Entertainments for Home, Church and School

by Frederica Seeger

PATCHWORK

The hostess cuts pictures into four parts and mixes them in a box, or loosely places them in the center of a table. Then each guest takes four and puts them together as a picture. The effect is very funny at times. Some of the children's picture blocks may be used for this game, using four sets at a time.

QUOTATIONS

The girl or boy host gives each guest, on a slip of paper, the beginning of a quotation. All go about the room looking for the end of the quotations, which are hidden in different places in the room; or, if older children are playing this game, pencils and paper are given them, and they write the full quotation.

TABLE GAME

A penny party furnishes amusement for an evening. With the invitations is sent a request for each guest to bring a penny, not for an admission fee, but for use. For each guest there are provided two cards and a pencil; one card is blank; the other has a list of the things to be found on a penny. The list is numbered, and each person is expected to name as many as he can, prizes being awarded for the best and poorest list.

Find— 1. Top of hill. 2. Place of worship. 3. An animal. 4. A fruit. 5. A common fruit. 6. Links between absent friends. 7. Union of youth and old age. 8. A vegetable. 9. Flowers. 10. What we fight for. 11. Metal. 12. A messenger. 13. A weapon of defense. 14. A weapon of warfare. 15. A body of water. 16. A beverage. 17. What young ladies want. 18. The most popular State. 19, What men work for. 20. Sign of royalty. 21. A jolly dog.

The answers are: 1. Brow. 2. Temple. 3. Hare (hair). 4. Date. 5. Apple. 6. Letters. 7. 1894 (The date of the penny). 8. Ear. 9. Tulips (two lips). 10. Liberty. 11. Copper. 12. One cent (sent). 13. Shield. 14. Arrow. 15. Sea (c). 16. Tea (t). 17. Beau (bow). 18. United States (matrimony). 19. Money. 20. Crown. 21. A merry cur (America).

Usually a half hour is allowed for filling out the blank cards, and after that some time for correcting the lists and awarding prizes.

A DOLL SHOW

This is a form of entertainment always liked by the younger children. It can be made amusing, as well as instructive, by having those representing the show to take the part of dolls of the different nations. When the invitations are sent out, it should be specified what part each little guest will take. Some of the guests may be the audience if they prefer, or adults may be the on-lookers. Each little guest receives a doll as a souvenir.

Another form of doll party is where the children bring dolls dressed by themselves. The doll whose gown is most neatly made receives a prize.

There may also be dolls made of beets, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, etc., by using sticks, cloves, etc., with the vegetables named. The results are very funny. These are put on exhibition on the table and an umpire decides for which prizes are to be given.

PEANUT GAME

The little hostess or host selects two leaders. These choose sides. Two large rugs are placed near together on the floor. A bowl of peanuts is placed in the center of each. The little players which can soonest dispose of their peanuts two inches apart on their rug, are the winners. The hostess gives the signal at the beginning and end of the contest. The sides may work simultaneously or singly, according as the game is played, individually or by sides as a whole. The peanuts are eaten at the end of the game, and a prize of a box of candy is given the winning side or child. This is passed about to the guests.

PEANUT HUNT

Some peanuts must be secretly hidden in out-of-the-way places—in bric-a-brac, etc. Give a pretty bag or box to be used as a receptacle for the peanuts, and then the hunt begins. The one getting the most peanuts, receives a prize. He may eat all the peanuts he finds, after the contest is decided, but a lesson in unselfishness is here possible. The hostess may suggest sharing the peanuts with one who tried hard to find many nuts, but did not succeed; or, if there be a lame child, or one deformed, he or she should receive some of the nuts of the winners, and of those the others find.

A PEANUT PARTY

The invitations have peanuts painted on them, so have little menu cards, which are placed at each plate at the table. These designs are often funny, and even grotesque, as they represent brownies, etc. Peanuts are strung as necklaces, bracelets, etc. Some of the sandwiches are made of mashed peanuts—called peanut butter—and they are delicious. Peanut candy is served, and at the end peanuts are jabbed for with hat pins. For this all gather at different little tables, or turns are taken at one table, the peanuts being piled up in the center. A box of candy is given the winner. This he or she, of course, passes among the guests.

