The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-03-21
INDOOR ADJUSTMENTS.

During the long cold or wet days when
it is not wise that the little ones should
go out doors to play, home amusements
and occupation should be found for
them. 1t is best to teach them indepen-
dence in the matter of finding their own
amusements. but they very often need
to be helped to this; they must be I'M
consciously stimulated to take an inter
est in some bit of work or play. and they
must feel that the mother is interested
with and for them in their pursuits. By
intelligently planned plays great deal
of instruction can be given to the child.
Possibly the best and truest education is
that of the play with purpose.
A good way of amusing children of ten
or over is to draw plan of some great
battle, getting them to put pieces of
putty for landmarks, scrap of red be-
ing used for one army, blue or another
color for the other. The story as told by
an elder person, simply and interesting
ly, is eagerly worked out by the child,
who does not consider this as a lesson.
Boys, especially, delight in anything mil
itary. and species of musical drill on
wet day is useful in keeping active
children happily amused. Ia every
house there are various old scraps of
silk, velvet, satin, cloth, etc., not likely
to be of much use except for patchwork.
If, when there is long day indoors,
Mama would look up some of these
scraps for her little girls to do what they
like with, it would give them much
pleasure. Children are particularly
fond of color, and the sorting over the
various pieces will interest them greatly,
while they grow animated over the vital
question of the wonderful costomes to be
devised by little brains and deft fingers
for their dolls. In the choice of dolls
dress little girl is uncopsciously learn
ing how to choose later for herself, and
the tiny garments. which, if shown how
to make properly by kind elder sister,
mother or nurse, are a source of the
greatest pleasure and pride to the small
workers and models for the embryo
housewife of the future.
A pretty child's book. of large. good
type, with number of colored illustra-
tions, in which the subjects are simple
and plainly portrayed. will amuse little
children for long time. They like bet
ter to have story told them than to
hear one read, il the narrator knows how
to tell story we'll; but they will not
listen to any one who cannot command
their attention and interest.
Carpentering, especially for boys. is
an excellent amusement, and they
might be allowed to try and make vari
our little things for the house. Drawing
states, books and notices are useful, and
most children delight in painting pict-
ures. The great thing to be considered
is to provide variety of suitable and
amusing occupations and not allow the
child to enjoy any one for too great
length of time, or it will tire of it. A
child's power of concentration is not
great and should not be too much
taxed. II parents interested themselves
in their children's amusements and re-
allied the importance of the, as they
think, trivial dolls house, doll, minia-
ture garden and other things. the ques-
ton of how to amuse children would
find an answer in the training 10 play of
the future landholder, householder,
father, husband, and public citizen; the
mother, wife and teacher.