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GAMES AND PLAY

FOR

SCHOOL MORALE

A COURSE OF GRADED GAMES FOR SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY RECREATION

ISSUED BY COMMUNITY SERVICE, Inc. One Madison Avenue, New York City

ARRANGED BY

"MEL" SHEPPARD Department of Recreation and Physical Education

ANNA VAUGHAN Director of Recreation Community Council of Michigan

Copyrighted 1920

COMMUNITY SERVICE

COMMUNITY SERVICE is the medium through which the residents of a community get together and really become members of that community with a consequent real interest in community welfare, prosperity and stability.

COMMUNITY SERVICE is CITIZENSHIP. It promotes Americanization. It denotes PROGRESSIVENESS. Any individual of the community with a real and active interest in the community is a better citizen.

COMMUNITY SERVICE provides an opportunity for people to meet as folks, as neighbors representing no one but themselves, and the ideas they cherish most. The towering advantage of Community Service is that it is the one movement to which everybody can belong.

COMMUNITY SERVICE is a community organized for service. This community has a real existence with a soul and personality of its own. The Community needs something to do as a community.

COMMUNITY SERVICE is an antidote for idle time. The success of a person or a community is not determined by the number of hours they are busy, but by what they do in their idle time.

COMMUNITY SERVICE offers every stranger who comes to a Community "the glad hand," displays true friendship to them and shows that we as a community care for his welfare.

COMMUNITY SERVICE promotes good will. There is no ritual for Community Service, just as there is no ritual for friendship. Friendship is a fact. Most men and women have a talent for it. Community Service organizes and develops that talent until it is made to render a world service. It makes the community a fact instead of a name.

PEACE TIME service is a war debt that Conscience and Patriotism must pay.

FOREWORD

By Anna Vaughan "Mel" Sheppard

It is just as essential that the teacher who enters a schoolroom in September know how to play with children as to teach them. By no better means, perhaps, may the spirit of friendship and co-operation be so thoroughly strengthened and firmly established as through games.

The mental, moral and physical growth attained through participation in games cannot be overestimated. To listen to directions, to understand them thoroughly and to execute them exactly as given require alert attention and accurate motion.

To play fair, win honestly and accept defeat cheerfully, remembering at all times to be courteous to opponents, are invaluable lessons, and conducive to good citizenship.

Active games quicken the sense perceptions. Through them the dull, passive mind is aroused to an active interest in external things to which the hitherto inert body is forced to respond. As a result the child observes more closely, thinks more clearly and moves with greater ease.

To rhythmic games may be attributed the freedom of movement, graceful carriage and appreciation for and response to rhythm by which the child attempts to give expression to his inmost feelings.

By correlation with language, quiet games furnish a successful means for establishing correct habits of speech. Correlated with number, much valuable drill in the fundamental processes may be secured in a most delightful and informal way.

All children love to play, and, cosmopolitan as is the blend of our public schools today, in the recreation period is found an opportunity for universal expression not afforded in other activities of the day. Keenly sensitive to their surroundings, they are quick to catch the enthusiasm of their leader.

The child, timid and retiring of disposition, becomes a creature of initiative, while not infrequently the forward, self-assured child is given a much needed lesson in self-restraint. Through his skill displayed in playing games involving contest, a formerly unappreciated child compels the respect and admiration of his classmates, a tribute that may play no small part in influencing his course in after life.

It is only by getting into the game with the children and encouraging them to play naturally, permitting them to get all the joy there is in the performance hereof, that games may be made of greatest service. The effects of such play cannot fail to dispel the artificial atmosphere which for various reasons permeates many of our schools today, and to establish, in its place, wholesome and natural conditions, that will challenge the child's best efforts and render school life pleasant as well as profitable.

Graded Games for Schools and Community Recreation

The Indoor Recreation Work is given in the form of plays and games.

While the plays and games listed have been carefully arranged and graded with a view to adapting them to the schoolroom, many of them are suited to playground, hall and gymnasium use.

It is suggested that at least one game period a day be given out of doors during the pleasant weather.

