Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 November 1883 — Children’s Games and Frolics. [ARTICLE]

Children’s Games and Frolics.

A quiet blind man’s buff game which may be played in the house is known by the euphonious name of “Still Pond N o Moving. ” One child is blindfolded and stands in the middle of the room counting 100 by fives, then calls out “Still pond no moving.” The others hide in some part of the room, and the one who is “it” gropes about until he catches some one whom he must name. If anyone moves then he is blindfolded and has to be “it. ” A lady in Brooklyn, who has four little girls and three small hoys, has a game for them called “Housekeeping.” Every morning they clean up their nursery. Two ot them have little brooms and they do the sweeping, while a little tot of 3 years in a pink cap aud apron takes up the dust in a tiny dust-pan. The boys move the furniture about and then they all dust. They also dust the two parlors every morning, and seldom break anything. This is good exercise for them, and they enjoy it greatly. No grown-up person bothers them while they work, but their mother inspects it and points out improvements after it is done. “Oh, I wish it was warm weather, so the children could play out doors!” is an exclamation often heard during the months of cold wmather. Some days this month even it has been too cold for the little ones to remain out long, although every sensible mother should take her children out into the fresh air every clear day in the year/ unless they are sick. But the many hours a child spends indoors during winter ought to be filled with play of an amusing and instructive character. In the first place, do not forbid the children the kitchen, for in that most busy room of the house they may learn many useful things; g,nd what child does not like to see cakes and pies made, and have the disli the cake was mixed in after the cake is in the oven, or make a little pie or* cake of their own out of a piece <Jf dough ? Another mother in this city who has a large family of children has a game for them which they play every night. It is called “Circus” by the children and affords an excellent opportunity for exercise. They all form in a straight line, with their arms folded behind them and march backward and then forward to gay music played by then mother, singing some simple music, such as Six little children, all in a row, Backward, forward, here we all go. Then they place the hands clasped over* the head and march again singing; then thdjr place their hands on each other’s shoulders and march. One child recites a little poem every night, and is crowned with a wreath of flowers, the children forming a circle about her and singing. Then the father holds a spelling match, over which they have great fun, after which they sing a hymn and go off to bed, their eyes sparkling with fun and exercise and their memories, voices and lungs gaining strength by the game. A useful and instructive game for children a little older is called “Finding.” Each one has a map, say of Asia, or they may cluster around a big map. Some one of them says, “Find Pekin.” Then they hunt for it and whoever finds it and locates it properly has the next turn.— New York Journal.