Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium

by Jessie H. Bancroft

A line is drawn across each end of the playground, beyond which the players stand in two equal parties, one at one end and one at the other. The players of one party clasp hands to form a fish net. The players in the other party are fish. At a given signal both advance toward the center of the playground, which represents a stream, the object of the fish being to swim across to the opposite shore without being caught in the net. To do this they will naturally dodge around the ends of the net.

The net should inclose or encircle any fish that it catches. The fish so caught may not try to break apart the clasped hands forming the net, but may escape only through the opening where the two ends come together. Should the net break at any point by an unclasping of hands, the fish are all allowed to escape, and the players go back to their respective goals and begin over again. Any fish caught in the net are thereafter out of the game until all are caught. After the net has made one catch, the sides exchange parts, those of the fish that are left forming the new net, and the first net crossing to the other side and becoming fish. The two sides thus exchange places and parts, until all on one side are caught.

For a large number of players it is better to have two small nets instead of one large one, the dodging being livelier and the progress of the game more rapid in every way.

CATCH THE CANE

10 to 30 or more players.

Playground; gymnasium; schoolroom.

The players, who should be numbered consecutively, stand in a circle or semicircle. One player stands in the center of the circle or in front of the semicircle, with his index finger on the top of a cane, wand, or closed umbrella, which stands perpendicularly to the floor. Suddenly he lifts his finger from the cane, at the same time calling the number assigned to one of the players in the circle. The person whose number is called must run forward and catch the cane before it lies on the floor. If he fails, he must return to his place in the circle; if successful, he changes places with the center player.

This game may have a great deal of sport in it if the action be kept lively and the one who is calling the numbers gives them in unexpected order, sometimes repeating a number that has recently been given, then giving a few in consecutive order, and then skipping over a long series, etc.

FOR THE SCHOOLROOM.—When played in the schoolroom, the player with the cane should stand in the center of the front of the room. The other players—part of the class at a time—may be lined up in front of the first row of desks, or only the players seated in the first row of seats may be called, according to the number of their row. At the discretion of the teacher this row may change to the rear row of seats, each line moving up one seat to make room for them.

This is an admirable game for making alert and active, children who are slow or dull.