At the seash.o.r.e stones or blocks of wood may be subst.i.tuted for the bags. A ring is drawn on the ground and the players take sides. The leader of each side toes a starting line across the ground at a distance from the circle. Bean bags or stones are thrown into the center of this, each one having a turn.

The side getting the biggest score is the winning one.

SKIPPING THE ROPE

Skipping the rope is an admirable exercise for girls and boys. There should be a spring in doing this. When a jumper comes down on his heels, instead of jumping from his toes, he is apt to make the skipping injurious by jarring his back. The players jump in turn over a long rope turned by two of the players. Each has a turn. A score is kept of the number of times a player can do this. Sides may be formed, or the jumpers may see how many times they can jump over the rope in succession.

HOME TAG--ANY NUMBER OF PLAYERS

The chaser tries to tag the runners before they can "get home," or to a given place. If he succeeds, the one tagged is "It."

SECRET TAG

Is played by not telling who is "It." He chases the other players and tries to tag one of them. If he succeeds, the one who was tagged becomes "It."

j.a.pANESE TAG

In this game the one tagged must place his hand on the spot of his body where the tagger tagged him; doing this, he must chase the other players until he tags one of them.

CROSSING THE BROOK

This is a favorite game with little children.

A place is marked off and named "The Brook"--we will say it is three feet wide.

The players run and try to jump the brook. When all have jumped over, they stand and jump backwards. The one who jumps into the brook instead of across it is out of the game.

CHAPTER XIX

SINGING GAMES FOR CHILDREN

MOON AND STARS--BOLOGNA MAN--ORCHESTRA--JACK BE NIMBLE--OATS, PEAS, BEANS-- FARMER IN THE DELL--LONDON BRIDGE, ETC.

ORCHESTRA

This is a very noisy game. The conductor names his players for instruments, and tells them in pantomime how to play. He then orders them to tune up. They do so, producing a terrible discord. Then the baton is waved by the conductor, and the musicians imitate the sounds of their instruments, while also imitating the movements a.s.signed them by the conductor. The result is very funny.

CHARLEY OVER THE WATER

A player becomes "Charlie." He stands in the center; the others form a circle about him, and dance, repeating the rhyme:

"Charlie over the water, Charlie over the sea, Charlie caught a black-bird, He can't catch me."

When the verse is ended, all the players try to stop before Charlie can tag them. If they succeed in doing this, Charlie remains in the ring and the verse is repeated, etc. The tagged one takes his place and he enters the ring.

JACK BE NIMBLE

"Jack, be nimble, Jack, be quick, Jack jumped over the candlestick."

A candlestick is placed on the floor. The players in turn jump over it, using both feet in so doing. Any other object may be subst.i.tuted for the candlestick. One of the players sings the verse and when the last line is reached the jump is made.

MARY'S LITTLE LAMB

This is a great favorite with the young folks. When everything else has become tiresome, some one starts the first line of the verse:

Mary had a little lamb, Fleece as white as snow, etc.

All sing, and on the second verse being reached the last syllable of the first line is dropped, then the next to the last, the third, the fourth, and so on, until the line is totally omitted. The aim of the singers is to keep exact time, counting a beat for each omitted syllable, and any one whose voice breaks in when all should be silent, pays a forfeit. The same can be done with "John Brown's Body," repeating the first verse and omitting syllable after syllable at the end of the first line until there is nothing left to sing but the chorus.

THE SNAIL

Holding hands, the children form a line, singing the following words; they wind up in a spiral, following the first child, who is the largest one, and represents the snail's head. The others huddle together to form the sh.e.l.l into which the snail creeps. The motion is slow, for the saying "creeps like a snail," is proverbial.

Hand in hand you see us well, Creep like a snail into his sh.e.l.l, Ever nearer, ever nearer, Ever closer, ever closer.

Very snug indeed you dwell, Snail, within your tiny sh.e.l.l.

Hand in hand you see us well, Creep like a snail out of his sh.e.l.l, Ever farther, ever farther, Ever wider, ever wider, Who'd have thought this tiny sh.e.l.l, Could have held the snail so well?

With the last verse the creeping out of the sh.e.l.l is accomplished.

OATS, PEAS, BEANS

A circle is formed. One player stands in the center. After singing the first four lines, all drop their hands. After this they imitate the motions suggested by the song. At the end of the verse they turn around several times, and then, joining hands, sing the chorus, standing still, for the last two lines. Then the one in the center chooses "one in," and returns herself to the circle. The game goes on as before.

Oats, peas, beans and barley grows, Oats, peas, beans and barley grows, Nor you nor I nor n.o.body knows, How oats, peas, beans and barley grows,

Thus the farmer sows his seed, Thus he stands and takes his ease, Stamps his foot and clasps his hands, And turn around to view his lands.

A-waiting for a partner, A-waiting for a partner, So open the ring and choose one in, Make haste and choose your partner.

Now you're married you must obey.

You must be true to all you say.

You must be kind, you must be good, And keep your wife in kindling wood.

MULBERRY BUSH

The players stand in a circle clasping hands, and circle round, singing the first verse. In the second and alternate verses, the action indicated by the lines is given in pantomime. In all verses the players spin around rapidly, each in her own place, on the repet.i.tion of the refrain, "So early in the morning."

Here we go round the mulberry bush, The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, Here we go round the mulberry bush, So early in the morning!

This is the way we wash our clothes, We wash our clothes, we wash our clothes, This is the way we wash our clothes, So early Monday morning.

This is the way we iron our clothes, We iron our clothes, we iron our clothes, This is the way we iron our clothes, So early Tuesday morning.

This is the way we scrub the floor, We scrub the floor, we scrub the floor, This is the way we scrub the floor, So early Wednesday morning.