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Even More Pioneer games
Drop the Handkerchief
Items:
4 or more players
handkerchief
Drop the Handkerchief is similar to Duck-Duck-Goose. Form a circle of players facing each other. The person that is "it" will go around on the outside of the circle. The person that is "it" will drop a handkerchief behind one of the other players. The person that drops the handkerchief will race around the circle in hopes they won't get caught by the person the handkerchief was dropped behind. The people around the circle has to keep checking to see if the handerchief was dropped behind them. The person where the handkerchief was dropped picks up the handkerchief and chases after the person. The first one to sit in the empty spot wins. The one who loses will be "it" next.
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Blindman's Bluff
Items:
blindfold
more than 2 players
The game is similar to Marco Polo and is played 2 ways. One person is blindfolded, and calls out ''Blindman's Bluff," like in Marco Polo. One person is calling Blindman and the other calls out Bluff. The person blindfolded has to locate who is calling out bluff. The second way is the person not "it" is silent. The person who is" it" has to find the other one. When they find you, they tag you and guess who it is. Then they are "it".
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Knuckle Bones
Items:
2 to 4 players
Bones (neck bones from a chicken or turkey) or easy items to pick up (sticks, rocks, nuts,or small items) A place to play.
First the a person tosses the bones up in the air. The tosser has to catch as many bones on the back of the their hand. I the tosser dosent' catch any it's the next persons turn. If they do catch some or drop some they will have a chance to gather all the tossed bones. They have to toss all the bones and try to pick up the remaining bones. The person with the most bones wins.
If you drop all the bones it's the other persons turn,the game game goes on
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Hunt The Shoe
Items:
shoes
5 to 10 people
All the children will take off their shoes and put them in the middle of the circle. The "it" person selects a shoe from the pile and closes their eyes while the other players pick out a shoe. They keep the shoes behind their backs. After moving the shoes around the circle all at one time, the person that is "it" says Hunt the Shoe. Now the "it" person has to find the match to the shoe they have selected by guessing.
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Leapfrog
Items:
2 or more people
One person is the leader and the other people are on their hands and knees. Leader starts in back of everyone and leaps over the person that is front of them. They put their hands on the other person's back and jump over the person. Once the leader gets over the person in front of them the back person starts it all over again. As shown in the picture.
Dare Base
Dare Base is a game where there are two teams. Each team chooses an area that is their home base. Sometimes it is around the flagpole or some other place on the playground. Players who dare try to run around the home base of the other team. If they are caught, the team that catches them chooses a player from the other team to be on their team. The team who has all the players on their team at the end of the game is the winner, and the game begins again.
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Other Pioneer Games
- Chasing Hoops
- Tag
- Skipping rope
- Carving
- Marbles (made of clay)
- Kites
- Checkers
- Hide & Seek
- Tic-Tac-Toe
- String games
- Nicky-Nicky Nine Doors
- Croquet
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Blind Man's Buff - One person is blindfolded and other players form a circle around him/her. The blindfolded person is turned around a few times then let go to catch one of the players. There are different ways to play the game. One way is that the blindfolded player has to guess who they have caught.
Drop the handkerchief - Players join hands and form a circle while "it" holds a handkerchief and runs around the circle. "It" drops the handkerchief behind one of the players and keeps running. The player then picks up the handkerchief and runs around the circle in the opposite direction. They race to see who reaches the empty spot first. The loser becomes the next "it".
Ducks Fly - Players face the leader, who says what to do. Then they copy the actions of the leader. The leader will say "Ducks fly" and flap his arms. The players also flap their arms. The leader continues with other actions like "cats meow", "dogs bark, etc. But the leader also tries to trick others by saying "sheep oink". The players must remain quiet until the leader says it correctly.
Fox and Geese - This game is played after a snowfall. First the snow is tramped down in paths to make a big wheel with spokes and a hub in the center. One player is the Fox and the rest are the Geese. The Fox tries to catch a Goose (who then becomes the next Fox). Players must stay inside the paths. If a Goose steps off the path, that Goose is caught. The only safe place for a Goose is in the center (hub). But only one Goose is allowed to be in the center.
Hot and cold - One person (it) leaves the room while the others hide a button (or some other object). When "it" returns he/she has to try and find the button. The others give hints by saying "warm, warmer, hot, or cold, colder, etc."
Jack Straws - This game is like "pick up sticks". Straws or very thin sticks were used. The straws were placed in a pile shaped like a haystack or tent (coming to a point at the top and spread out at the bottom). Each player took a turn pulling a straw out of the pile trying not to move any other straws. If a player was able to get a straw without jiggling any other straws he/she scored a point. Then it was the next player's turn. The game ended when the stack fell. The winner was the player with the most straws. To make the game more interesting, there were "special" straws which were worth more points.
Marbles - The object of the game is to win marbles from other players. The first player tosses a marble on the ground. The second player tries to hit the marble by tossing his/her marble at it. If the second player is successful, he/she wins the marble. If not successful, the first player has a turn to try and hit the second player's marble. There were many other ways to play "marbles".
Poor Doggie (or Poor Kitty) - "It" is the doggie who must try to make someone laugh. The players sit in a circle and Doggie goes to each player and barks, whines and imitates a dog. The players have to pet Doggie and say "Poor Doggie, Poor Doggie, Poor Doggie!" The player must not smile while saying this or he/she will become the next Doggie.