Rules to Be Observed in Giving Games

1. Teacher should be familiar with the game before giving it.

2. Teach by imitation in the story-plays and rhythm, as best results come from the teacher playing with the children.

3. Be sure that the air is fresh when giving a game.

4. In every rest period give a breathing exercise.

5. See that all the children have a part in the game.

6. Upon the spirit which the teacher puts into it, depends the success of the game.

Story Plays are imitations of well-known activities. They may be experiences related to home activities, the surroundings near the home, the season and to school work.

Capitalize the child's imagination and experience as a basis for developing Story Plays, keeping in mind the types of exercise necessary to give the children the proper amount of exercise.

The following is illustrative of the forms of exercise to be found in a story play:

A Day in the Woods

Stretching--Reach up high. Take your coat and hat.

Leg movement--Walk quickly (skip) to the woods. (Each two rows walk around one row of desks.)

Head exercise--Look up at the bright autumn leaves.

Arm exercise--Raise your arms and touch them.

Trunk and Arm exercise--Rake the fallen leaves. (Lean forward, bending body forward to either side.)

Knee Bending--Run and jump into the pile of leaves.

Breathing--Breathe in the fresh air.

Suggestive List of Story Plays

Home activities--Washing, ironing, baking, sewing, sweeping, dusting.

Industrial Activities--Fireman, soldier, shoemaker, blacksmith, carpenter, etc.

Seasonal Activities:

Fall--Nutting, Thanksgiving, Jack Frost, gathering apples, etc.

Winter--Christmas Toys, Snow Fort, Valentine Day, Washington's Birthday.

Spring--Flying Kites, making a garden, trees in a storm.

Summer--The Playground, swimming, picking flowers, a day at the circus.

Correlate rhythmic exercises with the reading language and nature work. The movements may be executed to music, Victrola or piano being used.

Walking fast Walking slow Jumping Running Ringing bell Marching Hopping Clapping Beating drum Blowing bubbles Fairies skipping Birds flying Boats sailing Blowing bugle Blowing up a balloon Climbing a steep hill Imitate a steam engine Smell the pretty rose Galloping horses Hammering Rabbits jumping Ducks waddling Skating Raking garden Rowing boat Bouncing ball Throwing snowballs Elephant's walk Giant striding Goose waddle Turkey strutting Indian walking Walk like a dwarf Crow like a rooster Breathe in the fresh air Blow a feather in the air

FOR THE YOUNGER CHILDREN

THE CIRCUS

All ready for the big circus parade. Choose what you want to do or be in the parade. Now we are at the circus grounds. The band marches around the tent. Choose the instrument you want to play. See the big, big elephants in the circus. Let us feed the big elephants. Now look at the pretty high-stepping horses. See if we can step as high as they. The little baby ponies are coming now. Let us make tiny steps just as they do. Now the juggler is ready to play. Throw the ball high, way up high, and catch it on your nose. Heads up high. Now let's breathe hard, drink in the fresh air and run home to Mother.

Introduce skipping, hopping, running, jumping.

1. Stand like soldiers. (Head, eyes, chest, feet.) 2. March like soldiers. 3. Run like fairies. 4. Run like brownies. 5. Fly like birds.

Fly to the woods in front of you. Fly to the woods in back of you. Fly to the woods to the left. Fly to the woods to the right.

Play you are trees. Bend to the left; arms sideward or overhead. Bend to the right; arms sideward or overhead. Galloping horses: Hold reins--gallop forward. Skipping children: Skip--lightly and evenly.

Bursting bag:

1. Breathe in. 2. Blow. 3. Clap.

Blow a soap bubble. Keep a feather in the air. Blow out a candle.

Blow a trumpet. Imitate the wind. Imitate a train of cars. Imitate a flute. Blow a whistle. Blow a bugle.

