box, paste, scissors, pictures, etc.)
A cigar-box, small as it is, will give great delight to a child who is aided in furnishing a little room. Stand the box up on the long side. Paper with wall paper of a small design. Then furnish with things made by the child himself; pictures cut from catalogues, and other accessories as described below.
2. Pasteboard-Box House (Four pasteboard boxes, glue, paint)
Select four strong pasteboard boxes of uniform size. Boxes such as the "Martha Washington Candles" are packed in will do. They measure 7 × 11 inches. Lay aside the covers and remove any paper which may be attached to the inside of the box. Spread a thick paste of Spaulding's glue or furniture glue over the surface of one side of a box. Fit one side of a second to this glued surface and put aside to dry. The third and fourth boxes are treated in the same manner. When securely glued in pairs place the boxes with open sides facing you. Cover upper outside surface of one pair of boxes with a thick coating of glue and set the second pair on top of these in the same position.
Now, one has a pasteboard house of four rooms—two upstairs and two downstairs. When securely fastened together cut in the partition separating the two upper rooms a door four inches high and three wide. Two windows measuring 3 × 4 inches, two inches from floor, may be cut in the back of the house. The same treatment may be given the rooms downstairs. One may arrange a kitchen and dining-room downstairs and a parlor and bedroom upstairs.
Oil paints, such as are used in painting furniture, which come already mixed in small cans, may be used for painting the exterior of the house.
In using this paint it is well to remember always to put sufficient paint on the brush to cover the entire surface of the wall of the house, from edge to edge, without lifting the brush. A strict observance of this rule insures a neatly painted surface. If desired, one may use yellow, green, or any light color for the interior.
Remnants of cartridge paper or paper decorated in small designs can often be obtained of paper-hangers for a small sum. It may be fastened to the floor to serve as a large rug.
3. Soap-Box House (Three wooden soap-boxes, nails, saw, paint)
Take three soap-boxes, wooden. Remove the covers from two and place one upon the other to make a two-story house. Put in partitions thus: Take a thin piece of board (from a smaller box), saw to needed height and depth and nail it in place by driving nails from above, below or the side, as the case may require. A stiff piece of cardboard (taken from a large box) may be made to serve as partition. If cut to the right size the pressure from top and bottom will hold in place.
By taking two small boxes for the upper floor instead of one large one the space which would be naturally left between can be made into a hallway. Stairs may then be made of stiff cardboard, folded into steps, with a strip of obliquely-cut paper pasted along the edges of the steps to keep them in place.
If windows and doorways are desired they must be cut or sawed in after being drawn where desired in pencil.
The third box is for the gable roof. It is to be placed on top of the upper floor so that its sides slant for the roof. Put in place and then mark off all that needs to be sawed away. When ready to be fixed permanently put in place and nail through.
The furnishing of the little house gives much scope for ingenuity and invention as well as for the exercise of good sense and good taste.
The exterior of the house can be painted with house paint, and this gives occasion for the broad use of the larger muscles, and physiologists tell us that the little child should exercise the larger muscles and nerves while the finer ones are still undeveloped.
Tiling (Corrugated packing cardboard, tacks, hammer)
The roof may be given a tiled effect by covering with corrugated packing cardboard saved from packages. Tack this on.
Papering
1. Paper with wall-paper. Scraps of it may be saved when the home is being papered.
2. Oil-cloth effects may be obtained by pasting on floors or walls designs made with the kindergarten parquetry papers. (See page 168.)
3. Friezes may be made in the same way by using circles and squares in rows, alternately or successively.
1. Cork. (See page 37.)
2. Block (Blocks of wood or kindergarten blocks, cubes and oblongs)
Glue these blocks together, three cubes making a little chair, and cubes and oblongs making a bed or sofa. Get the carpenter to saw a number of blocks of different shapes and sizes and let the child use his invention in putting them together. The furniture may be painted or gilded.
3. Paper or Cardboard
Take a piece of paper 1 × 2 inches. Fold crosswise. Make a dot ¼ inch from the folded edge and ⅛ inch from right hand edge. Make dot ¼ inch from fold and ⅛ inch from left hand edge. From open edges opposite fold make two parallel cuts to these dots. These cuts make the four legs. When opened out a table is seen with two extensions for drop-leaf. Cut one of these extensions off and a chair is made. If the original paper is longer and wider it can be made into a bed, what were the leaves of the table being bent up into the head and foot of the bed. An ingenious child can vary and elaborate this furniture ad infinitum. The backs can be cut into fancy form and arms given to chairs and sofa.
