The players divide themselves into ladies and gentlemen, if the ladies predominate they must impersonate gentlemen, and vice versa. The gentlemen then proceed to choose lady partners. One of the players next undertakes to question the couples. The fun consists of the questions being put to the lady and the gentleman answering for her. “Do you like your partner?” the lady is asked, and the gentleman may reply, “Yes, I adore him.” Whatever the reply the lady is forbidden to deny it; if she does, or if she answers for herself, she must pay a forfeit.

But retaliation comes, for when all the ladies have been questioned the gentleman’s turn arrives, and the ladies answer for their partners. “What is your favorite occupation?” the question may be, and the lady may answer “Dressing dulls,” or “Making mudpies,” or anything ridiculous that occurs to her.

Image © Tom@HK @ Flickr, Attribution

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

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

The children first of all divide themselves into two parties. They then form a ring, and commence dancing round a hassock which is placed, end upwards, in the middle of the room. Suddenly one party endeavors to pull the other part forward, so as to force one of their number to kick the hassock and upset it.

The player who has been unfortunate enough to touch the hassock has then to leave the circle. The game proceeds until only two remain; if these two happen to be boys the struggle is generally prolonged, as they can so easily jump over the hassock and avoid kicking it.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Image © Michelle Jones @ Flickr, Share Alike

Baby Angels – an online children’s store based out of Cheshire, UK has some fun Ideas for playdate activities.

They’ve actually got a whole slew of ideas for kid’s games, party idea, and just general kid stuff. Looks like one worth bookmarking. Thanks for the site!

And now, as always, on to the classic kid’s game. This is another one of those games that would have traumatized me if I had to play it as a child. It’s actually kind of funny, I wonder if anyone still plays games like this?

Hissing and Clapping

As many chairs as there are players must be arranged down the middle of the room. During their absence the girls all decide which particular boy is to occupy the vacant chair next her, and the boys are summoned in turn. On entering the room the boy must walk straight to the chair next the girl whom he imagines to have chosen him, and sit down. If he has guessed correctly he is loudly clapped by all the girls present, and another boy is called in. But if he makes a mistake, and sits down on the wrong chair, he is hissed so vehemently that he is only too glad to escape from the room. Another player is called in, and the process is repeated, until finally all the boys have guessed correctly, and all the vacant chairs are occupied.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Image © one mandarino @ Flickr, Share Alike

The best way to play this game is for the players to divide themselves into two groups, namely, actors and audience. Each one of the actors should then fix upon a proverb, which he will act, in turn, before the audience. As for instance, supposing one of the players to have chosen the proverb, “A bad workman quarrels with his tools,” he should go into the room where the audience is seated, carrying with him a bag in which there is a saw, a hammer, or any other implement or tool used by a workman; he should then look round and find a chair, or some other article, which he should pretend requires repairing; he should then act the workman, by taking off his coat, rolling up his sleeves, and commencing work, often dropping his tools and grumbling about them the whole of the time.

If this game be acted well, it may be made very entertaining. Sometimes the audience are made to pay a forfeit each time they fail to guess the proverb.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Image © nlnnet @ Flickr, ShareAlike

Bubbles abound!

Play Library gives us the Amazing Bubble Machine and the geniuses at Cranium show off their Wonderwish Wand.

Anyone else have any fun Bubble links?

What do you do with the bubbles once you have them?

Soap Bubble Battle

Two children act as captains, one of the company A, the other of company B and each in turn choose a soldier until the children are evenly divided into two companies.

Stretch a rope or cord at a medium height across the middle of the room, with company A on one side and company B on the other side.

Each company is provided with a basin of soap suds (a little glycerin added to the water will make the bubbles last longer) and each soldier with a clay pipe.

Two soldiers, one from company A and one from company B stand at arms length from the rope and each blows a bubble from his pipe towards the “enemy” and over the rope if he can. If a soldier blows a bubble over the rope without it bursting he company wins a point. If he fails to do so, his company loses a point.

These soldiers step back and two more (one from each company) advance and blow a bubble and so on until all have had a turn. Som one keeps the score and the company having the most points are the “victors” and to them belong the “spoils” which consists of a tiny paper drum filled with candy, a small silk flag or any appropriate prize.

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

Image © fotologic @ Flickr, Attribution