Games and Practices
A strict obedience to the rules of a game, good temper, pluck and honest, unselfish play count as much as skill in playing.
A Scout always shakes hands when she loses a game and congratulates the winner.
Day and Night
The players divide into two parties and form in two lines, back to back, about three paces apart. One of the lines is named the “Day Party,” the other the “Night Party.” The leader has a disk painted black on one side and a white on the other. (A coin may be used instead of the disk.) In front of each party is a goal. The leader throws the disk into the air. If the disk alights with the white side up the leader calls “Day.” The “Day Party” then rushes toward its goal and the “Night Party” pursues, tagging as many players of the “Day Party” as possible. These they take back to their own line. The disk is thrown again, and the party whose side turns up starts for their goal as before. The game continues in this way until all the players on one of the sides are lost.
Dodge Ball
Of any even number of players, half form a circle, while the other half stand inside the ring, facing outward. The players in the center dodge the ball, which, while in play, is thrown by any of those forming the circle. Those who are hit with the ball take their places among those around the circle, and have an equal chance at those remaining in the center. One is put out at a time. This is kept up until no one is left in the circle, after which the players exchange places, that is, those who were in the circle now form around the circle, and vice versa.
Cross Tag
Any player who is chased may be relieved by any other player running between her and the one trying to tag her. The latter must then run after the player who ran between, till she in turn is relieved.
Sculptor
One of the players is chosen as the “Sculptor” and she arranges the other players in different positions and attitudes as statues. No player dares move or speak, for as soon as she does the sculptor punishes her by beating her with a knotted handkerchief or towel, called the “sack-beetle.” After having arranged the players to suit her fancy the sculptor leaves the playground, saying: “The sculptor is not at home.” No sooner is she gone than the statues come to life, sing, dance, jump and play havoc in general. On the return of the sculptor she counts, “One, two, three,” and any player who is not in her former posture at “three” receives a beating with the knotted handkerchief from the sculptor. Should the sculptor punish the wrong statue all the players rush at her with knotted handkerchiefs and drive her to a goal previously decided upon, and the game is resumed with some other player as sculptor.
Inventory Game
Let each girl go into a room for half a minute and when she comes out let her make a list of what she has seen. Then compare lists to find who has seen the most.
Testing Noses
This is easiest with the competitors blindfolded. Let them smell different things and tell what they are. Also the objects may be placed in bags but this means much more work.
Three Deep
Twenty-four or more players form a circle of pairs with space enough between the players (who stand closely one behind the other, facing the center of the circle) to allow the runners to turn and run in all directions. Two players on the outside of the circle and at a distance from each other begin the game. One of these is called the “tagger,” the other is “It.” She tries to tag “It” before she can secure a place in front of any of the pairs forming the circle. If she succeeds, the player who has been tagged then becomes the “tagger” and the former “tagger” tries to secure a place in front of some pair. But whenever the runner (the player pursued) has succeeded in getting in front of a pair before being tagged, then the hindmost (the last or third in the respective rank) must take to her heels and seek to evade the unsuccessful “tagger,” who now turns her attention to the runner. In trying to evade a tagger the successive player may run in any direction, either left or right, outside the circle, but not pass in front of any one rank to another rank in such a manner as to induce wrong starts. A hindmost player may also form in front of his own rank, making the second player in such rank hindmost or “third.” The play is always directed against the third or last of a rank, two players being the number limited to each place.
(When numbers of players in the beginning are too large the circle may be formed by rows or ranks of threes, instead of twos or pairs.)
Expert players may form several circles and run from circle to circle, two pairs playing simultaneously. The above play may be varied in a number of ways.
Chasing an Owl
Another good stalking game is chasing the owl. This is done in thick woods where one Scout represents the owl hooting at intervals and then moving to one side for a distance. Each pursuer when seen is called out of the game, and the owl, if a real good one, may get safely back to her stump.
Turkey and Wildcat
This is played by the turkey blindfolded “going to roost” in some place where there are plenty of twigs or dry leaves to crack and rustle. At the first sound the turkey jumps. If not then within reach of one wildcat, she is safe and another wildcat has a chance. This is sometimes very laughable for the turkey being blindfolded may jump right on the wildcat.
Walking the Plank
Lay on the ground a couple of boards edgewise with an apple or small prize on the ground at the end of the board for the Brownie who can walk the plank, squat or stoop and pick up the prize, turn round and bring it safely back again.
(This practice is most valuable in producing concentration of mind and action—the effort of body-balance develops mental balance.)
Stepping-Stones
Put down small bits of board, or cardboard (nailed to the ground) or mark on the ground a twisty line of stepping stones as if for crossing a brook—some close together, others far apart. Each Brownie to try the course in turn, two tries. In the second try she carries in her hand a board about eight inches square on which is a small ball which, of course, must not be dropped.
(Object similar to that of “Walking the Plank.”)