MOVING DAY

Two adjacent rows, play together. The first of May is moving day. The seats are houses. One player is chosen to be "It" and he walks up and down the street between the two rows. At a signal, the residents along the street change houses before and behind him and he tries to get a house while it is vacant. The seats not occupied and one more must be marked and not used in the game so that there is at all times one person without a house. If the people do not move often enough the one who is "It" may number the players and then when he calls, two or three numbers may change places.

OLD HEN AND CHICKENS

Choose a leader to be the old hen, who goes out of the room. All the others sit at their seats, heads bowed on the desk. Touch four on the head. Immediately they become little chickens. The old hen is recalled and as she says "Cluck! Cluck!" the four wee chicks answer "Peep! Peep!" The mother hen tries to locate them by sound. The chick discovered first becomes the old hen.

GOOD MORNING GAME

One child is chosen as leader. He stands in front of class facing the blackboard; the teacher steps lightly down among children and touches a pupil on the head who says to the leader "Good Morning John Brown." The leader responds by saying "Good Morning, Mary Smith." If the leader fails to recognize voice of the pupil speaking, his place is taken by that child and the game continues. This game is especially good exercise in ear training.

BIRDS LEARNING TO FLY

Mother bird and little birds all stretch wings. Look up at the pretty blue sky. Fly around lightly. Tuck wings under and hop. Drink from the pretty brook. Stretch wings ready to fly back home. Tired, breathe, raise and lower wings. Rest in your little nest.

AUTOMOBILE

Let us go for a spin in the park. Stoop, crank your automobile. Step into the machine. Ride around the track; blow your horn. Pump up your flat tire. Bend and stretch arms upward to rest them. Ride home. Breathe in the good fresh air. Put your automobile into the garage.

A DAY AT THE BEACH

Run down to the beach, one row at a time. Stoop, gather a handful of stones. Raise hand, high, throw stones out into the sea. Now dig a well with your shovel. Put shovel down hard, throw sand over shoulder. See the big wave coming in. Run and see how near you can come to it without wetting your feet. Run back quickly as wave comes nearer. Wade out into the water. Lift knee high. Mother is calling. Run home quickly. Take a long, deep breath.

OUT FOR A PICNIC

Pack your baskets. Hang them over your arm. Run down to the street car. Give your fare to the conductor. Step down from the car very carefully. Look up and down for passing automobiles. Run down to the beach. Ready for lunch baskets. Eat your lunch. Drink the cool spring water. Now for the whirligig. Choose a galloping horse. Ready--go. Stop, slowly. Get off the merry-go-round. Run for the street car. Wave good-bye to your friends. Take a deep breath.

First Grade

SQUIRREL IN TREES

Three players stand so as to represent a hollow tree, facing center with hands on each other's shoulders; a fourth player stoops within to represent a squirrel. Let the other players see how this is done and they in the same way form groups of four. There must be one extra player, who is a squirrel without a home. Upon a signal by the teacher all the squirrels must change trees and the homeless squirrel tries to get a tree. This leaves another squirrel without a home. And the game is repeated. After a time let each squirrel change places with one of the players of the tree so as to give all a chance to be squirrels.

BEAN BAG PASSING

The class is arranged so that there are the same number of players in each row. A bean bag is placed on each front desk. At a given signal the occupant of the front seat passes it overhead to the pupil behind him, who passes it to the next and so on until it reaches the end of the row, when it is returned the same way. The row returning the bag to the front desk soonest, wins.

CROSSING THE BROOK

Draw two parallel lines on the floor with chalk to represent the banks of the brook. The players form in line and take a running jump across the brook. Those who step into the brook must run home to put on dry stockings. Those who succeed in jumping across the brook continue round the course and jump again, this time increasing the width of the brook. Standing jump may be used in playing this game.

DAYS OF WEEK

Name first row across the room, Monday; second, Tuesday; third, Wednesday, etc. Teacher stands in front of room with rubber ball. As she bounces the ball, she calls "Thursday." The row named Thursday run to the front. The child catching the ball takes place of teacher. The children failing to catch ball pass to their seats. The new teacher continues game until the ball is caught.

WEE BOLOGNA MAN

I am the wee Bologna Man. Always do the best you can To follow the wee Bologna Man.

