CHILDREN'S GAMES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1079, 18 March 1911, Page 11

CHILDREN'S GAMES.

A BABY I'ARTY. Since a well-known hostess gave a party fur those of her grandchildren who had just be?un to toddle and for one or two who could not toddle at all, it lias become a fashion to entertain the babies, writes Constance Beeibolnn in an English paper. It is well to leave the tiniest at home, for the eyes of children, even of six or seven months, are apt to suffer from the glare of lights, and, besides, too great a noise distresses them; but children of from one to iivo years may safely bo brought to a baby party. How, then, to amuse them? Children of such, tender age cannot join in the games that delight their older brothers and sisters. The Invitations, Veil, at least let me tell of one hostess who gave a party with real success for some tiny creatures, and how she catered for their wants. Invitations were sent out to the babies on v;hite paper bordered wiili pink, and on each sheet was engraved somo pretty flower, pussy's head, or a doll. From 3.30 to 5 in the afternoon was the time affixed for the entertainment, and, of course, mothers, aunts, and nurses were included in the invitation. "tt hen tho babies arrived at Mrs. A's house she did not rush at them, talk to them, or offer to kiss those who objected to. the ceremony.. After they had been divested of their wraps in a large, wellwarmed room, on the ground floor, the children were brought up into the draw-ing-room and allowed to become used Quite gradually to one another and to their new surroundings. In every corner of the room were piles of bricks, indiarubber animals, railway trains, go-carts, hobby-horses, and there were rattles and soft, balls for those babies in arms—and I must not forget a big and small rocking-horse and doll's house. A Doll Show, Mrs. A., furthermore, had asked all the little girls to bring their dolls with them, and she had seen that an almost empty room should be arranged for their reception. The little mothers formed a double line and walked round in procession, some carrying their dolls and others wheeling them in perambulators; airl while they did so a gay and tuneful inarch was played upon the r.iano. Nothing. 1 should add,' was. pressed upon tho children, and those who wanted to. remain with their dolls in corners were at onco permitted to do so.

Prizes were awarded after tho march past of _ the dolls, one motherkin receiving an indiarubber ball for the beauty of her favourite's blue eyes, and another for the fla.ten curls of hers. On a table hard by was laid out a doll's dinner service, and. on the plates and dishes there wero sweetmeats, tiny sponge cake;, and the like. Tho.Babies' Delight. Tea 'services were not forgotten, and the children, their lirst shyness worn off, began at this point to play and to quarrel together while their still smaller brothers and sisters contentedly shook their rattles, sucked their thumbs, or stared at tho ceiling in unison. All said and done, Mrs. A. knew that nothing affords such delight to young children as air-balls, or balloons, assonn* still call tliem) to play with. So sho ordered several dozen of the stronger sort of balls, good large ones, with .string attached to each, and oh! tho shouts that went up from the children when they saw tho balls, and how they played with them in their own way .for a'while! The Tea Table. Afterwards Mrs. A. started a game, in which she threw up a ball and called out .to a certain little girl to come and hit it- and keep it up in. the air, and rtio child in her turn called another, who. again, called another.

Then all the children were marshalled down fo the dininsf-room to tea, whore again the- air-ball played its part. Crnckcrs were absent, for the popping of then* is annoying to babies and sets them'oft crying. In tho centre of the fable was a pink and white cake, over which a fairy presided, and round hf»r wore tiny tapers ever so carefully shaded. * Tiny green flower 'pots, such as are bought at the Oriental shops, were tilled chocolate beans, only plain ones, ami . in the middle of each pot was stuck a liny carnation with its green spikes. Playing with the Balloons. From each child's chair thero flew a coloured air-bail. Not only this! .Mrs.| A. had allowed a number of other air-balls to go free. She cho.se only white ones for this purpose, while those that were fastened to the chairs were of divers colours, red, blue, green, vellow, and pink and purple. The white balls that were allowed to fly up to the ceiling had each a long piece of string, and to these wore attached at the end a favour of some sort, flowers and butterflies, and when tea was over each guest was lifted on a nurse's arms to pull down his or her air-ball. What They Had for Tea, The tea itself was, of course, very simple. The freshest of milk was there for the children, served in glass pitchers. The bread and country butter were of tho finest, and there wero spongo cakes, some plain and some iced, besides wholesome cakes of all sorts, a littlo fruit and sweets, chiefly plain fondants done up in amusing shapes, Teddy bears and tho like. Very weak tea was ready for those children who objected to milk, and some do object even at four, years old! The babies who still indulged in bottles had their wants catered for.

After tea, games like "Puss in the Corner" were started for the tots. A round of merry little creatures took a feather and tossed it in the air and kept it up by their breath; two or three played at ball, and some even played "soap bubbles," and theso enjoyed themselves hugely. Some of the Gaines. A few drops of glycerine had been added to the soapy water, and the bubbles iloated like iridescent balls of light under an electrically illuminated chandelier. "Blind Man's Bull" is a good old game, but is attended with some risk if played by very small children. So only one child was blindfolded and a wand put in her hand. . The rest took hands and danced round her. When sho waved her wand they stopped and sho touched the nearest ono to her with the wand, "Who is this?" The little girl or bov touched answered: "It is I." When the blindfolded child guessed the voice rightly tho two players I exchanged places and the one caught became. blind. The gamo was played only by the older children. "Hide and Seek" is a gamo which even mites can learn at once. Sirs. A. asked all to close their eyes while she hid a red indiarubber ball, and there was such a scramblo to find it. Then carno a present hunt. Popular Treasure Hunt. , While the children were.amusing thrmselves upstairs in the drawing-room, Mrs. A.'s servants had had orders to prcparo the dining-room for the present hunt'. Tho little ones ran about—those, at ol out, and beneath curtains here, in baskets there, and everywhere about were hidden presents wrapped up in different coloured tissue papers. Tho little ones "ran about—those, at least, who could understand what they were to do—and sought for i':o A-rappuj-up itirl and hoy dolls, woolly lambs, Teddy bears, ducks, horses, life-like pussies, and dogs covered with skin. Each' child bod three presents, and among those hidden were onite modest things with the rest, but tho Majority were very nice toys indeed.