SUGGESTIONS FOR CHILDREN'S PARTIES
Peanut Party (Several quarts of peanuts, and a pretty little bag measuring 6 × 8 inches for each guest)
Before the little guests arrive, hide the peanuts in corners, under cushions, and in all possible hiding-places, singly, or two or three together. At a signal all of the children begin to search for the peanuts. The one finding the most wins. Give a reward of a peanut doll. (See [page 80].)
In no such games of competition is it a good plan to have expensive prizes. That plan ministers to a weakness inherent perhaps in human nature, but one to be discouraged—the desire to win, not for the sake of success, but for the sake of the prize. The giving of a valuable prize engenders feelings of envy and caters too much to the gambling instinct. It tends to destroy the spirit of fun and play which is the real object of a social gathering.
A part of such an entertainment would appropriately be the making of peanut taffy or of peanut animals. (See [page 23].)
Spider-Web Party (Balls of pretty twine, one color for each guest)
Take a ball of twine and to the end attach a card bearing the name of one guest. Then unwind it, twisting it around different articles of furniture, chairs, table-legs, door-knob, chandelier, etc., till the thread is judged to be long enough. Then cut, and to this end tie some trifling gift. Arrange in this way one ball and gift for each child expected. When the time for playing the game arrives, give to each child the card bearing his name, to which twine is attached. At the signal for beginning, each one follows up his line, unwinding and disentangling it as he goes along, till the end of the cord bearing the gift is reached. As each little visitor receives something, there is no unwholesome spirit of rivalry.
Thimble-Biscuit Party (Dough, silver thimbles)
While making biscuits for supper give the little child a silver thimble to use as a biscuit cutter, first rolling the dough to a thickness one-third the height of the thimble. When he has made a good array put them into the oven. They will bake quickly and to the child will seem to surpass the best cake made.