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!
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Archive for the ‘toddler’ Category
London Bridge Is Falling Down Game
Friday, April 20th, 2007Hiss and Clap
Thursday, April 19th, 2007Filed under: “How to permanently scar your child.” Hiss and Clap is a random game, that punishes participants for making the wrong decision. It reminds me of the opening scene of Ghost Busters, where Bill Murray is doing paranormal + psychic on testing college students and administering electric shocks as negative re-enforcement.
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Hide and Seek
Wednesday, April 18th, 2007One child is chosen “It.” This one stands by a post or in a corner which is called “base,” and hides his eyes. The children decide among themselves how many he shall count while the are hiding. Suppose they choose 100, the he counts 5, 10, 15, 20, etc., until he reaches 100, and then he calls out:
Ready or not,
You shall be caught.
The children having hidden while he was counting remain perfectly still while he is hunting them. If he passes by some child without finding him, that one may run to the “base” and say “One, two, three, I’m in free!” As many children as can, try to get in “free,” but if the one who is “it” sees a child, runs to the base and touches it first calling: “One, two, three,” and the child’s name he has to be “it.” If the child reaches the “base” first he is “free” and the game proceeds until some one is “caught.” If all the children get “free” the one who is “it” again hides his eyes.
Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain
Image © the bbp @ Flickr, Attribution
Hunt the Slipper
Monday, April 16th, 2007The players seat themselves in a circle on the floor, having chosen one of their number to remain outside the circle. The children seated on the floor are supposed to be cobblers, and the one outside is the customer who has brought his shoe to be mended. He hands it to one of them, saying:
Cobbler, cobbler, mend my shoe;
Get it done by half-past two.
The cobblers pass the shoe round to each other as quickly as they can, taking care that the customer does not see which of them has it. When the customer comes to get it he is told that it is not ready. He pretends to get angry and says he will take it as it is. The must then try to find it, and the cobbler who has it must try to pass it on to his neighbor without its being seen by the customer. The person upon whom the shoe is found must become the customer. Whilst the customer takes his place in the circle on the floor.
Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain
Image © pope24 @ Flickr, Attribution
Hot Tamales
Friday, April 13th, 2007For those with tinkering and robot loving children, NASA has streaming video of the FIRST robotics competition on their website. Found via the Creative Kids at Home Blog.
And DallasNews Family shares a few of the great tips from the Book “365 Unplugged Family Fun Activities” in their post 5 Ways to Avoid the Arsenic Hour.
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Hunt the Ring
Thursday, April 12th, 2007In between all the fun family playtime, its nice to at least keep an eye on things like Manners and maybe even Reading. Michelle on her blog scribbit has a whole slew of great posts.
And GNM Parents asks WWCHD? (What Would Claire Huxtable Do?) about dealing with children sibling relationships when you were an only child and have no reference.
Thanks for the posts! Now on to the games…
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Green Gravel
Wednesday, April 11th, 2007Girls form a circle and dance around one of their number. The girl in the ring turns her head gravely as a messenger advances, while the rest sing to a pleasing air:
Green gravel, green gravel,
The grass grows so green,
The fairest of ladies,
Is fit to be seen.
Dear _______, Dear _______
Your true love is dead;
The king sends you a letter
To turn back your head.
The process is repeated calling each child by name until all of the children have so turned. Turning the head is the sign of sorrow. The game is continued by the following verse in which the lost lovers appear:
Dear _______, Dear _______
Your true love's not slain,
The kind sends you a letter
To turn around again.
And the dancers who have all turned about, are one by one made to face the ring.
Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain
Image © icyFrance @ Flickr, ShareAlike
Frog in the Middle
Tuesday, April 10th, 2007How’s everyone dealing with the mountains of candy?
Ivy over at Home Ec 101 gives some quick tips on Controlling the Sugar Rush.
And Megan Jeffrey has some fun finger puppets on her site, if you’re into crafting.
One more thing, Does anyone have any good resources for putting on a Shadow Puppet play? I was looking around today and couldn’t find anything.
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Donkey’s Tail
Monday, April 9th, 2007“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.
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Drop the Handkerchief
Friday, April 6th, 2007A take on todays “Duck Duck Goose”.
The book also attaches a nursery rhyme to this game that I only remember hearing as part of a jingle selling kids toys on the television. Never thought that it might have really been part of a game at one point.
Also, The Tulane University Ornithological Society is attempting to break the current Guinness World Record for Duck Duck Goose.
The attempt will be made on April 21, 2007 and will be used to raise proceeds for the Audubon Nature Institute.
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