Use one of these paper chairs for a model, place on cardboard and draw around the outline and so obtain a stiffer bit of furniture. Rockers can be drawn, added to the feet, and cut out, thus making a rocking chair.
Pictures and Clocks (Trade journals, scissors)
Cut from trade journals and attach to walls.
Lamp (Twist spool, toothpick, half egg-shell, wax)
Paste a bit of paper on top and bottom of twist spool. Through this stick a toothpick, which the paper should hold firmly. Upon the top of the toothpick fasten a half egg-shell for a globe with bit of wax or glue.
Stove (Cardboard, black ink or paint)
Make oblong box of cardboard. Turn upside down and cut openings for top of stove. Make a small hole in the back of the stove and insert in it a piece of paper rolled into a stove-pipe and pasted. Cut openings in front for the grate and ovens, leaving a door for the latter. Ink or paint black.
Windows (Thin white paper, oil, glue)
Brush a piece of white paper over with ordinary machine oil, or olive oil, or dip it in the oil and when dry glue in for windows, telling the children that not very long ago that was the only way in which light was admitted to many houses before glass became so common.
Isinglass may also be put in for windows.
Doll's Bedstead (Cigar-box, glue, gilt-headed tacks)
Saw the cover of box into two pieces, one for the head and one for the foot. Fasten in place to the box with the decorative tacks. Legs may be attached if desired.
Curtains (Cheesecloth or lace, needle, thread)
Cut small squares of cheesecloth and let the child hem and put in windows for curtains. Do not insist on very fine sewing for beginners. Curtains may be edged with lace, or the entire curtain may be made of lace, tacked or glued to inside of window.
Telephone (Two spools, nail, tin mucilage top, string, small flat block)
Take a flat piece of wood about two inches square. Glue to it the flat end of small spool. That is the 'phone. Another spool is the receiver hanging, when not in use, upon a nail driven into the wood. The mucilage top has the slot into which to drop the imaginary nickel.
Grocery Store (Wooden soap-box, small cardboard box, scales, toy barrels, tiny pill boxes, sand, pebbles, etc.)
A small wooden box makes the store. A smaller cardboard box turned upside down will make the counter, or small pieces of wood can be nailed together by the little amateur carpenter. Buy toy scales or make some as described below. Small barrels can be obtained at toy store or little bottles and boxes can be filled with small quantities of tea and sugar, with tiny bags of pebbles for potatoes, apples, etc. Cranberries make acceptable play apples. Corn and nuts also will find places. Tacks can be hammered in on which to hang tiny brooms, and by hammering in two long nails and laying a narrow board upon them a shelf can be made for the canned vegetables. Let the children make their own brown paper bags, looking at a real one for a model.
Scales (Two small square cardboard boxes, made or bought, twine, skewer or other slender stick of wood or metal)
In each of the four sides of a box make a small hole near the top. Take two pieces of twine each four times the width of the box. Tie one of these through two opposite holes of the box and the other piece through the two other holes, being sure that the strings when tied are of equal length. These two strings cross each other. In the middle, exactly where they cross, tie one end of a string three inches long. Raise the box by this string and it should hang exactly true. Arrange the other box in the same way.
Now take the skewer and exactly in the middle tie a string of three inches. To the ends of the stick tie the ends of the twine already tied to the boxes. Raise the skewer by this string and the boxes should hang evenly, like scales. If they do not, slide one or the other back and forth until they do balance.
Use in the toy grocery store. Playing store is always a fine opportunity for indicating lessons of honesty in business. Train the child to give fair weight and measure, even in play.
Merry-Go-Round for Dolls (Cardboard, large ribbon spool, stiff paper or kindergarten folding paper, slender pencil, tiny flag)
Cut two circles of cardboard, one five inches in diameter; the other, ten to twelve. Using the smaller one as a base, stand on it a large ribbon spool (spool around which baby ribbon comes). Glue the large circle to the other end of the spool, parallel to the other lower circle. Make a hole in each circle. Run a slender pencil through the upper cardboard, then through the spool, and then through the lower circle, making an axis round which the spool may revolve, carrying with it the upper circle.