A leader resourceful in ideas and brisk in movement stands in front of and facing the other players and rapidly repeats this verse, performing some action that the other players immediately imitate--such as beating a drum, playing a fiddle, sawing wood. Without pausing he varies his actions, the others continuing to follow his movements. Rapidity of time and vivacity determine the success of the game.

DO THIS, DO THAT

All players stand facing one of their number who is the leader. The leader assumes any position or imitates any action, at the same time saying "Do this," and the others immediately imitate. Should the leader at any time say "Do that!" instead of "Do this!" any player who imitates the action performed must be seated. The leader may choose any positions that are familiar, such as arm movements, head bendings, trunk bendings, jumping, hopping, etc., or imitate familiar actions, such as sawing, hammering, washing, ironing, sewing, sweeping, flying, etc.

I SAW

Class stands as for gymnastics. The teacher, beginning with the first file, asks the leader, "What did you see?" The leader suggests some activity as "I saw a butterfly flying," "I saw a boy beating a drum," "I saw a chicken hopping on one foot," "I saw a drum major leading a band," "I saw a horse galloping down the street," "I saw a boy rolling a hoop," etc. Each row in turn imitates its leader, following him around the room and back to place.

SQUIRREL GAME

Players all seated but one, heads on desks, eyes covered, one hand on desk with palm up. The odd player is a squirrel. The squirrel passes up and down between the rows and puts a nut in some player's hand. This one rises and chases the squirrel. If the squirrel is caught before reaching his own seat, the one caught becomes squirrel. If the squirrel is not caught, he can be squirrel again.

I SAY STOOP

One person is chosen leader, taking his place before the class which is standing at their seats. Whenever the leader says "I say stoop!" both he and the class stoop and quickly rise again. But when he says "I say stand!" and stoops as before, the class must remain standing. He repeats his commands in rapid succession and any player who makes a mistake must be seated.

GAME FOR ALERTNESS

Draw a circle on the floor. Call upon a child to run into the circle, while you count ten. If he succeeds in getting both feet into the circle before you finish counting he is safe. Otherwise he is out of the game and must perform some other task before taking his seat.

CHARLEY OVER THE WATER

Players stand in a circle, hands joined. One player is chosen to be Charley. If more than twenty players have several Charlies. Charley stands in the center. The other players, skipping around him, repeat:

Charley over the water, Charley over the sea, Charley caught a blackbird, can't catch me.

At the last word, the players stoop and Charley tries to tag them before they reach that position. If successful, the player tagged changes places with him.

HICKORY, DICKORY, DOCK

Hickory, Dickory, Dock, (Move arms to right, left, right, in pendulum fashion. Stamp right--left.) The mouse ran up the clock. (Run four steps forward.) The clock struck "One!" (Pause a moment to listen on "One"--clap hands) And down he ran. (Run four steps back to place.) Hickory, Dickory, Dock. (Swing arms right, left, right. Stamp left, right.)

SEE SAW, MARGERY DAW

(Mother Goose Melody.)

1. See Saw--Margery Daw. (Arms sideward raise, sway body to left and right.) 2. Jack shall have a new master. (Partners join hands--skip forward four steps.) 3. But he shall have a penny a day. (Step left, point right toe forward, shaking right forefinger at partner and left hand on hip.) 4. Because he won't work any faster. (Join both hands with partner, skip around in place four steps.)

THE LEAVES

1. The leaves are green, the leaves are brown. They hang so high they will not come down. Leave them alone until frosty weather And then they will all come down together.

Rhythmic--The above is an old English circle game. During the first 3-1/2 lines skip or run around the circle, stretching arms high overhead, and on "Come down together," drop to the floor.

RUN FOR YOUR SUPPER

Players in a circle. One player chosen by teacher goes around inside, holds out his hand between two players and says, "Run for your supper." The two players run around opposite ways outside. The one who returns first to the vacant place wins, and may start the next runners.

