The Bird-Catcher

October 12th, 2007
Children’s 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

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Acting Rhymes

October 11th, 2007
Kid’s 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

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Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral?

October 10th, 2007
Children’s Stones

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.
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Adjectives

October 9th, 2007
Children Writing

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.
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Riddles 3

October 8th, 2007
Children’s Riddles

Why is a vine like a soldier?
Answer: Because it is listed and has ten drills (tendrils) and shoots.

Why is an opera-singer like a confectioner?
Answer: Because she deals in ice-creams (high screams).

If a man who is carrying a dozen glass lamps drops one, what does he become?
Answer: A lamp lighter.

What belongs to yourself, but is used more by your friends than by yourself?
Answer: Your name.

Why is a spider a good correspondent?
Answer: Because he drops a line at every post.
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Advice

August 17th, 2007
Children Giving Advice

Each player is given a slip of paper and asked to write a piece of advice: the ladies write to the gentlemen and vice versa.

The slips are collected and again distributed and each player is asked to read the advice which has been given him. Before looking at the paper he must tell what sort of advice it is: – good, bad, unnecessary, etc., and whether or not he intends to profit by it.

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Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

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Wink

August 16th, 2007
Kid Winking

All the girls sit in a circle, and the boys stand outside, one boy behind each girl’s chair. One chair is left vacant, but a boy stands behind it, and by winking at the girls one at a time, tries to get one for his empty chair.

As soon as a girl is winked at, she tries to leave her seat, and take the vacant one, but if the boy behind her touches her before she leaves the seat, she cannot go. Each boy has to keep his eye an the one who is winking and on the girl in his chair, for if he is not watching, she may escape before he has time to touch her, and then it is his turn to do the winking and get a girl fur his chair.

If the winking is done quickly it adds to the interest of the game. No boy can keep hold of a girl all the time; he must only touch her when she starts to leave her place, and then if she is beyond arm’s length he cannot call her back.

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Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

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Wonderment

August 15th, 2007
Child in Wonderment

It is necessary that only two of the party should have a knowledge of this game, and then “wonderment” is sure to he the result.

The two players agree that a certain word shall be regarded as a signal word. As an illustration, imagine this word to be “and.”

One of the players asserts his belief that he is gifted with second sight, and states that he is able, through a closed door, to name any article touched by any person in sympathy with him, notwithstanding the said person may attempt to mystify him by mentioning a lot of other articles. He then chooses his confederate, as being one with whom he may he in sympathy, and goes outside.

The player in the room then proceeds to call out, perhaps as follows: Table, Hearthrug, Piano, Footstool and Chair, Lamp, Inkstand. He then places his hand on the back of a chair and asks: “What am I touching now?” the answer will, of course, be “Chair,” because the signal word “and” came immediately before that article.

If the players are skillful there is no need for the trick to be discovered.

Image © SoccerMasta @ Flickr, Attribution

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

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What am I Doing?

August 14th, 2007
Child On A Swing

The players seat themselves in a row and the leader of the game takes his place behind them, beginning at the up of the row. He makes some absurd gesture and then asks the person behind whom he is standing “What am I doing?” If the player replies incorrectly, and he generally does, he is doomed to stand up and imitate in silence the gesture he could not guess, until he has leave to sit down.

Image © tanakawho @ Flickr, Attribution

Games for All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

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Riddles 2

August 13th, 2007
Kids Riddles

When dues a farmer double up a sheep without hurting it?
Answer: When he folds it.

What lives upon its own substance and dies when it has devoured itself ?
Answer: A candle.

Why is a dog biting his tail a good manager?
Answer: Because he makes both ends meet.

What thing is it that is lower with a head than without one?
Answer: A pillow.

Which is the left side of a plum-pudding?
Answer: That which is not eaten.

Answer: What letter of the alphabet is necessary to make a shoe?
The last.
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