Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-09-21
HOW TO AMUSE CHILDREN.

Children are never so happy as when
thoroughly employed. Idle children are
cross, naughty, disobedient, and mis-
ch;evous, simply because they must be
doing something, and have no one to
help them TO interest and amuse them
selves.
A good way of amusing children of
ten or over Is to uraw plan of some
great battle. getting them to put pieces
of putty for landmarks, a scrap of red
being used for one army, blue or an
other colo: for the other. The story, as
told by an elder person, simply and in
teresungly, Is eagerly worked out by
the child, who does not consider this
a lesson. Boys, especially, delight in
any thing military, and a species of
musical drill on wet day is useful In
keeping active children happily
amused. In every house there are
various odd scraps of velvet, silk, satin,
cloth, DC, not likely to be of much
use except for patchwork. If, when
there IS long day indoors owing to
rain or cold, mamma would look ont
some of these scraps for her little girls
to do what they liked with, it wouIi
give them much pleasure. Children
are particularly fond of color, and the
sorting over the various pieces will
please and interest them greatly, while
they grow animated over the vital
question OF the wonderful costumes to
be devised by the little brains and deft
fingers for their different dolls.
In the choice Of a dolls dress
little girl is nnconsciously
learning how to choose later for her
self, and tiny ga -ments, which, if
shown how to make properly by a kind
elder sister, mother, or nurse, are
source OF the greatest pleasure and pride
to the small worker, are models for
the embryo housewife of the future.
Possibly, the best and truest educa-
uon Is that of play with a purpose.
A pretty child's book of good, large
type, with numter of colored illus
trstions, in which the subjects are
simple and plainly portrayed. will
amuse and be understood by children.
They like better, however, to have a
story told them than to hear one read,
II the narrator knows how to tell a
story we'll; but they will not listen to
anyone who cannot command their
attention and interest. Instead of
scoIding children repeatedly for little
lallnSs, more etectnal good might be
done by indirectly referring to known
dellnquencies in tale which would
drive home to the Little listeners
heart.
Carpentering, especially for bows, is
an excellent amusement, and they
might be allowed to try and make
various little things for the house.
Drawing slates books, and notices are
useful, and most children delight
IN painting pictures. The great thing
to be considered is to provide a variety
OF suitable and amusing occupations,
and not to allow child to enlov apy
one for too great a length of time, or
1t viii sicken of it. A child's power OF
concentration Is not large, and should
not be too much taxed. If parents in
terested thems selves IN their children's
amnsements, and realized the impor
tsnce of the, as they think, trivial dolls
house, doll, miniature garden, aud
other things, the question of how TO
amuse children would find an answer
in the training in plcy of the future
landholder, father, husband, and
public citizen; the mother, wife, and
teacher.