School, Church, and Home Games. George Orrin Draper
The teacher claps her hands. This is the signal for all to shift one seat back. The one in the rear seat runs forward and sits in the front seat. The first aisle to become properly seated wins one point. Again the hands are clapped and the pupils shift one seat back, and the one then at the rear runs forward and takes the front seat and so the game continues until all have run forward from the back seat to the front. The aisle scoring the largest number of points wins.
Charlie over the Water
This is an old game and is always popular. The children form a ring, joining hands. One is selected to be "It" and takes his place in the center. Those in the ring then dance around, singing,
"Charlie, over the water,
Charlie, over the sea,
Charlie, catch a blackbird,
But can't catch me."
Having completed these lines, they all assume a stooping position before "Charlie," who is "It," can tag them. If he succeeds in tagging one, that one takes his place in the circle and the game continues.
Tap Relay
The pupils of each aisle constitute a team. All bend their heads forward, placing their faces in the palms of their hands on the top of the desk. At the signal to go, given by the teacher, the one in the last seat in each aisle sits up, claps his hands and taps the back of the one in front of him, which is the signal for the one in front to sit up, clap, and tap the one next in front of him, and so the tap is passed until it reaches the one in the front seat of the aisle, who, upon being tapped, stands up, clapping his hands above his head. The first to stand and clap hands above head wins the race.
Rat-a-tat Race
Similar to the preceding race with the exception that upon the signal to go the one in the back seat knocks with the knuckles of his right hand on the top of the desk a "rat-tat, rat-tat-tat," as in a drum beat, and then taps with the knuckles the back of the one next in front of him, who repeats the performance, tapping off the one in front, and so on. The race ends when the individual in the front seat of an aisle taps the "rat-tat, rat-tat-tat" and stands up.
Bowing Race
A book is handed to the pupil in the last seat of each aisle. At the signal to go the pupils holding the book step into the aisle at the right hand side of their desks, holding the books on the tops of their heads with both hands, and make a bow. Then returning to their seats, hit the book on the top of the desk and pass it on to the next one in front, who repeats the performance, as does every one else in the aisle. The one in the front seat of the aisle finishes the race by bowing with the book upon his head, then running forward, and placing the book upon the teacher's desk.
Spin Around Race
A boy is selected from each aisle to take his place at least six feet in front of the aisle. Upon the signal to go, the last boy in each aisle runs forward to the right of his desk and links his left arm in the right arm of the boy standing in front of his aisle, and in this position spins around twice, returning to his seat, and tagging off the boy next in front of him, who repeats the performance. The last boy in the aisle to spin around ends the race when he has returned to a sitting position in his seat.
CHAPTER IIToC
SCHOOLROOM GAMES
For Intermediate Pupils
Initial Tag
A pupil who is "It" is sent to the board. He writes thereupon the initial of some other pupil in the room. That pupil is to try to tag "It" before he can return to his seat. If successful, he becomes "It" and continues the game by writing some one else's initial on the board.
Magic Music
One pupil is sent from the room. Thereupon the remaining pupils hide some object agreed upon. The pupil sent from the room is recalled. The teacher or one of the pupils plays the piano loudly when the seeker approaches the hidden article and softly when some distance from it. The seeker determines the location by the volume of the music.
Hunt the Rattler
All of the players in the room are blindfolded, except one, who is given a tin can in which is placed a loose pebble. He is known as the "rattler." The blindfolded players attempt to locate and tag the rattler by the rattle. The one successful takes the place of the rattler.
Sticker
The pupils stand in a circle in the center of which is "It" blindfolded, holding in his hand a blunt stick about 12 or 15 inches long. Those in the circle dance around two or three times, so that the blindfolded player may not know their position. At the command "Stand," given by the one blindfolded, all must stand still. Thereupon, by feeling with his stick, "It" tries to discern an individual in the ring. "It" is forbidden to use his hands, in trying to discover who the individual is. If he succeeds in guessing, the individual guessed must take his place. Otherwise he proceeds to some other individual in the circle whom he tries to identify.
Name Race
The pupils of each aisle constitute a team. A slip is handed to the one in the first seat in each row. At the signal to go, he writes his full name thereupon and passes it immediately to the one next behind him, who writes his name and passes it on. When the one in the last seat in the row has added his name to the slip, he rushes forward and places the slip upon the teacher's desk. The aisle first succeeding in accomplishing this task, wins.
Frogs in Sea
One pupil sits in tailor fashion in the center of the playing space. The others try to tease him by approaching as closely as they dare, calling him "Frog in the sea, Can't catch me." If the frog succeeds in tagging any of the other players, that player must take his place. The frog is not allowed to change from his sitting position in his effort to tag the other players.
Corner Spry
The pupils in the room are divided into four equal teams. Each team is assigned to a different corner. A leader stands in front of each team with a bean bag, cap, or ball. At the signal to start the leader tosses to and receives from each member of his team in turn the bean bag. Having received the bag from the last one in his line, he takes his place at the foot of the line, and the one at the head of the line becomes leader and proceeds to toss the ball to each member as did the preceding leader. The group, in which all have served as leaders and which successfully completes the game first, wins.
Flag Race
The pupils of each aisle constitute a team. Flags are given to the pupils in each front seat. On the signal to go, each pupil holding a flag steps out on the right hand side of the seat, runs around the front of his own aisle, back on the left hand side, around the rear seat, returning to his own seat up the right hand aisle, and hands the flag on to the one next behind him, who continues the race. When all the pupils in the aisle have circled their row of seats with the flag, the last one, instead of returning to his seat, runs forward and holds the flag above his head in front of his aisle. The one first succeeding in reaching the front, wins the race.
In this race it is often better to run two aisles at a time and thus avoid the possibility of pupils bumping into each other in their attempt to race through the aisles. In this way the various winners can race against each other, making an interesting contest.
Seat Vaulting Tag