Chapter 1

Produced by Bryan Ness, Ritu Aggarwal and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Print project.)

WHAT SHALL WE DO NOW?

WHAT SHALL WE DO NOW?

_Five Hundred Games and Pastimes_

A BOOK OF SUGGESTIONS FOR CHILDREN'S GAMES AND EMPLOYMENTS

BY

DOROTHY CANFIELD AND OTHERS

NEW YORK FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY PUBLISHERS

Copyright, 1907, by FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _October_, 1907 _All rights reserved_

PREFACE

This book has been made in the hope that the question which forms its title, "What shall we do now?" may come to be put less frequently. It is so easy for children to ask it, so hard for grown-up persons with many other matters to think about to reply to it satisfactorily.

In the following pages, which have something to say concerning most of the situations in which children find themselves, at home or in the country, out of doors or in, alone or in company, a variety of answers will be found. No subject can be said to be exhausted; but the book is perhaps large enough. Everything which it contains has been indexed so clearly that a reader ought to be able to find what he wants in a moment. Moreover, by way both of supplying any deficiencies and of giving each copy of the book a personal character, an appendix of blank and numbered leaves (with a few spaces in the index) has been added, in which the owner may record such omitted games and employments as he has found good.

There are, of course, many fortunate girls and boys who do not require any help whatever, who always know what to do now, and do it. For them some sections of this book may have little value. It is for that greater number of less resourceful children who whenever time is before them really are in need of counsel and hints, that it has been prepared.

ILLUSTRATIONS

FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS

A Pueblo Settlement _Frontispiece_

FACING PAGE Outdoor Games for Girls 128 Outdoor Games for Boys 138 Playing Alone 184 In the Country 202 The Library and Furniture from "The House that Glue Built" 244 A Dutch House 264 An Esquimau Sled 266 Indian Costumes 266 Pets 338 Reading 368

ILLUSTRATIONS IN TEXT

PAGE A Trussed Fowl 37 Five Dots 48 Outlines 49 Drawing Tricks 51 Picture-Writing 52-53 The Last Man Surveying the Ruins of the Crystal Palace 56 Patience Card 76 The Dancing Dwarf 106 Bean-Bag Board 114 Rope Ring 115 The Overhand Knot 117 Half-Hitch 118 Figure of Eight 118 Common Bend 118 Sailor's Knot 118 Running Noose 119 Crossed Running Noose 119 Bowline Knot 119 Dogshank 120 Shuffle-Board 121 Balancing Tricks 123 The Glass Maker 125 Electric Dancers 126 Daisy Chain 135 Ivy Chain 135 Hop-Scotch 144 Prisoner's Base 156 Tit-tat-toe 176-177 Hanging 179-180 Chinese Gambling 181 Spanish Cup 186 Cardboard Box Beds 223 Bead Chair 223 A Doll's Apartments 227 Cork Arm-Chair 228 Chestnut Chair 229 Fancy Table 230 Match-Box Bedstead 231 Match-Box Washstand 233 Towel Rack 233 Clothes Basket 234 Cardboard Dolls' House 239 Appearance of House When Complete 240 Dog Kennel 241 Kitchen Table 246 Kitchen Range 247 Kitchen Chair 247 Screen 248 Various Pots and Pans 248 Dining-Room Table and Cloth 249 Sideboard 250 Sofa 251 Arm-Chair 251 Wooden Bedstead 252 Wardrobe 253 Dressing Table 254 Washstand 255 Rocking-Chair 256 Towel Rack 256 Chair 256 Child's High Chair 257 Child's Cot 257 Walking Paper Dolls 259 Paper Mother and Child, with Clothes for Each 260 A Paper Girl with Six Changes 261 Shadows on the Wall 280 A Cocked Hat 284 Paper Boats 285 Paper Darts 286 Paper Mats 286 Paper Boxes 287 A Dancing Man 289 Hand Dragons 290 A Kite 293 Flying A Kite 294 Toy Boats 296-297 A Skipjack 300 A Water-Cutter 300

