AIMING GAMES WITH BALLS
The games just described may be played with balls as well as with bean-bags, and thus require more co-ordination on the part of the child's muscles. We give a few other games in addition.
Counting-Ball
Let one child bounce the ball, striking it from above with the palm of his hand and counting one, two, etc., until he fails to hit it, when another child takes a turn.
Guess-Ball
A row of players number off from one end 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. The last number steps in front of the row a distance such as may be needed to secure certainty of aim and touch on the part of those who throw the ball. The player in front stands with his back to the others. Those in the row now begin to pass the ball sideways from one to the other. The player in front having counted a given number, the one who happens to hold the ball at the time must at once throw it at the player in front. If struck, the latter turns quickly and tries to judge from the attitudes of the various players which one threw the ball. If he is right, places are exchanged. If he guesses wrong, the game continues as before.
Cup and Ball (Cardboard, worsted, funnel)
Make the ball by cutting from cardboard two circles about two inches in diameter. Inside the large circles draw smaller ones about one-half inch in diameter. Cut the smaller circles entirely out, thus leaving a hole in the middle of each large circle. Keep these two large circles together. Now, with a needle, wind worsted round and round through the opening in the two circles until it is completely filled, so that the needle cannot be pushed through. Hold in the left hand, and with sharp pointed scissors cut the worsted at the edge of the circles, spread the circles a little apart, and tie a strong thread firmly around the worsted between the two cardboard circles. Then tear the cardboard circles away and a pretty ball remains. Tie this ball, with a string twelve inches long, to a kitchen funnel, and let the child try to catch the ball in the funnel.