A Luncheon in White and Yellow

Use a large plateau or mirror for the centerpiece, in the center of which lay an irregular piece of real (or artificial) moss about and-half the diameter of the plateau (to represent an island.) Stick a few sprays of asparagus and maidenhair fern in it and a number of white and yellow spring flowers-the crocus, jonquil, daffodil, daisy and snowdrop. Cut the stem: of the Bowers in various lengths to give a better effect. Place a few (artificial) little fluffy chickens on the island and several downy ducklings in the surrounding lake (mirror.) Or use a vase of jonquils and daffodils for a center piece.

Continue reading ‘A Luncheon in White and Yellow…’

Consequences

One of the most popular games at a party is certainly “Consequences”; it is a very old favorite, but has lost none of its charms with age. The players sit in a circle; each person is provided with a half sheet of notepaper and a pencil, and is asked to write on the top -

(1) one or more adjective, then to fold the paper over, so that what has been written cannot be seen. Every player has to pass his or her paper on to the right hand neighbor, and all have then to write on the top of the paper which has been passed by the left-hand neighbor

Continue reading ‘Consequences…’

Cross Questions and Crooked Answers

To play this game it is best to sit in a circle, and until the end of the game no one must speak above a whisper.

The first player whispers a question to his neighbor, such as: “Do you like roses?”

This question now belongs to the second player, and he must remember it.

The second player answers: “Yes, they smell so sweetly,” and this answer belongs to the first player.

The second player now asks his neighbor a question, taking care to remember the answer, as it will belong to him. Perhaps he has asked his neighbor, “Are you fond of potatoes?” And the answer may have been, “Yes, when they are fried!”

So that the second player has now a question and an answer belonging to him, which he must remember.

Continue reading ‘Cross Questions and Crooked Answers…’

The Curate

A player is chosen to represent “The Curate.”

The other players are assigned such names as printer, plumber. jeweler, butcher, druggist, shoemaker, etc. “The Curate” starts the game by saying.

“Mr. Butcher (or any other name) I called to see you this morning but you were not at home.”

The Butcher: “I had just gone over to the jeweler’s.”

Curate: “And what business had you at the jeweler’s?”

(The jeweler is the next to speak but he must not do so until the question is answered.)

Continue reading ‘The Curate…’

Definitions

A subject is given to the company by the “teacher” and those joining in the game are each to define the subject in as terse a manner as possible, in epigram or verse, written on a slip of paper.

The cards are then signed, turned in and the “teacher” reads the definitions.

Then the company are to decide which one of the definitions has the greatest merit. For instance, the word “Friendship” is given and the answers might run like these:

Continue reading ‘Definitions…’

Kid’s Games Link roundup

Some really fun kid links (via Boing Boing) for the month of October -

Do-It-Yourself Crazy Drinking straws - Build any number of weird arrangements of straws to drink from multiple glasses at a time.

I bet this would be great fun at a Halloween party to create some scary concoctions.

An excellent interview with Jessica Polka and her Wunderkammer (Wonder Chamber.)

Jessica has created some amazing crochet “specimens” that remind me of a mix between The Life Aquatic and carnival side shows.

You can even purchase the patterns for some of her designs if you’re the crafty type yourself.

Wendy from Wisdom of the Moon has whipped up some utterly delicious Halloween cupcakes

I absolutely love Halloween, and these cupcakes would be sure to steal the show with any kid’s who see them.

And finally, Matt has created his first papercraft model named Grumm.

Not only has he created it, but he’s made a nifty little PDF file that you can download, printout, and put together to recreate his model yourself!

The Bird-Catcher

To play this game you must first decide which one of you is to be the Bird-catcher; the other players then each choose the name of a bird, but no one must choose the owl, as it is forbidden.

All the players then sit in a circle with their hands on their knees, except the Bird-catcher, who stands in the center, and tells a tale about birds, taking care to specially mention the ones he knows to have been chosen by the company. As each bird’s name is called, the owner must imitate its note as well as he can, but when the owl is named, all hands must be put behind the chairs, and remain there until the next bird’s name is mentioned, When the Bird-catcher cries “all the birds” the players must together give their various imitations of birds. Should any player fail to give the cry when his bird is named, or forget to put his hands behind his chair, he has to change places with Bird-catcher.

Image © Tom@HK @ Flickr, Attribution

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Acting Rhymes

For this game, half the players go outside the door, whilst those who stay in the room choose a word of one syllable, which should not be too difficult. For instance, suppose the word chosen be “Flat,” those who are out of the room are informed that a word has been thought of that rhymes with “Cat.” and they then have to act, without speaking, all the words they can think of that rhyme with “Cat.”

Supposing their First idea be “Bat,” they come into the room and play an imaginary game of cricket. This not being correct, they would he hissed for their pains, and they must then hurry outside again. They might next try “Rat,” most of them going into the room on their hands and feet, whilst the others might pretend to be frightened. Again they would be hissed. At last they boys go in and fall flat on their faces, while the girls pretend to use flat-irons upon their backs. The loud slapping that follows tells than that they are right at last. They then change places with the audience, who, in turn, become the actors.

Image © ~My aim is true~ @ Flickr, Attribution

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Animal, Vegetable, of Mineral?

This is a capital game for a large party, for it is both instructive and amusing. One player is selected who has to guess what word or sentence the remainder of the company has chosen. He goes out of the room, and when the subject has been decided upon, returns and asks a question of each of the company in turn. The answer must he either “Yes” or “No,” and in no case should more words be used, under penalty of paying a forfeit.

Continue reading ‘Animal, Vegetable, of Mineral?…’

Adjectives

A slip of paper and a pencil is given to each player, who must then write a number of adjectives upon it. The slips are collected and given to the principal player, who has undertaken to read out a short story, substituting the adjectives on the slips for those already in the story. The adjectives must be taken as they come and not picked out to suit the story.

Continue reading ‘Adjectives…’