On the upper circle paste alternately animals cut from paper or cardboard, and benches also cut from cardboard. Elegance may be added by gilding the spool and letting a tiny flag float from the point of the pencil. Cut out paper dolls for a ride.
Dolls' Park (Starch-box, earth, moss, twigs, tiny mirror, etc.)
Fill the box with earth and sand for a foundation, and then with moss, twigs, elder-berry sprigs, etc., fill in the fairy-like details. A toy swan or boat adds to the reality.
Rugs for Doll-House
1. Make the loom by taking a slate and knocking out the slate so as to leave the frame intact. Hammer a row of small nails half an inch apart along the two narrow sides. Then make the warp by stringing strong cord back and forth across the nails. Tie first around one corner nail; carry to and around the two nails opposite, then back and around the next two, and so back and forth till it is all strung. The rows of cord should be parallel.
2. Instead of a slate, looms of various sizes may be roughly made of four narrow pieces of wood measured, sawed, and nailed together at the corners. A curtain slat could be so used, or wooden boxes will furnish raw material for such. A loom 4 × 6 inches is a good size for a beginner.
For woof, use coarse worsted or ribbon to begin with, or colored cheesecloth torn into narrow strips.
Use the fingers at first, later a bodkin, weaving under one cord of the warp and over one, back and forth, till a tiny rug is made. Fasten ends by weaving in and out a short distance into body of rug. At first make rug all of one color, or a rag-carpet effect can be obtained by tying into a long string worsteds of various colors. If a plain color is used a border can be made by running in a strand or so of a different color.
Let the child employ his artistic and creative abilities in making designs for the rug with paints or crayons. Draw an oblong of one color with stripes across the ends, one, two or three in number, at different distances apart. Variety can be secured by taking up two threads at a time or running under one and over two, etc. Warn the child not to draw the threads too closely or the rug will have the shape of an hour-glass when finished.
A washcloth can be made thus by weaving it of narrow pieces of cheesecloth.
Take the rug or cloth off the loom by raising carefully over the nails.
3. Another simple kind of loom is made by taking a piece of cardboard measuring 6 × 8 inches. Draw a row of eight dots half an inch apart. Opposite these, and six inches away, draw another row. With strong cord sew through these a set of straight stitches, six inches long and half an inch apart. This makes the warp. Run the worsted woof under and over these cords as in any weaving, and tear the cardboard away when finished.
In playing games children learn lessons of fair play, of mutual forbearance and patience, and of letting a playfellow "have a chance," which they learn in no other way. Apart from the important bodily exercise and development gained in the active physical games, the demand upon mental and moral qualities is of immeasurable value.
A child should never be permitted to cheat at a game, even "in fun." A game loses significance as a game when one person does not "play fair." The child to whom even the thought of so doing is impossible begins the race of life with an immense advantage, for we believe that the foundation for all real life is character.
We give a few games which have been tried with success either in the home, the kindergarten, or the playground. Some of these plays require materials; others do not. In some cases instructions are given for making the required materials.
Circle Tag
One person stands in the center of a ring of children and each one in the ring holds out his right hand. The one in the middle tags one of the hands and the owner immediately gives chase till he catches the pursued.
Vary by having both tagged and tagger skip, hop, etc., instead of run.
Racing Tag
Players form circle. One goes outside the ring and runs or walks around, suddenly quietly touching another player, who immediately races with him, going around the ring in opposite direction.
Vary by having contestants bow three times as they pass each other.
Wood, Iron or Paper Tag
One child chases another who touches for goal anything made of wood, or iron, or paper, etc., as has been decided upon beforehand. If the pursued is caught before he succeeds in touching such object, he becomes "it." The goal may be a wooden stick or tree, or an iron rake, or a paper book, etc.
Japanese Tag
Form a long line of children, one following closely behind another in a march or run. One child outside the line is "it." He tries to tag some one in the line. The leader endeavors to prevent this by twisting his file rapidly in and out in a curving line, and, by so throwing out his arms, as to protect the threatened one, as the line twists and turns with him. If one is tagged, the leader becomes "it." The leader and his train of children must of course be alert in mind and active in body.
Cross-Tag
Of a group of children the one who is "it" chases any one he chooses to begin with, but if another child runs in between the chased and the chaser, the chaser must follow the one who has thus run in between. If he shows signs of fatigue a third child may run across between the two, etc., he then being chased until the tagger succeeds in catching some one, who in turn becomes "it."
Allied to the tag games are the racing games, of which we give only two.
Potato Race (Twelve potatoes, two tablespoons)
Place six potatoes in a row about three feet apart. Place six others in a parallel row some distance away. Give two players each a spoon, and at a signal they start to race. Each player runs up his row, picking up the potatoes, one by one, carrying each in turn to a given point, then coming back for another potato, till all are thus carried. The left hand must not assist. The one who first gets his potatoes safely to the spot decided upon wins.
Clothespin Race (Handful of clothespins)
Arrange the children in two rows, equal in number. Give the first child a handful of clothespins, laid straight. At a signal he passes them down the line. If one is dropped it must be picked up by the one dropping it and put as before with the others and then passed on. Reaching the end of the line, they are at once passed back again to the starting point. The side wins which first get back all the pins.
Kinds of Bags (1. Ticking or strong calico, strong thread, needle, baking-beans. 2. Felt, sewing silk)
1. Make a strong bag of bright colored material, 6 × 8 inches in size. Fill with the ordinary baking-beans and overhand the top.
2. Take a piece of felt or any pretty strong material which will bear the wear and tear of the game. Cut into two circles 5 or 6 inches in diameter. Sew together on the wrong side, with a seam of one fourth inch. Then cut in the center a small circle half an inch in diameter. Turn the odd-shaped bag inside out, fill with beans and overhand the small circular opening with close stitches of silk. These bags can be more easily caught than balls by little hands.
Kinds of Games
Children usually hand down familiar games from one generation to another. Here are a few:
1. Children stand in a circle with one in the center who throws the bag to each in turn all around the ring, or else tries to catch some one napping by throwing it unexpectedly.
2. Vary by having children stand in a row and the leader throws to each in turn. Or children stand in opposite rows and every one in one line has a bag which all throw in unison to the child opposite. These in turn throw back in perfect rythm.
3. Vary again by tossing into the air in unison. The accompaniment of music is always a thing to be desired in such rythmic games.
4. One child stands in center of ring and tries to catch the bag as it is tossed across to some one on the other side of the ring.
The games just described may be played with balls as well as with bean-bags, and thus require more co-ordination on the part of the child's muscles. We give a few other games in addition.
Counting-Ball
Let one child bounce the ball, striking it from above with the palm of his hand and counting one, two, etc., until he fails to hit it, when another child takes a turn.
Guess-Ball
A row of players number off from one end 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. The last number steps in front of the row a distance such as may be needed to secure certainty of aim and touch on the part of those who throw the ball. The player in front stands with his back to the others. Those in the row now begin to pass the ball sideways from one to the other. The player in front having counted a given number, the one who happens to hold the ball at the time must at once throw it at the player in front. If struck, the latter turns quickly and tries to judge from the attitudes of the various players which one threw the ball. If he is right, places are exchanged. If he guesses wrong, the game continues as before.
Cup and Ball (Cardboard, worsted, funnel)
Make the ball by cutting from cardboard two circles about two inches in diameter. Inside the large circles draw smaller ones about one-half inch in diameter. Cut the smaller circles entirely out, thus leaving a hole in the middle of each large circle. Keep these two large circles together. Now, with a needle, wind worsted round and round through the opening in the two circles until it is completely filled, so that the needle cannot be pushed through. Hold in the left hand, and with sharp pointed scissors cut the worsted at the edge of the circles, spread the circles a little apart, and tie a strong thread firmly around the worsted between the two cardboard circles. Then tear the cardboard circles away and a pretty ball remains. Tie this ball, with a string twelve inches long, to a kitchen funnel, and let the child try to catch the ball in the funnel.
Ring-Toss (Small wooden box, broom-handle or dowel, nail or glue, embroidery rings or hoops of small keg)
Saw a foot from a broom-handle or dowel (a child's broom will best serve the purpose). Glue or nail this to a box. Let the child practice tossing over this post rings taken from a small keg; or embroidery rings may be used. These may be wound around with bright colored strips of lining or with ribbon. The rings should be graduated in size.
Grace-Hoops (Basket reeds, raffia)
Make a wand of three or four basket reeds cut into two foot lengths. Wind these more or less loosely with string, just so as to hold them together. Then wind around and around closely and smoothly with a strand of raffia so as to bind firmly together. If held smoothly, several strands of raffia may be used at one time. If reeds are not to be had lilac branches may be used instead. The result should be a wand firm and stiff.