A CHILDREN'S FAIR

This may be made not only enjoyable, but charitable as well. Tables holding fancy work—preferably the work of the children—candies (home-made), groceries, aprons, pen-wipers, iron-holders, hand-painted cards, capes, etc., etc., may be sold. Rebecca sits at the Well—a well of lemonade. A grab-bag, an orange tree, with saleable parcels on it. A post-office, where letters are sold, and finally a refreshment table or tables, the little girls and boys serving as waiters, in costumes.

SOAP BUBBLES

Making bubbles requires no great effort of the mind or body. Clay pipes for the players are furnished by the hostess. Bowls are filled with water which is quite soapy. The pipes show the colors of the side or sides, being tied with ribbons of different colors. The game contest may be decided in two ways. Either the one who makes the largest bubble is winner, or the one making the most bubbles in a given time. The sides or individuals may play in turn.

A POP-CORN PARTY

A pop-corn party, of necessity, like a candy pull, must be held in the kitchen. This can be decorated for the occasion. Each little guest brings an apron to be donned before the "popping" begins.

First, shell the corn. Second, take a dipper full of corn and "pop" it. This popping is done in a pan over a clear fire.

Third, divide into parts, when done.

Fourth, sprinkle some with cochineal, if pink corn is desired.

Fifth, string the pop-corn on threads. A needle is used to do this.
Necklaces, bracelets, and boys' chains may be so made.

Each child receives a handsome cornucopia or box as a receptacle for his popcorn.

CANDY PULL

Candy ready to pull may be bought at a candy store, or molasses may be boiled at home until it is ready to pull, when the hands are greased and the pulling begins. As suggested for a pop-corn party, the kitchen or dining-room is the best place in which to give a party of this kind. It may be decorated to look well, and the children doubtless would enjoy their play here more than in the parlor.

A BABY SHOW

This may be of dolls or real babies. You can borrow the babies for the occasion. A committee decides which is the handsomest baby, which the best-natured, etc. Rattiers, toys, etc., are given the babies, or you can have your parents and other lady friends take the part of babies. Put a bib on them when they go to supper.

MISS CHILDREN

The little players sit or stand round the room in a circle. The leader assigns to each some musical instrument, as harp, flute, violincello, trombone, etc., and also selects one for himself. Some well-known tune is then given out, say "Yankee Doodle," and the players all begin to play accordingly, each doing his best to imitate, both in sound and action, the instrument which has been assigned to him, the effect being generally extremely harmonious. The leader commences with his own instrument, but without any warning suddenly ceases, and begins instead to perform on the instrument assigned to one of the players. Such player is bound to notice the change, and forthwith to take the instrument just abandoned by the leader, incurring a forfeit if he fails to do so.

THE COOK WHO DOESN'T LIKE PEAS

The fun of this game depends on a fair proportion of the players not being acquainted with it. The leader begins, addressing the first player, "I have a cook who doesn't like peas (p's); what will you give her for dinner?" The person addressed, if acquainted with the secret, avoids the letter p in his answer, and, for example, says, "I will give her some walnuts." The question is then asked of the second person, who, if unacquainted with the trick, is likely enough to offer some delicacy which contains the letter p; e.g., potatoes, asparagus, pork, apple-pie, pickled cabbage, peanuts, etc., etc. When this occurs, the offender is called upon to pay a forfeit, but the precise nature of his offense is not explained to him. He is simply told, in answer to his expostulations, that "the cook doesn't like p's." When a sufficient number of forfeits has been extracted, the secret is revealed, and those who have not already guessed it, are teased by being told (over and over again) that the cook did not like p's, and if they would persist in giving them to her, they must, of course, take the consequences.

MAGIC MUSIC—ANY NUMBER OF PLAYERS

One player is sent from the room. The others decide upon something for him to do, but he is not told what it is, though he is helped by a noise of some kind on metal, or on a musical instrument. When he is near an object with which he is to perform some feat, the noise is loud. If he touches the wrong object, the music is soft. Any one of the musical instruments commonly used by children may be employed in this game.

ZOOLOGY—ANY NUMBER OF PLAYERS

The leader says: "Of what animal am I thinking?" He tells that the animal has a certain number of legs, and gives other points of a like nature. From this description the guessing is done. When a player guesses the animal correctly, he scores a point. Each player has a turn. The game is played until it loses its interest.