When children have passed beyond the rattle age, they reach out their
hands for baa-lambs, woolly sheep, cows with bells, cats that meaw, and
dogs that say bow-wow.
The next advance in amusement is to play with a toy that goes on
wheels, and therefore for a half hour at a time, little folk will be
content by drawing around the nursery such toys as trains of cars,
horses with long tails, express wagons, etc., etc.; and then follows
the period when pretty lady dolls must go out to drive in a pretty
carriage accompanied by mistress baby, whose chubby hands push the
doll’s carriage ahead, and nurse’s ever vigilant eyes keep watch, so
that neither baby nor the baby’s doll, like the historic Jack and Jill,
fall down and break their crown. And mechanical dollies are also in
demand,—lady dolls that lift their veils, smile and bow; gentlemen
dolls that are orchestrian leaders; boy dolls that can turn somersaults
and effect other athletic feats. And about this time if nurse is
careful to keep sharp eyes on the scissors, colored pictures may be
cut out and pasted in scrapbooks, or paper dolls may be arrayed as
their youthful mothers desire. Or bright pieces of silk may be sewed
together, provided the thread is tied into the needle’s eye, so that
it cannot be pulled out. Or wonderful castles may be built with packs
of cards, or towers and steeples with building blocks. Noah’s ark will
do great service, as will also tops that spin, and hoops that may be
rolled or twirled, and drums that may be beat, and whistles and horns
that may be blown.
But, notwithstanding all the toys and amusement therefrom, there will
be heard the oftentimes plaintive wail, “Play with me, please play
with me.” And then it is that the wise mother or nurse will introduce
a simple game. Perhaps Puss in the Corner, or Blind Man’s Buff, or
perhaps hide behind a large chair or screen and call aloud, “Where am
I?” and such a mischievous laugh will follow when the toddling child
finds the one who has thus hidden!
From this period game follows game, just as naturally as year follows
year, and even when the little tot has grown to womanhood or manhood,
the cry is still heard, “Play with me, please play with me,” thus
illustrating the trite words, men and women are only children grown up.
Therefore the variety of games within this book: Games suitable for
all ages, for all temperaments; games for the house, and games for the
field; games for the girls, and, games for the boys; games for the
young, and games for the old; games for St. Valentine’s Day, games for
Christmas Day,—games for all seasons, games for all climes. Thus may
the year be filled with jollity.
Several games in this volume were originally published in the
periodicals of Messrs. Harper & Brothers, and are reprinted by their
kind permission.