One quick link for you today -

Parenting Guide gives us 10 easy kid activities – perfect for those summer days that you need some help figuring out what to do.

Oranges and Lemons

Two of the players join hands, facing each other, having agreed privately which is to be “Oranges” and which “Lemons.” The rest of the party form a long line, standing one behind the other, and holding each other’s dresses or coats. The first two raise their hands so as to form an arch, and the rest run through it, singing as they run:

"Oranges and Lemons,
Say the bells of St. Clement's;
You owe me five farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's;
When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.
I do not know,
Says the big bell of Bow.
Here comes a candle to light you to bed
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head!"

At the word “head” the hand archway descends, and clasps the player passing through at that moment; he is then asked in a whisper, “Oranges or Lemons?” and if he chooses “oranges,” he is told to go behind the player who has agreed to be “oranges” and clasp him round the waist.

The player must be careful to speak in a whisper, so that the others may not know what has been said.

The game then goes on again, in the same way, until all the children have been caught and have chosen which they will be, “oranges” or “lemons.” When this happens, the two sides prepare for a tug-of-war. Each child clasps the one in front of him
tightly and the two leader: pull with all their might, until one side has drawn the other across a line which has been drawn between them.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Image © ::Photo Mojo:: @ Flickr, Attribution

Do you have a Toy library at your house? Aptly named Parent Hacks has tons of fun tips to help keep parents sane, which seems like a pretty good goal. And now, on to the classic game of the day -

Oats and Beans and Barley

All the children form a ring with the exception of one player, who stands in the centre. The children then dance round this one, singing the first three lines of the verses given below. At the forth line they stop dancing and act the words that are sung. They pretend to scatter seed then stand at ease, stamp their feet, clap their hands, and at the words: “Turn him round,” each child turns round.

They then again clap hands and dance round, and when the words: “Open the ring and send one in,” are sung, the center child chooses a partner, who steps into the ring, and the two stand together while the other children sing the remaining verse, after which the child who was first in the centre joins the ring and the game is continues as before.

Oats and beans and barley O!
Do you or I or anyone know
How oats and beans and barley grow?

First the farmer sows his seed,
Then he stands and takes his ease,
Stamps his foot and claps his hands,
And turns him round to view the land.

Oats and beans and barley O!
Waiting for a partner, Waiting for a partner,
Open the ring and send one in.
Oats and beans and barley O!

So now you're married you must obey,
You must be true to all you say,
You must be kind, you must be good,
And help your wife to chop the wood.
Oats and beans and barley O!"

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Image © shizhao @ Flickr, Attribution

Honestly, this story was scary to me, I can’t imagine young children playing it then and not having nightmares everyday for the rest of their lives. It’s a love story where the young girl dies from blight and/or cruel parents. Do we still have blight?

Miss Jennia Jones

The story of this is originally a love story. The young lady dies from a blighted affection and the prohibition of cruel parents.
A mother, seated, Miss Jones stands behind her chair, or reclines on her lap as if lying sick. A dancer advances from the ring.

I've come to see Miss Jennia Jones,
Miss Jennia Jones, Miss Jennia Jones -
I've come to see Miss Jennia Jones,
And how is she to-day?

She's up stairs washing,
Washing, washing -
She's up stairs washing,
You cannot see her to-day.

The questions are repeated to the same air for every day of the week and Miss Jones is backing, ironing, or scrubbing. She is then sick or worse and finally is dead.

What shall we dress her in,
Dress her in, dress her in;
What shall we dress her in -
Shall it be blue?

Blue is for sailors,
So that will never do.

What shall we dress her in,
Shall it be red?
Red is for firemen
So that will never do.

Pink is for babies
So that will never do

Green is forsaken
So that will never do

Black is for mourners
So that will never do

White is for dead people
So that will just do.

What shall we bury her?
Under the apple tree.

Miss Jennie Jones is “laid out” upon the floor and something white thrown over her.
After the burial is completed the children for a ring and sing:

I dreamed I saw a ghost last night,
Ghost last night, ghost last night -
I dreamed I saw a ghost last night,
Under the apple tree!

The ghost suddenly arises. The ring breaks up, the children fly with shrieks, and the one caught by the ghost is to take the part of Miss Jennia Jones in the next game.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Image © brooklyn @ Flickr, ShareAlike

More tough love character building in this game, even classic for its time, “London Bridge.” “The child who lets go, and breaks the line, is pointed at and derided.,” so in this version of London Bridge there isn’t so much a winner, as a loser that everyone makes sure to let know what a loser they are. Enjoy!

London Bridge

No game has been more popular with children than this, and any summer evening, in the poorer quarters of the cities, it may still be seen how six years instructs three years in the proper way of conducting it. Two players, by their uplifted hands, form and arch, representing the bridge, under which passes the train of children, each clinging to the garments of the predecessor and hurrying to get safely by. As the last verse is sung the raised Arms of the two directors of the game descent and enclose the child who happens to be passing at the time. The prisoner is then led, still confined by the arms of her captors, to the corner which represents the prison and asked, “Will you have a diamond necklace or a gold pin?” “A rose or a cabbage?” or some equivalent question. The keepers have already privately agreed which of the two each of these object shall represent, and, according to the prisoner’s choice, he is placed behind one or the other. When all are caught, the game ends with a “Tug of War,” the two sides pulling against each other; and the child who lets go, and breaks the line, is pointed at and derided. The words of the rhyme sung while the row passes under the bridge are now reduced to two lines:

London bridge is falling down,
My fair lady!

London bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down,
London bridge is falling down
My fair lady!
You've stole my watch and kept my keys,
My fair lady!
Off to prison you must go,
My fair lady!
Take the key and lock her up,
My fair lady!"