Make the hoops by soaking the reeds first in water for an hour to make flexible. They should be cut into lengths of about 2½ feet. Curve several into a hoop and tie. Then wind smoothly and firmly with the raffia. The ends of the latter may be disposed of by threading upon a large needle and running it a short distance in and out of the part already wound.
Two wands and one hoop are required for each player. One tosses a ring from her two wands to her opponent, who must catch it upon her own wands.
This once popular game cultivates both alertness and grace.
In the kindergarten the children use wand and ring in playing "knights." One child holds the ring while the little knight gallops around the circle on an imaginary steed and tries to capture the ring on his lance (wand), as at an old-time tournament.
Croquet with Peas (Peas, hairpins or double-headed tacks, nail or match, toothpick, cork, cover of starch-box)
Bend hairpins into shape or use double-headed tacks as wickets. Insert into the cover of a wooden starch-box for ground. For a stake use a nail or a painted match-stick. Sharpen this to a point and insert it in a hole previously made by hammering in a nail. Make mallets by inserting matches or toothpicks into heads made of small pieces of cork. Use peas for balls.
Put the whole outfit in a box and give to little sister for her doll's birthday.
Egg-Shell Game (Egg-shell, long table, four tumblers)
Blow an egg-shell and paint with some college colors as a foot-ball. Take four tumblers and place two at one end of a long table for goals and two at the opposite end for goals, the two which make a pair being four inches apart. Divide the party into two competing groups. Those on one side must try to blow the shell between the tumblers of their opponents. These must try to defend their end of the table and at the same time try to blow the shell between the tumblers of their opponents. This makes a merry game for young people.
Cherry-Stone Game (Save and dry a dozen or more cherry-stones)
Scatter the stones lightly on the table. They will fall so that some lie closely together, others far apart. The first player selects any two stones and draws his finger between them so that he touches neither. If he succeeds thus far he must then try to snap one (with thumb and middle finger) so that it strikes the other. If this succeeds also the two stones belong to him and he has another turn, continuing until he either touches a stone in trying to draw a finger between two or fails to make one of the two hit the other. The second player will not fare so well, because the remaining pairs will lie closer together than those first chosen, so that great care will be needed in drawing the finger between two. Sometimes it is necessary to use the little finger. At the end the player having most stones wins the game. The stones may be dyed or painted if desired. The game suggests tiddledy-winks and crokinole.
Donkey Game (Picture of a donkey, minus a tail, and one dozen separate tails. These may be bought in large sheets for ten cents, but may be cut out of paper if drawn first by skilful hands)
Pin the picture to the wall in some spot where it will not deface it. Give each player a tail with a pin sticking through it. Blindfold him. Turn him around three times and send him in the direction of the picture to pin the tail on the donkey. The one who succeeds in fastening a tail nearest to the proper place wins the game.
Blowing Out the Candle (Candle in candlestick)
Place a candle on the table. Blindfold a player, turn him around three times about six feet from the candle. Then let him try to find his way towards it and blow it out. He may have three trials.
The Countess of the Huggermuggers (Two candles in candlesticks)
Give two players each a candle. They take places about eight feet apart. Then each takes a step forward at the same time and makes a solemn bow without smiling; then another step and bow; and then a third. Then one says solemnly, "The Countess of the Huggermuggers is dead." The other one rejoins, "I am very sorry to hear it." The first one replies, "So am I." Then each takes three steps backward, with a bow each time, and all without a smile. Whoever smiles must give up his place to another player.
Rope and Sandbag (Rope ten feet long, with handle at one end which may be made by knotting the rope, and a sandbag or other weight at the other. Sandbag may be made of strong goods sewed into a bag and filled with sand. In a kindergarten a weight has been improvised out of a child's rubber shoe)
Some one stands in the center of a circle of children and swings the rope so that the weight just grazes the ground. The children must be sufficiently attentive and agile to evade the rope by jumping over it as it passes them. Do not begin until the rope has acquired momentum enough to move with a degree of regularity.
Omnibus Swing (Strong rope or chain, staples, soapbox, wooden plank, nails)
If fortunate enough to have a barn or summer-house, or a playroom with a strong beam in the roof or ceiling, place a pair of strong staples in the beam (hammock hooks would serve the same purpose) a few inches apart. Six feet from these place another pair of staples in the beam. From each pair of staples or hooks suspend a loop of rope so that it comes about one foot from the floor.