The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-10
FOR FEMININE READERS
HOW BABIES MAY BE MADE HAPPY
WHEN THEY MUST STAY INDOORS.
Cooperative Housekeeping a Possf-
BILE Solution for the Servant Ques-
tion-What VIII BE Worn.

In small nurseries the many devices of the
kindergartens to produce form, ito make
something. as the children say, are very
helpful and afford great variety, says a
writer in the New York Post They take
up very little room, are inexpensive, and ex-
ercise invention and patience. Three or
four children will often be extremely inter
ested and amused by the efforts of one of
their number to construct a chair or a bas-
ket and be satisfied to advise and suggest.
These educational toys lose their best infiu-
ence if the children are not encouraged to
put them together for themselves.
For very young children a sand-box is
easily the greatest joy in the world of play.
In what the charm lies, who shall guess?
Through all the months of this past sum-
mer, looking down upon a sandy beach, I
have in vain tried to find out the secret of
its fascination. tt is there it cannot be
eliminated it is ever enduring. dozen or
more active children, from fourteen to
babyhood, have had no desire to roam, but
on narrow strip of beach have daily built
forts to be washed away by the next tide;
have spent hours of merry eagerness in
merely making holes without any apparent
end. Grave men and women have helped
them, seemingly as much amused as the
youngsters, and been Woodworking and in
genious in warding off the surely victorious
waves. Ladies have spent hours in letting
the warm particles fall through their deli
cate fingers, listIessly lifting handful after
handful as if under a spell. And only yes
terday 1 watched a solitary, well-dressed
man of perhaps forty years sit down in
the sunshine, turn back his spotless cuffs
and, barring his arms, deliberately dig down
into the sand at his side until he had. made
hole large enough to cover his arm above
the elbow.
Let the cause Of the sand-charm lie where
it may, there is no doubt that the useful
ness of the sand-box cannot be overrated.
In small nursery large one is impossi-
BILE, but have seen an ingenious arrange
ment made by using zinc trough set in a
light box after the fashion of a window
box for flowers, and fastened to a small
table, before which child could and did
sit for an hour at time, filing and refill
ing various little shapes, small f1ower-potS,
"patty-panS' and the like, and turning
them out on the board of a high-chair
A modern fallacy is to occupy the child
whole day with some SyStematlZed employ
ment and observation-disclosures, music, dane
ing one following the other, with the small
brain ever on a strain to accomplish some
thing. Spontaneity of action and repoSe to
the brain are absolutely needful to child
life This is what their country days have
given them every hour; they are TO one
thing constant never" and In constantly
varying postures and guided by ever-vary-
ing inspirations, which sunshine, or flowers,
or animal life give to their ideas. unceas-
ingly find new delights. That moderate
rule of occupation and instruction is un-
avoidabe and vitality necessary as the mind
develops goes without saying but do not re-
duce their lives into obedience to an infiex-
ible metronome, nor make their days uni
form and above all, do not feel bound to
offer their minds constant employment or
amusement; let the young brains evolve
pursuits and plans for themselves within
wholesome general boundaries.
Let them have opportunity to think and
develop for themselves what is individual,
if you would insure their happiness, and
particularly enforce the need to be satisfied
with few accessories. Let them be lnven-
tive and exercise imagination in their plays;
they will be happier now and feel the gain
in after years
And with this freedom of the mind, make
it possible that for an hour at least they
have somewhere place out of doors where
they can move according to their unchecked
volition. regulated walk stereotyped
stroll UP this street and down that. will not
any play which involves fellowship and fun
will do more to keep the summer roses
bright than anything else you can contrive.
Would that all children were country chill
dren; but, failing this, let us study the
more subtle causes of country gain, which
do not all lie in the atmosphere.