Rolling the hoop - Children would run along beside a hoop, rolling it by using a stick. Sometimes races were held to see who could be the fastest. There were also contests to see who could roll the hoop the farthest or who could keep it rolling for the longest time.
Shadow tag - "It" tries to step on another player's shadow. If a player gets tired of running away, he/she must lie down so "it" cannot tag them.
Simon says - Players face the leader and must do what the leader says. If the leader says "Simon says, Thumbs up" and puts up his thumbs, then the players must do the same thing. The leader calls out and does other actions like "Simon says hop on one foot" or "Simon says touch your toes ", etc. But if the leader does not say the words "Simon says" and just says "jump up and down" the players should do nothing. Anyone who is tricked by the leader has to become the next leader.
Who has the button? - The players form a circle and the person who is "it" leaves (or closes his/her eyes) while the others pass a "button" or another object around the circle. One person hides the object behind his/her back. All the other players put their hands behind their backs, too. Then "it" is allowed three guesses as to who is hiding the object. If "it" guesses correctly they exchange places and a new person is "it".
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Pioneer Log Cabin
By Vivian Paulsen
Vivain Paulsen, “Pioneer Log Cabin,” Friend, July 1984, 48
To build your own pioneer log cabin, you will need: empty 1/2-pint (236 ml) milk carton, 60–70 pretzel sticks, 5" x 3 3/4" (13 cm x 9.5 cm) brown construction paper, black construction paper, ingredients for icing glue (see recipe).
1. With icing, glue pretzels horizontally to sides of milk carton.
2. Glue pretzels vertically to each corner of milk carton (see illustration).
3. Cut small door and windows from black paper and glue them onto cabin.
4. For roof, fold short ends of brown construction paper together, open up, and glue at fold over top of milk carton.
Icing Glue
3 eggs
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Mix ingredients together and beat for 7 to 10 minutes. Keep unused icing covered with damp cloth so that icing won’t harden. (Enough for several cabins.)
Whirligig |
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The whirligig, or buzz saw, will spin and hum while you pull your arms apart and push them together. See how long you can keep it going! |
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You’ll need:
- a piece of string about twice as long as your arm
- a large button with two holes
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1. Thread the string through the button holes and tie the ends in a knot, forming a loop.
2. Hold each end of the string so that the button hangs slack in the middle. Swing the button in a circle to tightly wind up the string.
3. Pull your hands apart and push them together again. Watch the button whirl and sing! |
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*Once you’ve made a whirligig with a button, try making one with a cutout wooden disk, about 3 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick. Make sure that the holes are centered in the disk so that the whirligig spins evenly. If you drill small holes around the edge of the disk, the whirligig will make a louder humming noise. Paint swirling designs on your whirligig and watch it spin!
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Crafts and Games-
Thaumatrope |
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The thaumatrope is an optical illusion. When you spin the disk, the two pictures spin so fast that your eye is tricked into thinking they are one. |
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You’ll need:
- a square of stiff cardboard
- hole punch
- two pieces of string
- markers, crayons, or colored pencils
- scissors
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1. Cut circle out of the cardboard.
2. Punch a hole in each side of the circle.
3. Draw a picture on each side of the circle. When put together, the two pictures should make one picture, such as a bird and a cage, a mother and child, or a flower and a pot. To make sure that the pictures will fit together, hold the circle in front of you. Flip it over from the bottom. The picture on the other side should be right side up.
4. Tie a piece of string to each side of the cardboard circle.
5. Hold one string in each hand and wind up the thaumatrope. When you release the circle, the pictures will spin together and form one picture.
Apple Harvest Games
Harvest time was an important time for pioneer farmers. Families often gathered to share the work of picking, preparing, and preserving fruits and vegetables. Although there was lots of work to do, they still managed to have some fun. In the fall, when apples were harvested, pioneers might have played these games to celebrate the fall season.
BOBBING FOR APPLES
Fill a large tub with water, and float several apples on the water. Players clasp their hands behind their backs and try to grab apples with their teeth. It’s harder than it sounds, and usually leads to some good laughs.
SNAP THE APPLE
Tie several apples onto strings and string them from a ceiling beam or doorframe at varying heights. Players try to get a bite of the apple – no hands allowed!
Poor Doggie (or Poor Kitty) - "It" is the doggie who must try to make someone laugh. The players sit in a circle and Doggie goes to each player and barks, whines and imitates a dog. The players have to pet Doggie and say "Poor Doggie, Poor Doggie, Poor Doggie!" The player must not smile while saying this or he/she will become the next Doggie.
Who has the button? - The players form a circle and the person who is "it" leaves (or closes his/her eyes) while the others pass a "button" or another object around the circle. One person hides the object behind his/her back. All the other players put their hands behind their backs, too. Then "it" is allowed three guesses as to who is hiding the object. If "it" guesses correctly they exchange places and a new person is "it".
Hot and cold - One person (it) leaves the room while the others hide a button (or some other object). When "it" returns he/she has to try and find the button. The others give hints by saying "warm, warmer, hot, or cold, colder, etc."
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