Soap-Bubbles
A soap-bubble race is easy to arrange and very good fun. An old shawl or blanket is laid on a table or the floor, goals are made at each end of it with piles of books, leaving an opening between, and each person is provided with a pipe for blowing bubbles. One bowl of soap-bubbles is enough for the company (see [page 279] on the best way to make lasting soap-bubbles). The game is to see who can most quickly blow a bubble, deposit it on the woolen cloth at one end and blow it through the goal at the other. Of course you try to direct your puffs so that you will not only blow your own bubble along but will force your opponent's back.
Another way is to stretch a cord across the room and divide into two sides, standing three feet from the cord. At a given signal dip your pipes in the bowl of soap-suds, blow a bubble, and try to blow it over the cord. The side which succeeds in landing most bubbles in the enemy's territory wins.
Jack-Stones
A game which is good, quiet fun for a rainy day is Jack-stones. Although not played much nowadays it is very interesting and is to indoors what "mumble-the-peg" is to outdoors. It is played usually with small pieces of iron with six little feet: but it can also be played with small pebbles all of a size. All kinds of exercises can be used, many of which you can invent yourself but a few of the commonest are given below. 1. The five stones are thrown up and caught on the back of the hand. 2. Four of the stones are held in the hand while one is thrown up. They must then be laid on the table, or floor, in time to catch the stone before it comes down. It is then thrown up again, and the four stones are picked up either one at a time or all together, and the stone caught again.
Nearly all the exercises are variations of this. One stone is thrown up and different things must be done quickly with the others before it falls again.
Tying Knots
Another occupation for rainy days that will interest several children (as well as one) is puzzling out the construction of some of the simplest sailor's knots. This is a useful and a very desirable accomplishment. Often several together can solve a difficult knot better than one, and after some proficiency is acquired it is interesting to have a competition to see who can tie them most quickly and perfectly. Every one is supplied with a piece of clothes-line (the best rope for this purpose) and some one calls out "Running Noose," or "Figure of Eight." Every one must then make this as quickly as possible.
It is impossible to give directions in words about tying knots. The best way is to get clear illustrations and then work over them until you have mastered the intricacies. A few simple knots are shown here, but there are many books which give an almost endless variety.