My Book of Indoor Games Part 20

If he names any creature without wings, such as "Pigs fly," and any player thoughtlessly raises his finger, that player must pay a forfeit, as he must also do if he omits to raise his finger when a winged creature is named.

I SAY STOOP

Teacher says to the cla.s.s: "I say stoop."

Upon the word stoop all the children must stoop. If they do not they must be seated. The teacher must say "I say stand." The children must stand. If they do not they must be seated.

This game will cause the children to think quickly, and to act quickly.

The teacher can say: "I say fold the hands behind the back.

"I say take a deep breath of air."

"I say hands on hips."

"I say raise the arms over the head."

Anything else may be subst.i.tuted; those who are slow to act and think must be seated.

The one who remains standing the longest wins.

FLAG RACE

Players seated at desks. Rows need not be full, but there must be same number in each row. Choose a player to stand in front of each row to hold the flag, and another to stand at the rear of each row. At the signal the rear player of each row rises, runs to the front, takes the flag from the one holding it, carries it to the one standing at the rear, and takes his seat. As soon as he is seated the next player goes and takes the flag back to the player in front. This continues till all have run. Be sure that no team has an unfair advantage because of the positions taken by the flag holders.

SQUIRREL AND NUT

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

RACING AND COUNTING SCORES

Make a scoreboard on the blackboard, indicating each row by a number of letter. Players run as in "Racing" (First Grade, First Half Year).

Have front players run, tag front wall and return to seats, sit erect; mark score; others in a similar manner. Repeat, runners tagging rear wall. See which row has largest score.

SCHOOL-ROOM BASKET BALL

Place a basket in the front seat of the second row and another in the front seat of next to last row. Draw a throwing line on floor 20 feet from each basket. At some time beforehand choose four captains and have these captains choose teams, choosing in turn. Teams stand at least two rows apart and behind throwing line, each team having a ball. Captains stand beyond baskets, two captains at same basket. Each captain pa.s.ses the ball in turn to his players and they throw for the basket. Team throwing the most baskets in a round wins one point, first to get five points wins the contest.

LAST MAN

Players seated at desks. Rows playing must be full rows. The game is much like "Fox and Squirrel" (see First Grade, Second Half Year).

One player is "it," and there is one runner, besides the full rows of seats. The runner may come to the front of any row and call "Last Man," and then each player in that row must move back one place, leaving the front seat for the runner, who is now safe. The last one in the rear of the row will be out of a place and thus becomes runner.

When a runner is tagged, he is "it," and the one who caught him becomes runner and must get out of the way at once.

CHANGING SEATS

Players seated at desks. When teacher commands "Change right," all move one place to right and the right hand row stands. In like manner the command may be "Change front," "Change back," or "Change left." At first it is best to follow each change by the reverse, so as to allow those standing to get seats, but later they may be told that they must run to the vacant seats on the opposite side or end of the room.

Leaders may be chosen to act in place of the teacher.

HUCKLE, BUCKLE, BEANSTALK

The children close their eyes and put their heads on their desks.

A small object--a thimble or b.u.t.ton--is placed in plain sight. At a signal, the children move about the room, and when they see it, take their seats without making any sign of its whereabouts. The first one to see it may hide it the next time.

BLACKBOARD RELAY

This is like the blackboard relay played in the third grade, but instead of marks and letters, words must be written; these may be required to form a sentence, numbers may be written and afterwards added, subtracted, etc., by the succeeding players, or each player may write his own name. It is often interesting to have the last player required to erase all his team has written, or each child may erase his own writing, pa.s.sing the eraser as he did the chalk.

HIDE THE THIMBLE

One child goes out of the room. A thimble or b.u.t.ton is placed in plain sight by another child. The one who was sent out is then guided to the object by the clapping of the children--soft clapping for "cold," and louder for "warm."

SUGGESTIVE BREATHING WORK

1. March winds whistling through the trees. Inhale a deep breath and imitate the wind.

2. Keeping a feather in the air. Run with head back and blow short breaths, keeping an imaginary feather from falling to the ground.

3. Making Ocean Waves. By blowing the water in a large basin.

THE FOX CHASE

Four farmers are in their home in the country enjoying a quiet evening.

They hear a sound outside, they watch and listen and decide that the foxes are near the cabin. They wait until they are very close, then give chase--and catch as many as they can before the foxes have reached their home in the forest. All caught become farmers and help to catch the rest.