June Games Annebelle R. Bucknam June brings daisies, lilies, roses, During these beautiful June days go with the children to some field or meadow, and let them fill their hands with the fragrant posies. Sing while out in the open, play games in the fresh clear air, and come back refreshed both mentally and physically. The following games may be played while on a trip to the fields or parks, or, if a little excursion away from the school is not possible, try them on the school playground or even in the schoolroom. Wandering Game The children may choose partners or may march in single row to the field or park or around the playground; or even up and down the aisles of the schoolroom. The children sing the following song, using the music of "My Bonnie." We love to go out wand'ring, When summer days have come, And hear the whisper of the grass, The insects' sleepy hum. The daisies bloom on every side, And lilies blossom white and gold, The lambkins frolic in the field, Shine out like stars of gold. Choose two or four children for leaders, and have children follow in two or four lines. The children imitate each motion of the leader of their own line. The leaders may march slowly or fast, wave arms, jump, skip, or make almost any motion. Change leaders several times, and thus have many varied motions. Arriving at the destination, allow the children to wander about at will, to make daisy chains, and wreaths for their heads. Even a schoolroom may become an imaginary daisy field, and the children may gather daisies and make wreaths, or daisies may be brought for this purpose. Remember that the vivid imagination of the child will supply many features which are sadly lacking to adult eyes and minds. Teach in previous language period this poem and let the children repeat it while in the field: The daisies white are nursery maids, With frills upon their caps: And daisy buds are little babes They tend upon their laps. Sing "Heigh-ho!" while the wind sweeps low, Both nurses and babies are nodding - just so. The daisy babies never cry, The nurses never, scold; They never crush the dainty frills About their necks of gold. They're nid-nid-nodding! O pretty sight! They're nid-nid nodding! until it is light. The daisies love the golden sun Up in the clear blue sky; And winks his jolly eye, While soft and slow, all in a row, Both nurses and babies are nodding - just so. June 1918 A real out-of-doors hunt for a four-leaf clover is greatly enjoyed by the children. But if this is not possible, an indoor hunt can be easily arranged. The day before the hunt have the children draw, cut out, and color three leaf clovers, and one or a very few four leaf clovers. Then before school hide these in any and every place about the schoolroom. At a signal all the children try to find the four leaf clovers. They also try to gather as many as possible of the three leaf clovers. The child finding the four leaf clover wins the hunt, while the one finding the largest number of the three leaf clovers is the second winner. Words or letters for phonic work may be written on these paper clover leaves, and each hunter should try to tell and sound each one on the leaves which he has found. Whether the hunt takes place out in the field or in the room, let the children learn and repeat the following; or they may sing it, using the tune of "Yankee Doodle": Down among the meadow grass, Searching it all over, Blue-eyed Kate and laughing Charles Hunting four-leaf clover. CHORUS Clover white, and clover red, Scents the meadows over, As two heads pop up and down,' Buttercups grow yellow bright, Here! get down, old Rover: What are you out here for, sir? Hunting four-leaf clover? CHORUS Clover white and clover red, etc. Junior Red Cross Knitter Merry faces shining bright, CHORUS Clover white, etc. Kate has a cap all trimmed with blue, Her yellow head to cover, CHORUS Clover white, etc. This year the celebration of Flag Day will have a special significance. The smallest child may be taught to honor the flag, to know what it means, and to know what the stars and stripes stand for. Let the children salute the flag often, let them march, and even drill as soldiers. Encourage the spirit of service as patriotism in even the tiniest of our little tots. A wonderful opportunity is ours in these days. Let the children form a so-called "human flag," by arranging them according to the colors of the flag. This can be done by simply draping cheese cloth or even crepe paper around them, if they cannot be dressed entirely to represent the three colors. Form arches with flags and have the children march through them, singing patriotic songs, ending with a salute to the flag, or with these words: Hurrah! hurrah! For the red, the white, the blue! Hurrah! hurrah! For the beautiful, the true! America, the fairest land that freemen ever knew! Long live our glorious nation! The Junior Red Cross is so splendidly assisting in so many ways that it is natural for even the first year children to be interested. Encourage them to try to help their older brothers and sisters who are members, or to save their own pennies until they, too, may become members. Many little ones are "doing their bit"-even more than that, for they are doing their best. Tell the children of the wonderful work of the Red Cross, and of the life of service of its nurses. .A band of white drawing paper, on the front of which a red cross has been colored, may be pinned about each little girl's head, and a flag of white paper with a cross of red may be made for each one to carry. Then in the marching and patriotic exercises the girls wear and carry these while the boys wear soldier paper caps and carry flags. Choose two or four soldiers and nurses to lead the lines in marching, and as these pass to the front lines, all the children repeat: We will stand by the right, We will stand by the true, We will live, we will die, For the red, white and blue. While the boys drill as soldiers, the girls like to drill also, and enjoy a Red Cross Flag Drill Each girl wears on head and arm a band of white with red cross, and also carries a red cross flag. If they wear white or light dresses the effect is much prettier, especially if the drill is used as part of a pageant or entertainment to help raise funds for the Junior Red Cross. As the girls march on they wave their Red Cross flags slightly, and sing, using tune of "Marching Through Georgia." strong Thus wistfully and prayerfully upon my cherry tree, "O how I wish, I wish, I wish!" the robin sang to me. A Play Festival June is the time of joy! "Then why not have'joy games -folk games this year instead of the usual program?" I thought when I planned the work for the occasion. Accordingly, our physical training teacher who has charge of the playground activities, taught the games at the usual time, and no extra drill except two practices were necessary. The costumes were made in the Costume De As hope comes back to them with spring and the first signing Class, and the Art Teacher took charge of the robin's song. decorations. First the kindergartners gave Ten Little Indians and another Indian Game. They looked very sweet in their brown suits. Next the English games, "Looby Loo" and "'Round the Village," were given by the first grade. The Swedish Games, "Swedish Clap" and "Carroussel," were enjoyed by second grade- the girls being distinguished by bodices and aprons, the boys by Swedish caps. The Russian games, "Reap the Flax" and " Ring Game," were given by third grade, purple being the predominating color. The idea of using narrow white strips of eiderdown dotted in black to represent ermine was clever, I thought Uncle Sam's Helpers E. Roseberry Uncle Sam then blows bugle, and immediately eight soldier boys enter in fours from left of stage, leader carrying a large flag. They march to center and salute Uncle Sam, then turn and form a single line in front of Uncle Sam's platform and sing "Uncle Sammie's Boys." Uncle Sam blows bugle again and immediately eight little Red Cross Nurses in uniform enter from right of stage, march to center where each curtsies to Uncle Sam. All form a line and sing "Red Cross Nurses." During chorus all sew rhythmically. At close of song they turn to right, march to rear and take places between soldiers, one nurse between two soldiers, etc. Uncle Sam again blows bugle. Gardeners then enter from both sides of stage-four from each side. They are dressed in gardener costumes, the boys wearing overalls and straw hats, and the girls, aprons and sunbonnets. All carry toy hoes or rakes. They march to center stage where they salute and curtsy, then turn, forming a single line and sing "Little Gardeners." During chorus they rake rhythmically. At close of song four turn left, four right, and march to right and left of stage, forming lines at right with nurse and soldier line. Red Cross Nurses |