Second Grade

SCARF RELAY

Divide the room into teams of three rows each. In front of each team, some six or eight feet distant, place a chair with a scarf tied to each. The first child in each team acts as leader. He runs to the chair, unties the scarf and returns with it to the child sitting back of him. That child in turn runs quickly to the chair and reties the scarf and returns to his seat. The next child runs to the chair and unties the scarf, runs back with it to the next child and the game continues. The object is to see which team finishes first. By keeping the feet under the desks and returning by the same aisle as they came forward, the game proceeds quickly and quietly.

TEACHER AND CLASS

One player is chosen for "teacher". The others stand in a line side by side, facing her at an interval of five to ten feet. If there are many players, make several groups of this kind, keeping a distinct interval between groups.

The teacher starts the game by tossing the ball to each pupil in turn, and it is immediately tossed back to her. If a pupil misses, he goes to the foot of the line. If the teacher misses, the player at the head of the line takes her place, the teacher going to the foot. Make the action as rapid as possible.

SLAP JACK

The players join hands and form a circle. One is chosen to be "it" and runs on the outside. He taps another player, who quickly runs in opposite direction. The place he left remains vacant until one or the other shall have returned to it first. The unsuccessful player continues the running. The players upon meeting may exchange greetings, bow to each other or shake hands, before completing the circuit.

HAND TAG

The players form a circle facing inward. A tagger stands in the center of the circle. The players raise their hands forward, palms upward. As soon as a tagger tries to slap a hand it should be quickly lowered. The one who is tagged takes the place of the tagger.

DROP THE BEAN BAG OR HANDKERCHIEF

Players join hands and form a circle. One is chosen to be the runner and runs around the outside of the circle, dropping the bean bag or handkerchief on the floor directly behind one of the players. This player picks up the bag (or handkerchief) and tries to tag the runner before he can reach the vacant place in the circle. If he succeeds he returns to his place and the runner drops the bag (or handkerchief) behind someone else. If he fails he becomes the runner.

CHANGING SEATS

The class is seated in full rows, each two rows playing together. One pupil having no seat stands in the aisle between the two rows.

The teacher claps her hands once and all exchange seats as rapidly as possible. The pupil in the aisle attempts to secure one of the vacant seats. If he succeeds the one left without a seat stands in the aisle.

The game is repeated as before until the teacher claps her hands twice when all take their own seats.

CAT AND RAT

The players join hands and form a circle. One is chosen "rat" and stands inside the circle. Another is the "cat" and takes her place outside. The "cat" tries to catch the "rat". The players favor the "rat" and allow him to run in and out of the circle, but try to prevent the "cat" from following him by raising and lowering their arms without bending knees. When the "rat" is caught, both join the circle and the next player to the right or left of each becomes "cat" and "rat". When there are a large number of players, two cats may be chosen.

ROUND AND ROUND WENT THE GALLANT SHIP

Players form a circle, hands joined. Stepping lightly around the circle, they recite the following verse, bobbing down quickly on the word "sank":

Round and round went our gallant ship, Round and round went she; Three times round went our gallant ship, Till she sank to the bottom of the sea.

Rhythmic.

JACK BE NIMBLE

Place a small object eight to ten inches high upright on the floor to represent a candlestick. The players run in single file and jump with both feet at once over the candlestick, while all recite:

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick. Jack jump over the candlestick.

Each player tries to clear the candlestick without knocking it over.

Rhythmic.

HUCKLE BUCKLE, BEAN STALK

One row of players leave the room. The others hide some small object, placing it in plain sight, but where it would not be likely to be seen, as on the top of a picture frame, in a corner on the floor, behind the steam pipe, etc. It may be placed behind any other object, so long as it may be seen there without moving any object. When the object has been placed, the players are recalled, and all begin to hunt. As soon as one spies the hidden object, he goes at once to his seat saying, "Huckle buckle, bean stalk!" which indicates to the class that he has discovered it. When all have discovered the object, another row is sent out of the room, and the pupil who found the object first, proceeds to hide it. The game continues until everyone has had a chance to locate the hidden article.