My Lady’s Toilet

The leader gives to each of the party the name of some article used by a lady-a glove, fan, handkerchief, slippers, veil, belt, ribbon, brooch, back comb, collar, hairpins, cloak, etc, The players to whom the names of the articles have been given arrange themselves in a circle; one stands in the center and spins a plate. An ordinary tin pie plate may he used.

As he spins the plate he says, “My lady is going to the theater and needs her –,” naming one of the articles assigned to the players. At the mention of this article, the person to whom it has been given comes forward and catches the plate while it is still spinning. If he fails to catch the plate before it falls to the floor he must pay a forfeit. He now takes his turn with the plate, spinning it and using the name of another of the articles.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

The “Mimic” Club

This is a game which causes much amusement to a company of children, and even grown-ups may join in.

All the players, with the exception of two, leave the room. One of the outside party is then called in, and told that a new club has been formed and his name enrolled, but that he cannot be formally admitted unless he can guess the name of the club from the movements of the two members who have remained in the room. The candidate for admission is then offered a chair, and everything said and every movement made is mimicked by the other two.

Sometimes the new member guesses at once, but when unable to do this it is very funny to watch the effect that the copying of his every movement has upon him, especially when six or seven have been admitted.

When the name of the club has been guessed another candidate is invited in and the same performance takes place.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Magic Writing

In this game a confederate is necessary. The player states to the company, after a few remarks on ancient sign-language, that he is able to read signs made with a stick on the floor, and agrees to leave the room whilst the company decide upon some word or sentence.

The game is played as follows: It is agreed by the player and his confederate that one tap on the floor shall represent A, two taps E, three taps I, four taps O, and five taps U, and that the first letter of each remark the confederate makes shall he one of the consonants of the word or sentence decided upon by the company. The consonants must be taken in order. On the player’s return, supposing the word chosen to be “March,” his confederate would commence: “Many people think this game a deception” (initial letter M). One tap on the floor (A). “Really it is very simple” (initial letter R). “Coming to the end soon (initial letter C). “Hope it has been quite clear” (initial letter H).

A few more signs are made so as not to finish too abruptly, and the player then states the word to be “March.” If carefully conducted, this game will interest the audience for a considerable time.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

The Menagerie

To each member of the company is given the name of a bird or animal by the “Keeper” who is to relate a story of adventure in which the names of the birds and animals are frequently mentioned.

At the mention of the word the member of the company bearing that name is to imitate the noise made by the creature named. Failing to do so promptly or imitating the noise of a creature assigned to some one else he or she is required to pay a forfeit. The “keeper” may demand the delinquent player’s seat instead of a forfeit and assume his menagerie name while the unseated one becomes the “keeper” and must continue the story.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Jack’s Alive

A match or small piece of wood is lighted and when well afire blown out. It is then passed from one player to another with the words, “Jack’s alive,” and may be handed about so long as a live spark remains. The trick is to dispose of Jack while he is still alive but no player needs to take him unless the words, “Jack’s alive” are quoted. Jack may not be handed along after he is dead but the player in whose hands he dies must pay a forfeit or have a mustache drawn on his face with the end of the burned stick.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

IT

One of the players is asked to go outside whilst the company think of some person in the room, and on his return he has to guess of whom the company has thought.

The players then arrange themselves in a circle and agree each to think of his or her right-hand neighbor; it is best to have a girl and boy alternately, as this adds much to the amusement.

The one outside is then called in, and commences to ask questions. Before replying, the player asked must he careful to notice his or her right-hand neighbor, and then give a correct reply. For instance, supposing the First question to be: “Is the person thought of a boy or a girl?” the answer would possibly be “A boy”; the next person would then he asked the color of the complexion, the next one the color of the hair, if long or short, etc., to which questions the answers would, of course, be given according to the right-hand neighbor.

Nearly all the answers will contradict the previous ones, and something like this may be the result: “A boy,” “very dark complexion,” long yellow hair,” “wearing a black Eton jacket,” “with a dark green dress,” “Five feet high,” “about six years old,” etc. When the player guessing gives the game up, the joke is explained to him.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

I Love My Love with an “A”

To play this game it is best for the players to arrange themselves in a half-circle round the room.

Then one begins: “I love my love with an “A,” because she is affectionate; I hate her with an “A,” because she is artful. Her name is Alice, she comes from Aberdeen, and I gave her an apricot.” The next player says: “I love my love with a “B,” because she is bonnie; I hate her with a “B,” because she is boastful. Her name is Bertha, she comes from Bath, and I gave her a book.” The next player takes “C,” and the next “D” and so on through all the letters of the alphabet

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

How? When? Where?

One of the players goes out of the room and the players decide upon an object. Let us suppose that the word chosen is chest. The word being agreed upon, the other player is called in. The game is for this player to guess the word by asking the three questions “How do you like it? When do you like it? Where do you like it?” of each person until the word is guessed. For instance, one player is asked:

“How do you like it?”

“Full of gold coins.”

“When do you like it?”

“When I an traveling.”

“Where do you like it?”

“In a safe place where robbers cannot find it.” And so the game goes on until the guesser knows the word. If he fails to guess it after asking every one of the players the three questions, “How do you like it? When do you like it? Where do you like it?” he must pay a forfeit. The guesser next time is the person who, in making his answer gave away the word decided upon.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Gossip

The leader writes out a short story. It may be a bit of gossip, a newspaper incident or anything he wishes, it should however be rather excitable in character. He reads the story over, that he may whisper it to one of his neighbors without the aid of the paper. The neighbor listens attentively and in turn whispers it to another neighbor, and it is whispered from one to the other until everyone has heard it. The last person to whom the story was told is asked to relate it and then the person who originated the story is asked to read his written copy. It will be almost unbelievable how the facts of the story have changed in the telling. Scarcely ever will the story be accurate in any particular.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Guessing Groceries

Into bits of muslin should be tied samples of groceries-tea, coffee, starch, rice. beans, spices, etc.

The player: are allowed one guess for each sample, depending entirely upon the sense of feeling, and the one guessing the largest number correctly is given a prize. The hostess should have the samples numbered in order to keep count of the guesses. One young lady has a lot of pretty little silk bags tilled with these samples and uses them again and again, and they always bring the same amount of fun.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain