Games Without Music for Children Part 3

TEACHER

I will teach you how to knit, If you listen, dears, to me; And I'm sure you will admit It is easy as can be.

Put the pins all ready,[1] so, Hold one firmly with each hand; Then the knitting drill I give You must try to understand.

[2]Take a st.i.tch at number _One_, And when I say, 'Number _Two_,'

[3]Hold the wool in your right hand, And then throw it over, so.

[4]Now the pin that's underneath To the top must come at _Three_, [5]Slip the loop at number _Four_ From the left pin carefully.

When the above game has been repeated several times, the children will be ready for the Knitting Drill given on p. 274 of 'Kindergarten Guide.'

[A] Appendix V.

[1] Teacher puts her pins in position.

[2] Put end of _right_ pin under end of left.

[3] Pretend to put wool round end of right-hand pin as in actual knitting.

[4] Bring right-hand pin to the top.

[5] Slide the right pin off the left.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 2.--THE SIGN-POST]

11. _THE SIGN-POST_

[Ill.u.s.tration:

_Directions._--The children make roads by standing in lines (see diagram). Four children should stand at the place marked (see fig. 2), one child facing each road, and holding in its two hands a good-sized strip of cardboard, with the name of a town or village to which the road is supposed to lead printed thereon. It would be well to use the names of places in the district with which the children are familiar. Some of the children must be little travellers, and come walking up the different roads until they reach the sign-post, then all repeat the lines:

The little travellers do not know Which way to go, which way to go, But here's a sign-post that will tell; Ah! now they know the way quite well.

The travellers should be told the names on the sign-post before starting, and each should choose the place to which he will journey.

After the lines are repeated, each traveller takes the road that leads to his destination.

12. _ASKING WAY IN STREET_

_Preliminary._--One of her Majesty's inspectors remarked on one occasion that he could judge of the intelligence and manners of a school by the way in which its scholars playing in the street would reply if asked a question as to the whereabouts of any particular place in the locality.

It is doubtless desirable that children should know something of the streets and roads of the district in which they live, and if they have clear ideas as to the meaning of 'right' and 'left,' the following game should help them in describing the position of places.

The streets may be made by the children themselves standing in rows, as in the preceding game; or if the s.p.a.ce available be small, the children may stand round the room, while the plan of the streets is chalked on the floor. There should be one central street, with others branching out of it right and left, and each should be named. It may be possible to arrange and name the streets of some district with which the children are familiar. The name of each should be written on a card and placed at the end of the street. The accompanying diagram will ill.u.s.trate the playing of the game. We will suppose that a little girl comes walking up Victoria Road, and at the point meets a gentleman (a little boy), who asks, 'Can you please direct me to Queen Street?' 'Yes,' she replies, 'it is the second turning on the left.' The place of meeting may be varied, and the children will then see that the terms 'right' and 'left'

are interchangeable, according to the direction in which we are walking.

In the following instance, _e.g._ Queen Street is on the _right_ instead of left. More difficult questions may be asked as the children get to understand better, such as, 'Which is the way to Alexandra Road?'

(starting from *). 'Take the second turning to the right, then turn to left, and it is the first street on the right.'

[Ill.u.s.tration:

+---------+ +-------------- | | V | | | I | +---------+ C | KING ST. T +-------------- +---------+ O ALEXANDER RD.

| | R +-------------- | | I | +---------+ A | QUEEN ST. | +---------+ R | | | O +-------------- | | A JAMES ST.

| | D +-------------- +---------+ | JOHN ST. | +---------+ | | | | *+---------+ +--------------]

13. _POLITENESS IN STREETS_

The streets (p. 26) of Game No. 12 may be utilised for this game. The children should have on their hats and caps, and walk along the streets.

The game is intended to teach them how to behave when walking; they should keep to the right, not speak loudly, and the boys should raise their caps when they meet anyone who acknowledges them.

When the game is fairly started, the two verses which follow may be repeated by all the children:

Keep always to the right When in the street you walk, And please remember this-- Do not too loudly talk.

We must not stare at folks, Or turn to look behind; Be kind, but never rude-- A good rule you will find.

A little girl who is walking drops her handkerchief; then, after going a few yards further, stops and says:

Where is my handkerchief? oh dear!

I must have dropped it somewhere near.

A boy who has picked it up advances and offers it to the lady, at the same time raising his cap, and the lady says 'Thank you.' The game may be continued at the teacher's discretion, and the verses again repeated.

14. _DRESSING CHILDREN_

About a dozen of the older children stand in the centre of the room, and a number of the little ones come in with coat and hat in hand. The older children repeat the verse:

Ready for the babies stand, See they come with hat in hand.

Bigger children always should To little ones be kind and good.

The younger children then advance, and the others proceed with the dressing. First the coat is put on and carefully b.u.t.toned, then the hats or hoods are tied on, and the little child says 'Thank you.'

This game should be played just before the children are dismissed, or before playtime.

N.B.--How to tie a bow may be learnt from Game No. 7, p. 12.

15. _FATHER BRINGING PRESENTS_

_Object of Game._--Anyone who has observed children cannot fail to have noticed how very often they have to be _prompted_ to express their thanks for kindnesses received. It is hoped that this little game may be of use in impressing the lesson, so often reiterated by parents and others.