The blindfolded player is placed in the middle of the room, and the other players all place themselves at various distances round him. The blind-man is then told how many steps he must take in order to be able to touch a certain player. This game does, I know, sound rather simple in writing; but try it, and you will find that it is not so easy as you imagine.

It will also have the effect of making the dullest party lively, because the blind-man makes such absurd mistakes as to the direction and length of steps that he has to take.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

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Place a lighted candle on a table at the end of a room. Invite someone to stand in front of it, then blindfold him, make him take three steps backwards, turn round three times and then advance three steps and blow out the candle. If he fails he must pay a forfeit. It will be found that very few are able to succeed, simple though the test appears to be.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

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First a postmaster-general must be appointed, whose duty is to write down the names of the players, and the names of the cities they have chosen to represent. The postman is blindfolded and led to the middle of the room, whilst the other players are seated round it. The postmaster-general then begins to announce that a letter has been sent from one town to another, say from Denver to Chicago. The two players who have taken those names must rise up silently and change seats.

The postman’s duty is to try and seat himself in one of the vacant chairs; the player who loses his chair must become the blind postman.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Image © racka_abe @ Flickr, Attribution

This is another way of playing Blind Man’s Bluff, and is thought by many to be an improvement on that game.

The player, who is blindfolded, stands in the centre of the room with a ling paper wand, which can be made of newspaper folded up length ways, and tied at each end with string. The other players then join hands and stand round him in a circle. Someone then plays a merry tune on the piano and the players dance round and round the blind man, until suddenly the music stops; the blind man then takes the opportunity of lowering his wand upon one of the circle, and the player upon whom it has fallen has to take hold of it. The blind man then makes a noise, such as, for instance, the barking of a dog, a street cry, or anything he things will cause the player he has caught to betray himself, as the captive must imitate whatever noise the blind man likes to make. Should the blind man detect who holds the sticks the one who is caught has to be blind man; if not, the game goes on until he succeeds.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

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“and the fun begins…” Not only do you learn how to play “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” here, but you get a great description of the most likely places that the tail will end up and the amount of laughter one can expect the game to generate.

Speaking of pinning things onto figures, Jennifer Beck Harris has some fun coloring printouts and dress up figures on her illustrations site – Looks like enough activities to keep someone busy for at least an afternoon.

Donkey’s Tail

A good-sized donkey without a tail is first of all cut out of brown paper and fastened to the wall. The tail is then cut out separately, and a hat-pin is struck through the end. The players arrange themselves in a line some little distance from the wall, and the fun begins. Each player must, in turn, advance with closed eyes towards the donkey, and, still keeping his eyes tightly shut, fasten the tail in what he believes to be the right position. When, amidst much laughter, he is told to open his eyes, he finds that he has very carefully fastened the tail to the top of the donkey’s ear, or on the side of his nose.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

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The children sit in two rows opposite each other with a space between. One child takes the place of “cat,” being blindfolded, the cat standing at one end of the row and the mouse at the opposite end. They start in opposite directions, guiding themselves by the chairs, the cat trying to catch the mouse. When the mouse is caught it is made the “cat,” and one of the company takes the place of the mouse.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Image © Abraaj @ Flickr, Attribution

March has gone out like a lamb, just as it should be and we’re ready to slog through April. What better way to get through it than blindfolded?

Here is one of the many blindfolded games in this book. Maybe it’s just me, or maybe we have more sharp objects laying around the house than they used to, but it seems just a might bit dangerous to have kids running around chasing each other while blindfolded.

Also, she matter of factly states the answers to the call and answer the children do for this game, but I’ve never heard it before. Does anyone know the history of the “How many horses has your father?” question, or what it’s from?

Or maybe she just made it up for this game, either way it’s interesting.

Blind man’s Bluff

Before beginning to play, the middle of the room should be cleared, the chairs placed against the wall, and all toys and footstools put out of the way. The child having been selected who is to be “Blind Man” or “Buff,” is blindfolded. He is then asked the question, “How many horses has your father?” The answer is “Three,” and to the question: “What color are they?” he replies: “Black, white, and grey.” All the players then cry: “Turn around three times and catch whom you may.” “Buff” accordingly spins round and then the fun commences. He tries to catch the players, whilst they in their turn do their utmost to escape “Buff,” all the time making little sounds to attract him. This goes on until one of the players is caught, when Buff, without having the bandage removed from his eyes, has to guess the name of the person he has secured. If the guess is a correct one the player who has been caught takes the part of “Buff,” and the former “Buff” joins the ranks of the players.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

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