Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium

by Jessie H. Bancroft

POTATO SPOON RACE

6 to 60 players.

Parlor; playground; gymnasium.

This is a form of potato race that may afford much amusement, especially for indoor companies. The players are divided into two or more groups which compete against each other. Each group lines up in single file, so that the leaders all toe a starting line. Placed on the floor in front of each group, and stretching ahead in the same direction, should be a row of potatoes at intervals of two or three feet apart, one for each player in the file. The larger and the more irregular in shape the potatoes the better. There should be from six to ten potatoes for each row. Each leader should be furnished with a teaspoon, and beside the leader of each file should be a pan, box, or basket, in which the potatoes are to be placed. At a signal each leader starts forward, takes up a potato on the spoon, carries it to the box or basket beside his first standing position, and places the potato in it; he then hands the spoon to the next player, and passes off the playing field, not lining up again with his team. The second player picks up the next potato, puts it in the box, and so on, until all have played, the last one standing beside the box with the spoon held aloft as a signal that he has finished.

It is not allowable to touch the potato with anything but the spoon. Should a potato be touched otherwise, the player must replace it and pick it up again on the spoon. Should a potato drop from the spoon, it must be picked up on the spoon where it dropped, and the play continued from that point.

PRISONER'S BASE

Prisoner's Base is one of the most popular games for both boys and girls who are beginning to care for team organization, and is capital for adults. It gives opportunity for vigorous exercise for all of the players, for the use of much judgment, prowess, and daring, and for simple team or coöperative work.

The game is found under many different forms. Several, which offer marked or typical differences, each possessing distinct playing values, are given here. These differences are in (1) the arrangement of the ground, and (2) the rules governing the players and game.

The differences in the grounds may be classed as follows:—

I. The entire playground divided in two divisions, one belonging to each party, each division having a small pen for prisoners at the rear. (Diagram I.)