Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-05-04
How to Amuse Children

About year ago. somebody asked the editor
OF an exchange, What shall the children do
on rainy days p ha4 ayl i711J 7F = -
s The editor lives in country where it rains
sometimes, and dare say, had been soreIy
puzzled TO answer that question to the sati fac
ton OF his own little people At any rate. he
caiied on all the fathers and mothers to help
him answer 1t, and good many things were
suggested by some OF them. View tried some
OF them at our house, and though they worked
very well, yet we have come to the conclusion.
that on the whole, the best thing to do for our
children at such times is to let them alone
None but those who have had good deal of
experience with children, can have anv idea of
their wonderful aarenttve powers, and when left
to their own resources for amusement there Is
almost no limit to their contrivances.
Give the little folks, where it is possible. a
room to themselves, and leave them to their
own resources. Suppose they do educe your
dining room to utter confusion. You can re-
arrange it In fifteen minutes, and Won have saw.
ed two hours by the operation. [ know of n
family where two little boys of five and seven
amuse themselves from daylight till dusk. with
only a short Interval for lessons and meals
They have few playthings-a box of building
blocks, an old clothes line, pair of scissors. q
carpet hammer, paper of tacks, and a boz
where all the bright bits of paper that come in
to the house are deposited That is pretty
much all, but on rainy day, or cold one they
take possession OF the dining-room, and invent
an unceaslng round of amusement. -
Suppose we peep in at them. They have
been busy for an hour, and very quiet, only the
constant chatter of their merry voices and now
and then an exclamation What a litterl You
teel as IT you wanted to run for the broom, but
it is only your stupidity. What you take to be
bits OF white and yellow paper scattered over
the floor are beautiful lilies, in a green meadow.
that rope zigzaging around is little brook, and
those clothes pin grouped about the dust brush
are children having picnic under tall elm
tree The oldest boy explains it all with sparkl-
ing eyes and that shows how real it all is to
him. Perhaps, in few minutes, box ofbut-
tons will be emptied on the table, and the but.
tons arranged In companies of soldiers, or the
blocks will be built into cages, and you will
hear the young exhibitor showing off his animals
and describing the elephant as be marches along
with long ears severely shaking
just as quick as you try to help them by any
suggestion, you do mischief, and too many TOYS
are only an evil. A child's Imagination is vivid
enough to help him out of any difficulties in
this line, if you will only give it play. n.
Said busy mother; II have spent many
hours In reading tony children many in try-
ing to teach them, but never one, unless they
were sick, in tryinn to anause them They have
been taught from babyhood to amuse them
selves"
So | feel like saying to the hundreds and
thousands of busy mothers, teach your children
to amuse themselves, and to do this, you need
only to give them the opportunity and then let
them alone. a..o, t-