35. _FINDING THE THIMBLE_

This is a favourite game and can be played with very little noise. At home, _all_ the children would go out of the room except the one who remains behind to hide the thimble, but when played in the school or cla.s.sroom, it will be sufficient if six children are sent out.

The thimble is to be placed where it can be seen, the children are then called in, and the one who has hid it says:--

Try to find the thimble out, Use your eyes and look about, Look before and look behind, And when you the thimble find, Just sit down.

As soon as any child sees the thimble, he takes a seat and remains quite still until all the seekers have seen it, and each in turn has sat down.

Then the child who _first_ saw the thimble takes it from its hiding-place, and has the privilege of remaining behind to hide it next time. Different children should go out each time, so that all may have a turn.

36. _THROWING THE HANDKERCHIEF_

The children stand in a ring, or sit round the room, one child standing in the middle. The handkerchief is thrown from one to another, and the one who is 'out' tries to find a child with the handkerchief in its hand. As soon as he can do this, the child who was caught with the handkerchief has to stand in the centre, and the other one sits down, or stands in the ring, as the case may be.

As the game begins, the children say:--

The handkerchief is thrown, Find quickly where 'tis gone: From you to me, from me to you, To keep it long will never do.

37. _PICKING UP POTATOES_

Take twelve potatoes and place them in two rows of six each, thus:--

[Ill.u.s.tration:

Two medium-sized spoons are required with which to take up the potatoes, and a basket is placed two or three yards away to receive them.

Two children are chosen to pick up the potatoes, one standing at the end of each row. The rest of the children may be grouped on the gallery, or may stand round in a ring.

The following verse is repeated either by teacher alone, or by all the children, as the spoon is handed to each child.

Take this spoon, and with it see That you lift so carefully These potatoes. One! two! three!

The last three words are said slowly, and the game is to begin immediately 'three' is said. The child who gets his row of potatoes _first_ picked up and deposited in the basket wins the game. The potatoes are not to be touched, except by the spoon, and they are to be carried one by one in the spoon to the basket.

II. GAMES FOR THE PLAYGROUND

38. _THROWING THE BALL_

One child holds the ball in her hand and stands at a little distance from the wall against which it is to be thrown. The other children are gathered near in a group or semi-circle. When all are ready, the children say:--

Throw the ball against the wall, Then we'll listen for your call.

The child who is holding the ball replies:--

'One, two, three, Pollie Burton' (supposing that to be the name of the child called), and throws the ball, all the children running off except the one whose name was mentioned. If the latter is successful in catching the ball, it is returned to the girl who had it first and the game is repeated, another name being subst.i.tuted. If the ball is not caught, the child who was called picks it up and runs after the other children until she manages to hit some one with it. The child who is. .h.i.t picks up the ball and all return to the starting place. The lines are again repeated and the game proceeds as before.

39. _LAME La.s.sIE_

At the commencement of the game the children stand in a large ring, and the girl who is to be 'Lame la.s.sie' stands in the centre. The children then say:--

Now Lame la.s.sie give us chase, Get one quick to fill your place.

They all run off, and 'Lame la.s.sie' follows until she manages to touch some other child. Wherever the latter is touched, she must place her hand on that particular spot and run after the others until she is successful in reaching some one else. Sometimes a child will be holding its shoulder or elbow, or it may have to hold up one leg and hop on the other. This is a game which causes much fun and merriment.

40. _POLLY FLINDERS_

The children form a ring, joining hands, and one child sits in the middle. Those who form the ring walk round singing to the tune of 'The Keel Bow.'

Here's Polly Flinders, She sits on the cinders, Waits for a fairy to come and bring her news.

Stand upon your feet, dear, Take a look around here, Kiss the one you love best, the one you like to choose.

At the word 'stand' the child in the centre rises to her feet, and when the rhyme is ended she chooses a child to take her place in the centre and returns to the ring. All the children stand still while the choice is being made.

41. _DROP, DROP, DROP_

The children stand eighteen inches apart in a ring, _not_ joining hands.

One child walks round the ring, holding a handkerchief in her hand, and repeating the words:--

One, two, three, Come follow me, Drop, drop, drop, Where shall I stop?

At the word 'stop,' she drops the handkerchief near one of the children, and runs; the child picks it up and follows her as she threads her way in and out of the ring, until she is caught. Then the 'chaser' goes round the ring with the handkerchief, repeating the rhyme, and the child who was caught stands in the other one's place.

42. _PUSS IN THE CORNER_

This game may be played by four children, each standing at a corner, with one in the centre for 'p.u.s.s.y,' or it maybe played by a ring of children.

The child who is 'p.u.s.s.y' stands in the centre of the ring, and the others say:--

p.u.s.s.y cat, p.u.s.s.y cat looking so spry, Might very soon catch us, if she would but try.

Two children then beckon to each other and exchange places. (If a ring is formed, the two children should come from opposite sides of it.) As they are crossing, 'p.u.s.s.y' tries to catch one of them; if she succeeds, the child who is caught stands in the centre, and the old 'p.u.s.s.y' takes her place in the ring or corner.