I suppose since I asked for it,it's up to me to christen it. So here goes. At the Augusta gun show Mrs. Seamus asked me about children's activities at re-enactments. Since we've all encountered this in some form I thought it would be a good way to kick things off. Short of telling Jr to turn down the sound on the video game & play in the tent, what can a parent do?
Mrs. Seamus is forunate in this regard. As she told me the Pratt Progeny is content to sit with a tablet where she can write & draw for hours. But how to make this more period. I think I've found the answer.
As I suggested, try finding a more period substitute for the spiral notebook. I was at the Bangor Borders this morning & found on their bargain shelves hardcover journals & scetchbooks. The journals are lined pages, the scetchbooks blank. Or you can get journal/scetchbooks which are lined on the front, blank on the back. Large are $5.99, small $3.99.
Writing implements are easy. Wal-Mart stationary department is the cheapest I've found. Tigonderoga pencils in a 2 pack. (The large "I'm learning" pencils) You can cut off the metal banded eraser end & sand the pencil down to bare wood. Then you have a period implement.
Cheap & easy amusment. Does anyone have any other suggestions for other less easily amused progeny?
~Miss Patti
Period Children's Activities
Subscribe to Recent Stories
I think that researching of
Interesting web site for period games:
http://www.ushist.com/american_civil_war_toys-and-games.htm
"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more."
Macbeth
Ahhh the good old days when
Ahhh the good old days when a stick was high entertainment......
add a wooden hoop and the fun really began..Does anyone know how old games like red rover or kick the can are? would those be period games? It obvious that redlight green light wouldnt be authentic..or would it as railroad lanterns were colored...
any other ideas?
Seamus
(ollie ollie oxen free!)
".....and with a prick upon my thumb, something wicked this way comes..."
MacBeth
Just who....
.... is Oliver Oxenfree?
2nd Lt Eric R. Reeder
United States Army
Corps of Topographic Engineers
"Hawks and Eagles fly like Doves"
2nd Lt Eric R. Reeder United States Army Corps of Topographic Engineers "Hawks and Eagles fly like Doves"
I remember Red Rover! Nobody
I remember Red Rover! Nobody could break through my link of the chain. I imagine it is pretty old because my grandparents talked about playing it.
There are other simple things like tug of war, drawing pictures of your favorite flag or general. Mock drillings, which the 20th Maine used to do for visitors is always popular. Another idea is writing letters to the soldiers and having mail call. It makes for a neat living history scenario.
"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more."
Macbeth
period toys etc.
Here is a good site for period toys, pencils, slats, games, etc.
www.raggedsoldier.com
Has a lot of neat stuff!
Rhonda Elvin
John 3:16
"Playing soldier" was
"Playing soldier" was probably a common game - I have a copy of a painting of a woman anxiously reading the paper while her children parade around carrying sticks and with and pots on their heads.
"Ring around the rosy"
Races, of course.
Here are some period games:
http://www.memorialhall.mass.edu/classroom/curriculum_6th/lesson13/bkgde...
And here:
http://www.memorialhall.mass.edu/classroom/curriculum_6th/lesson13/games...
I believe that is "Älle
I believe that is "Älle Alle Out In Free"
"Never Apologize, It's a sign of weakness!
Cpt. Nathan Brittles
Pvt. Steve Henry
Co. A, 3rd Maine Volunteer Infantry
"Bath City Greys
ollie ollie oxen free
I always thought is was "ollie ollie oxen free".
Ahh, the oral traditions of seven and eight year olds!
--
Michael Johnson
It never made sense to
It never made sense to me
"ollie ollie oxen free"
other then getting to goal (often pronounced in youth as gouhl)
who was ollie why was his oxen free?
was the orginal Dutch and what does alle mean?
and then it was distorted by the lack of understanding as often things are with time(Re. ashoos ashoos we all fall down, to ashes ashes we all fall down. recited in the macabre nursery rhyme which is about the Plague so some say)
so what is the origins of these games?
Seamus
".....and with a prick upon my thumb, something wicked this way comes..."
MacBeth
All in, All in, Free
Well, like I said, I think it's a case of "the oral tradition of seven year olds" have distorted it. It's not like us adults spend much time recording the etymology of children.
I think I read somewhere that it probably started out as, "All in! All In! Come in free!"
Now I understand who kids turned "all in" into "ollie". But I can't figure out where the "oxen" got involved.
--
Michael Johnson