GAMES FOR A PARTY

Blind Man's Buff

"Blind Man's Buff" is one of the best, oldest, and simplest of games. One player is blindfolded, is turned round two or three times to confuse his ideas as to his position in the room, and is then told to catch whom he can. If he catches some one, yet cannot tell who it is, he must go on again as blind man; but if he can tell who it is, that person is blindfolded instead. Where there is a fireplace, or where the furniture has sharp corners, it is rather a good thing for some one not playing to be on the lookout to protect the blind man. Sometimes there are two blind men, who add to the fun by occasionally catching each other. But this is rather dangerous. There is also a game called "Jinglers" where every one is blind except one player with a bell, whom it is their object to catch. But this is more dangerous still.

A good variety of "Blind Man's Buff" is the silent one. Directly the man is blindfolded, and before he begins to seek, all the players take up positions in corners, on chairs, or wherever they think most prudent, and there they must stop without making a sound. The task for the blind man is thus not catching the others, but, on finding them, deciding upon who they are. As chuckling or giggling is more likely to tell him than his sense of touch, it is tremendously important to make no noise if you can help it. Sometimes this game is played (without any standing on chairs) by a blind man armed with two spoons, with which he feels the features of those whom he runs against. In this case it is practically impossible to avoid laughing. The sensation produced by the bowls of two spoons being passed over the face in the attempt to recognize its owner is overwhelming.

French Blind Man's Buff

In French "Blind Man's Buff" the hands of the blind man are tied behind his back and his eyes are left uncovered. He has therefore to back on to the players before he can catch them, which increases his difficulties.

Blind Man's Wand

Here the blind man has a stick, one end of which is grasped by the other players in turn. The blind man puts three questions to each player, and his aim is to recognize by the voice who it is that replies. The aim of the players, therefore, is to disguise their voices as much as possible. Sometimes, instead of merely asking questions, the blind man instructs the holder of the wand to imitate some animal--a cock or a donkey, for example.

Steps

The player who is blindfolded is first placed in the middle. The others walk from him to various positions all around, carefully measuring the number of steps (long or short) which take them there. The blind man is then told how many steps will bring him to a certain player, and he has to guess the direction toward him, and the length of step. This player, if found, becomes blind man.

Still Pond! No More Moving

The player who is blindfolded is placed in the middle and all the other players touch him. He counts out loud as rapidly as possible up to ten, during which time the players rush as far away from him as possible. Directly he reaches ten he cries out "Still Pond! No more moving!" and the players must stand perfectly still. He then says "you may have three steps," or any number beyond three which he wishes to give. The players save these steps until he comes dangerously near them and then try and use them to the best possible advantage, to escape. It is not a step if one foot remains in the same place. After a player is caught and identified by the one who is "it" he in turn is blindfolded.

Shadow Buff

A sheet is stretched across the room. One player stands on one side, and the rest, who remain on the other, pass one by one between the sheet and the candle which throws their shadows upon it. The aim of the single player is to put right names to the shadows on the sheet, and the aim of the others is, by performing antics, to keep him from recognizing them. If it is not convenient to use both sides of a sheet, the single player may sit on a hassock close to it with his back to the others, while they pass between his hassock and the candle.

The Donkey's Tail

A good-sized donkey without a tail is cut out of brown paper and fixed on a screen or on a sheet hung across the room. The tail is cut out separately and a hat-pin is put through that end of it which comes nearest the body. Each player in turn then holds the tail by the pin, shuts his eyes honestly, and, advancing to the donkey, pins the tail in what he believes to be the right place. The fun lies in his mistake.

The Blind Feeding the Blind

This is boisterous and rather messy, but it has many supporters. Two players are blindfolded and seated on the floor opposite one another. They are each given a dessert-spoonful of sugar or flour and are told to feed each other. It is well to put a sheet on the floor and to tie a towel or apron round the necks of the players. The fun belongs chiefly to the spectators.

