Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium Part 23

_50 to 60 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

This is a leapfrog game. One player is chosen to be "back," and he chooses a leader, generally the poorest jumper, and a "footer"--the best jumper. A starting or "taw" line is drawn on the ground and the back stands with his side parallel to it. The other players line up in single file at some distance, with the leader at the head and the footer at the rear of the line. The footer dictates the way in which the back is to be cleared and his distance from taw. For instance, he may, having put a long distance between the back and the line, require a run of a limited number of steps, or a hop and skip (specifying the number), before the jump. The leader makes the first jump as prescribed by footer, and the others, in turn, including the footer.

Any player failing in the feat becomes back. Any player who is doubtful of success may call upon the footer to perform the feat. If the footer fails, he becomes the back. If the challenge be successfully met, the one making the challenge becomes back.

LEAPFROG

The back.--Any player who bends over to make a back for others to leap over is called the "back." He must rest his hands on his knees or near them to make a firm back. It is against the rules for any player making a back to throw up his back or bend it lower while a player is leaping over it; but each player, before jumping, may say "High back!" or "Low back!" which the one who is down must adjust before the jumper starts. He then must do his best to keep the back perfectly level and still, unless the game calls for a different kind of play. In some games the back stands with his back toward the jumpers, and in others with his side toward them. If he is to stand on a certain line, he must "heel it" if with his back toward them, or, if his side be toward them, stand with one foot on either side of the line.

The jumper.--The player who leaps must lay his hands flat on the back at the shoulders and not "knuckle," _i.e._ double under his fingers. Any player transgressing this rule must change places with the back. The back must be cleared without touching him with the foot or any part of the body except the hands. Such a touch is called "spurring," and the transgressor must change places with the back if the latter stands upright before the next player can jump over him. If he does not stand upright in time, he remains back. When a leap is made from a starting line or taw, the jumper may not put his foot more than half over the line. Good jumpers will land on the toes with knees bent and backs upright, not losing the balance.

The leapfrog games here given in alphabetic order include:--

I. WITH ONE BACK: II. WITH TWO OR MORE BACKS:

Leader and Footer Bung the Bucket Leapfrog Johnny Ride a Pony Leapfrog Race Cavalry Drill Par Saddle the Nag Spanish Fly Skin the Goat

LEAPFROG

_2 to 100 players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

The first player makes a back, standing either with his back or his side toward the one who is to leap over. The next player runs, leaps over the back, runs a few steps forward so as to allow s.p.a.ce for a run between himself and the first player, and in his turn stoops over and makes a back. This makes two backs. The third player leaps over the first back, runs and leaps over the second, runs a short distance and makes a third back, etc., until all the players are making backs, when the first one down takes his turn at leaping, and so on indefinitely.

VARIATION.--This may be made much more difficult by each player moving only a few feet in advance of the back over which he has leaped, as this will then leave no room for a run between the backs, but means a continuous succession of leaps by the succeeding players.

LEAPFROG RACE

_10 to 100 players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

The players are lined up in two or more single files, as for the simplest form of leapfrog, but the game is a race between the different files.

The first player takes his place on the starting or taw line and makes a "back," with his head away from the file. The next player immediately jumps over and makes a back one pace forward of the first player. The third jumps over the backs of the two and makes a third back, and so on until all are down, when the first player jumps over all in succession, but steps one side when he has vaulted over the last back. The others all follow.

The line wins which is first reduced to one player in the position of "back." In other words, when every player in the line has jumped over the back of every other player.

A burlesque on this game, which has in it some good sport and exercise, consists in crawling between the feet of the players instead of jumping over their backs. This may be done for every player in the line, or the two methods alternated, leaping over the back of one, crawling between the feet of the next, etc.

LETTING OUT THE DOVES

_3 to 30 players._

_In doors or out of doors._

This game is particularly suitable for young children. The players stand in groups of three. One in each group, usually the smallest, represents a dove; one a hawk, larger than the dove or a swifter runner; and the third the owner of the birds. The dove stands in front of the owner, holding her by the hand. The hawk stands behind, also held by the hand. The owner throws the dove from her with a gesture of the hand, first toward herself and then away, as a dove might be tossed for flight in the air, and the little dove sails away, with arms floating like wings. When the dove has a sufficient start, so that the larger and swifter hawk may not get her too easily, the owner throws the hawk in the same way. The hawk runs with outstretched arms also as though flying, and tries to catch the dove, but is obliged to run over exactly the same route as the dove. At her discretion the owner claps her hands as a signal for the two pet birds to return to her, the dove trying to get back without being caught by the hawk. The clapping for the return of the birds is always done with hollowed palms to make a deep sound. The owner gives this when the dove has reached the farthest point to which she thinks it best for her to go, the judgment for this being determined sometimes by the gaining of the hawk on his prey. The dove may not turn to come home until the signal be heard.

It is well to make an imaginative atmosphere for little children for this game by telling them of the way doves and hawks are trained as pets.

This game is played by little girls in China, and is one reported by Dr. Headland in his charming book on the _Chinese Boy and Girl_. Some additional points are given here, kindly supplied by Dr. Headland to the author.

LOST CHILD (THE)

_10 to 30 or more players._

_Schoolroom; parlor; playground; gymnasium._

This is a quiet game designed to test the memory, and makes an interesting variation when players are tired of active games. The players are all seated, with the exception of one, who is sent from the room. Or if the game be played in an open playground, this one player may blind his eyes in a corner of a wall or fence or behind a bush. When this player is well out of sight and hearing, the leader or teacher beckons one of the players, who leaves the group and hides. If in the schoolroom, this may be done under the teacher's desk or in a wardrobe. The rest of the players then change their seats, and the one who is blinding is called back and tries to tell which player is hidden. When successful, this first guesser may be seated and another chosen to blind. Otherwise the first guesser blinds again.

MASTER OF THE RING

_2 to 30 or more players._

_Playground; gymnasium._

A circle is drawn on the ground. The players stand shoulder to shoulder inside the circle, with arms folded either on the chest or behind the back. The play starts on a signal, and consists in trying to push one's neighbor with the shoulders out of the circle. Any player overstepping the line drawn on the ground drops out of the game. Any player who unfolds his arms or falls down is also out of the game.

The Master of the Ring is he who in the end vanquishes all of the others.

MAZE TAG

(Line Tag; Right Face)