SEEDS
Stringing (Squash seeds—dried, strong thread, needle)
Little children can be happily occupied making chains of squash, pumpkin, and water-melon seeds that have been saved and made soft by soaking awhile in water. The black seeds of the water-melon alternate prettily with the white seeds of the other gourds. Variety can be introduced by stringing several of one color and then several of another, counting by twos, threes, etc. This gives exercise in counting, in pleasing grouping of colors, and so exercises both the invention and the taste of the very little child.
Designing (Black seeds, white seeds)
Let the child make designs of the seeds upon the table. Place a black one for a centre and a white one on each side. Repeat this figure for a foot or more, placing the groups an inch apart and observe the effect. Tell him thus to make a design for the frieze of the room. Another effect is produced by placing a white seed as a centre and placing four or five around it. Vary still further by placing a circle of black seeds around the whole. These few examples will serve to indicate the endless variety that can be secured, and is a training in invention and taste. Let the child always have in mind a design for some particular purpose, as of wall-paper, oil-cloth, etc. Lead him to observe similar effects in carpets, wall-paper, etc. The best of these attempts can be made comparatively permanent by pasting upon small sheets of tinted bristol-board. The chief value in preserving any such work is for purposes of comparison as the child improves.
Counters
Save out 24 white and 24 black seeds for counters in checkers, go-bang, etc.
Squash-Seed Chicken (25 seeds, white thread, two quill toothpicks, bit of red flannel, feather from duster)
Take 25 squash seeds and soak till soft. Take five of these and place side by side with pointed ends up. Above these place four, their wide ends coming between the points of the others. Above these place three in the same relative position. Above these put two, and above these and between them place the squash-seed which is to be the head of the chicken.
How to String the Seeds.
Now, beneath the original five, place four, pointed ends up; beneath these put three, then two, then one. If these are rightly placed, the pointed ends of one row come just at the sides of the wide end of the seeds above.
Run a thread through the lower end of the two and the upper end of the three; then through the lower end of three and the upper end of the four; continue thus till all have been united. The result thus far will be a double pyramid of the seeds. Draw an eye in the middle of the head, paste or sew on a bit of quill for a bill and a bit of flannel for a comb. Attach a few feathers from the duster for a tail. Take two more seeds and sew to the middle of the row of five for the thigh of the legs, and to each sew a quill for the rest of the legs, cutting into points at one end for toes.
Squash-Seed Chicken.
Make another chicken like the above and suspend the two face to face upon a slender stick by running a thread through the head and one through the tail. When the stick is moved the chickens assume very realistic attitudes. A comical toy, made with no expense save that of time and patience. (See illustrations.)
Pincushion or Penwiper (Five plump apple-seeds, sharp pen-knife, black thread, stiff card, square of muslin, emery or cotton batting)
Save out five seeds, and cut the cuticle of the large end into two tiny points to simulate the ears of a mouse. Knot the thread and run a tiny bit through for a tail. Paste these upon a visiting card, and near them paste a tiny bag made of white muslin to simulate a flour-bag. It can be stuffed with cotton or with emery for needles or pins. Or the card can be sewn upon several layers of cloth as decoration for a penwiper.
Imitation Water
Muskmelon seeds placed in an undulating line in the sand-box suggest water.