Deer Stalking

This is a game in which only two players take part, but it is exciting to watch. Both "Deer" and "Stalker" are blindfolded. They are then placed at opposite ends of a large table, and at a given moment begin to move round it. The stalker's business is, of course, to catch the deer, and the deer's to avoid it; but neither must run out into the room. Absolute silence should be kept both by the audience and players, and if felt slippers can be worn by the deer and its stalker, so much the better.

Blowing Out the Candle

A very funny blind game. A candle is lighted and placed in position about the height of a person's head. A player is then placed a few feet from it, facing it, and, after being blindfolded and turned round three times, is told to take so many paces (however many it may be) and blow the candle out.

Apple-Snapping

Another amusing blind game to watch is apple-snapping. An apple is hung from a string in the middle of the room about the height of the blind man's head. The blind man's hands are then tied, or he holds them strictly behind him, and he has to bite the apple.

The same game can be played without blindfolding, but in that case it requires two players with their hands fixed behind them, each trying to bite the apple.

Bag and Stick

A good blind game for a Christmas party is "Bag and Stick." A fair-sized paper bag is filled with candy and hung from a string in the middle of the room. A player is then blindfolded, turned round three times, given a stick, and told he may have one, two, or three shots at the bag, whichever it may be. If he misses it, another one tries, and so on; but if he hits it the bag breaks, the candy covers the floor, and the party scramble for it.

Puss in the Corner

Each player save one takes a corner. The other, who is the puss, stands in the middle. The game begins by one corner player beckoning to another to change places. Their object is to get safely into each other's corner before the cat can. Puss's aim is to find a corner unprotected. If she does so, the player who has just left it, or the player who was hoping to be in it, becomes puss, according to whether or not they have crossed on their journey.

Hunt the Slipper

The players sit in a circle on the floor, with their knees a little gathered up. One stands in the middle with a slipper, and the game is begun by this one handing the slipper to a player in the circle, with the remark--

Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe, Get it done by half-past two,

and then retiring from the circle for a few moments. The player to whom it was handed at once passes it on, so that when the owner of the slipper returns and demands her property again it cannot be found. With the hunt that then sets in the fun begins; the object of every player in the circle being to keep the player in the middle from seeing the slipper, from getting hold of it, or from knowing where it is, as it rapidly travels under the knees of the players here and there in the circle. Now and then, if the seeker is badly mystified, the slipper may be tossed across the circle. The player in whose possession it is when at last secured changes place with the one in the middle. Other handy things will do quite as well as a slipper, but something fairly large should be chosen, or discovery may take too long; and it ought to be soft in texture, or there may be bruises.

The Whistle

This is partly a trick. A player who does not know the game is put in the middle of the ring, round which a whistle is moving in the way that the slipper moves in "Hunt the Slipper." The object of the player in the middle is to discover the person who blew the whistle last. Meanwhile some one skilfully fixes another whistle on a string to the player's back, and that is the whistle which is really blown. As it must always be behind him when it is blown, nothing but the twitching of the string is likely to help him to discover the blower (and the trick); and in a small circle where every one is moving and laughing it takes some time to notice the twitching at all.

He Can Do Little Who Can't Do This

This is partly a trick. The leader takes a cane in his left hand, thumps on the floor several times, and passes it to a player saying, "He can do little who can't do this." The player tries to imitate him exactly, but if he takes the cane in his right hand he is wrong, the leader says, "You can do little, you can't do this," and hands the cane to the next player. The game goes on until every one has guessed that it is not the thumps which are to be imitated, but the holding the cane in the left hand.

Thimble

This is a very good game. All the company leave the room save one. He stays behind with a thimble, which he has to place in some position, where, _though it is in sight_, it will be difficult to discover. It may be high or low, on the floor or on the mantelpiece, but it must be visible. The company then return and begin to look for it. As the players find it they sit down, but it is more fun to do this very craftily and not at once, lest a hint be given as to the article's whereabouts. When every one has found it, or when a long enough time has been passed in looking for it, the thimble is hidden again, this time by the player who found it first. The game sounds easy, but it can be very difficult and very exciting, every one at the beginning of each search wishing to be first, and at the end wishing not to be last. Players often stand right over the thimble, staring directly at it, and still do not see it.

