School, Church, and Home Games Part 9

The leader then continues pa.s.sing until all have been served; he then starts again at right of line. He pa.s.ses the ball last to the one on the lower steps. Should any of the players on any step miss the ball, all the other players advance one step. The ones who advance from the lower step take a position at the right of the one who missed the ball on the step above. Should the leader miss the ball at any time, the one at the right on the highest step takes his place. The game continues until the top of the stairs is reached by one or more players. If more than one player reaches the top step then the progress continues down the stairs, a step for each miss by any of the players. When one player holds the most advanced step alone, the game starts over with that player as leader.

Spin the Platter

All of the players in the room are given a number. A tin plate is spun in the centre of the room by one of the players who calls some number.

The one whose number is called endeavors to catch the plate before it has stopped spinning. If successful, he calls another number after again spinning the platter. Should the player fail to catch the platter before it has stopped spinning, a forfeit is demanded. All the players having forfeits are demanded to pay their forfeits by performing some stunt suggested by one of the group selected to determine the penalty.

Board and Nail Puzzle

[Ill.u.s.tration:

. . . . o . . . .

A rectangular board 2 inches broad and 3 inches long has holes bored into it in the design herewith ill.u.s.trated. Nails are stuck loosely in all of these holes, excepting the centre one. The puzzle is to jump all of the nails off the board so that only one nail is left, and that in the centre-hole on the board. The nails are jumped off in the same manner that men are jumped in the game of checkers. Jumping is allowed either forward, backward, or sideward, but not diagonally.

Spinning for 20

A wooden top is made by sawing off the end of a large spool and sticking a match or small stick through the hole in the centre. Four concentric circles are drawn upon a sheet of paper which should be about twelve inches square. Inside of the smallest circle, which should have a diameter of 2 inches, the number 20 is placed. The next circle outside of this one, having a diameter 2 inches greater, should be numbered 15, the next circle numbered 10, and the next 5.

The players spin the top in turn. Should it cease spinning so that the point of the pin lies within the centre circle, a score of 20 is made.

Should it fall outside of the last circle, no score is made. The player first gaining 100 points wins the game.

Red Triangle Ring Toss

[Ill.u.s.tration]

A triangle is drawn upon a board and nails are driven in, as indicated in the accompanying diagram. Six rubber Mason jar rings are used. The triangle is hung on the wall at a height equal to the height of the shoulders of the intended players. The players stand from ten to fifteen feet distant from the triangle and attempt to toss the rings over the projecting nails. Each nail is numbered according to the diagram. Each player tosses six rings at a turn. Any number of players can play. The player first securing a total of 25 points wins the game.

Floor Baseball

(_Game invented by T.A. Coates_)

A diagram is marked with chalk on the floor, as per accompanying diagram. Round wooden disks six inches in diameter, one inch thick at the centre tapering to a quarter of an inch at the circ.u.mference, in the form of a discus, are used. Rubber quoits may be used instead of disks, if available.

A player "up to bat" slides disks from a line thirty feet away from the baseball diamond until he has four b.a.l.l.s, three strikes, or has earned one or more bases. If the disk, upon being slid forward, lies so that any part of it lies over any line, it const.i.tutes one ball for the batter. If it should lie in the s.p.a.ce marked "Strike", it const.i.tutes a strike and the batter has one ball and one strike. The next slide, the disk lies in the s.p.a.ce marked "1". This means that he places his disk on first base and the next player on his side comes to bat. The second player continues sliding the disks until he has made a base or is put out. Should he make a base, the player of the first disk is advanced one base. Should he make more than one base hit, the player on the base advances as many bases as the batter has made. The side continues at bat until three men are out. Thereupon, the other team comes to bat.

Should the disk land in "Sacrifice", base hit, home run, or should the one at bat gain first by four b.a.l.l.s, the man or men on base or bases advance. Any man or men reaching home const.i.tutes a run for that team.

Should the disk land three times within the s.p.a.ce marked "Strike"

during the time at bat, the batsman is declared "out".

[Ill.u.s.tration: Floor Baseball]

Two players can play this game as well as nine, each taking as many slides of the disk as is necessary to reach a base or get out. Then the other player does the same until the team has three out.

Blocks or stones can indicate the position of players on bases if only one disk is used in the game.

Chic-a-dee

This is a good game to be played in the loft of a barn. One player is blindfolded and sits on the floor with legs folded under him, Chinese fas.h.i.+on. The other players creep up and say "Chic-a-dee" as near his ear as possible. He tries to hit said player before he can get beyond his reach, using a salt bag stuffed with leaves, or some type of padded stick. Should he succeed, the one he hits is blindfolded and the game continues.

Captain Kidd's Gold

This is a good game in which all the members of a family may find pleasure. It develops one's power of observation and memory. A small coin is hidden somewhere about the yard or in the woods, wherever the game may be played, by one of the players. All of the other players must be either blindfolded or placed in a position where they cannot see the player who is hiding the coin.

The player having hidden the coin returns to the group and describes just how they are to find same. For ill.u.s.tration:--he gives the following description of the course to follow. "Walk twenty paces in a direct line towards the apple tree at the far end of the garden. There you will find a small stone upon a larger one. Under the small stone you will find an arrow scratched upon the larger one. Follow the directions of this arrow fifteen paces. Then turn sharply to the left, go ten paces, and underneath a stone will be found Captain Kidd's Gold." The players may ask him to repeat the directions once. After repeating, however, they must follow the direction without further questioning. The one successful in finding the coin next hides the same.

This game can be made simple enough for small children to enjoy or difficult enough to prove a problem for adults.

CHAPTER II

ICE BREAKERS FOR SOCIABLES

Bird Hunt

Names of different birds are written on small slips of paper and pinned upon the backs of all the guests. A small card and a pencil are given to each guest and they are instructed to go on a bird hunt. They proceed to try to read the names on the backs of twenty other players.

The one first succeeding in getting the names of twenty birds wins the game. Each player endeavors to avoid having the slip on his own back read as he endeavors to read those on the backs of the others.

My Month

Twelve placards with the name of a month of the year on each are posted about the room, and the players are instructed to gather around that placard bearing the name of the month in which they were born. Then each group in turn is called upon to select some activity typical for that month and to act it out. The others endeavor to guess the month by the activity represented.

Poison Circle

The group marches in couples around the room while a march is being played intermittedly on some instrument. Small rugs are placed in the path of the marchers or circles are drawn on the floor, through which the marchers must pa.s.s. If any couple is left on a rug or within a circle when the music stops playing, that couple drops out of the march. All march forward again when the music starts and try to avoid being caught on a rug or in a circle. The last couple in wins.

Shoe Hunt

Advertis.e.m.e.nts of shoes are cut out and the ill.u.s.trations of pairs of shoes are halved. These are hidden around the room. The individual finding the largest number of pairs of shoes wins. Players are allowed to trade with each other in order to complete their pairs.