Magic Music

One player goes out. The others then hide something for him to find, or decide upon some simple action for him to perform, such as standing on a chair. When he is called in, one of the company seats herself at the piano and directs his movements by the tone of the music. If he is far from the object hidden the music is very low; as he gets nearer and nearer it becomes louder and louder.

Hot and Cold

The same game is played under the name of "Hot and Cold." In this case the player is directed by words; as he gets nearer and nearer the object he becomes "warm," "hot," "very hot," "burning"; when quite off the scent he is "cold."

The Jolly Miller

The one who shall be "it" is decided upon by counting out (see page 134), and he takes his place in the middle of the room. The others, arm in arm, walk around him in couples, singing,

There was a jolly miller who lived by himself. As the wheel went around he made his wealth; One hand on the hopper and the other on the bag: As the wheel went around he made his grab.

At "Grab," every one must change partners, and the one in the middle tries to be quick enough to get one himself. If he does, the one left alone must take his place in the middle and be the "Jolly Miller."

Going to Jerusalem

Some one sits at the piano, and a long row of chairs is made down the middle of the room, either back to back, or back and front alternately. There must be one chair fewer than the number of players. When all is ready the music begins and the players march round the chairs in a long line. Suddenly the music stops, and directly it does so every one tries to sit down. As there is one player too many some one must necessarily be left without a chair. That player has therefore to leave the game, another chair is taken away, and the music begins again. So on to the end, a chair and a player going after each round. The winner of the game is the one who, when only one chair is left, gets it. It is against the rules to move the chairs. A piano, it ought to be pointed out, is not absolutely necessary. Any form of music will do; or if there is no instrument some one may sing, or read aloud. But a piano is best, and the pianist ought now and then to pretend to stop, because this makes it more exciting for the players.

Stir the Mash

This is another variety of "Going to Jerusalem." The chairs are placed against the wall in a row, one fewer than the players. One of the players sits down in the middle of the room with a stick and pretends to be stirring a bowl of mash with it, while the others march round crying, "Stir the mash, stir the mash." Suddenly the player with the stick knocks three times on the floor, which is the signal for running for the chairs, and, leaping up, runs for them too. The one who does not get a chair has to stir the mash next.

Caterpillar

A circle of chairs is made, and all the players but one sit on them. This player stands in the middle and his chair is left empty. The game consists in his efforts to sit down in the empty chair and the others' attempts to stop him by continually moving one way or the other, so that the empty chair may this moment be on one side of the ring and the next on the other.

Honey-Pots

This is a game for several little players and two stronger ones. The little ones are the honey-pots, and the others the honey-seller and honey-buyer. The honey-pots sit in a row with their knees gathered up and their hands locked together under them. The honey-buyer comes to look at them, asking the honey-seller how much they are and how much they weigh; and these two take hold of the pots by the arms, one on each side, and weigh them by swinging them up and down (that is why the hands have to be tightly locked under the knees). Then the buyer says he will have them, and the seller and he carry them to the other end of the room together. Once there the seller returns, but quickly comes running back in alarm because he has missed his own little girl (or boy), and he fancies she must be in one of the honey-pots. The buyer assures him that he is mistaken, and tells him to taste them and see for himself that they are only honey. So the seller goes from one to the other, placing his hand on their heads and pretending to taste honey, until at last, coming to the one he has marked down, he exclaims, "Dear me, this tastes just like my little girl." At these words the little girl in question jumps up and runs away, and all the other honey-pots run away too.

Nuts in May

The players stand in two rows, facing each other and holding hands. A line is drawn on the carpet (or ground) between them. One row then step toward the other, singing--

Here we come gathering nuts in May, nuts in May, nuts in May, Here we come gathering nuts in May, on a cold and frosty morning.

They then fall back and the other row advance to them singing in reply--

Pray, who will you gather for nuts in May, nuts in May, nuts in May? Pray, who will you gather for nuts in May, on a cold and frosty morning?