The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-25

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Rainy Day Suggestions.
By RUTH CAMERON.

Some weeks ago I urged my letter
friends to exchange ideas on ways to
amuse children on rainy days. Below
are some Of the excellent suggestions
sent me. Read them. mothers and
others interested in children, and then
send me your ideas on this subject.
and we'll have another symposium
later. It is surely a fertile subject.
It have five children altogether but
only three little ones that are at home
all day." writes one unusually wide
awake and intelligent mother. Il al
ways try as much as possible to have
their games Instructive as we'll as
amusing and had a very fine chance
to pick up a good many ideas by visit
ing the schools here. I have learned
for instance that a handful of flour
on the big kitchen table or the little
play table will serve to keep them
quiet for almost any length of time,
for while sister has her rolling pin
busy making mountains and tunnels
and tracks for his cars. and the baby
spoon with the curved handle is his
ideal snow pillow. I am always travel
ing to all the countries can think of
| with him.
'.At other times it is the clothes pin
| bag which keeps them quiet. In this
case sister is making dolls and BROTH
er forts and log cabins with big nails
for guns and single pins for guards,
or both are busy making fences or
| horses. My little box of nails is also a
great favorite, for then make all the
| letters for them and they try to copy
as many as they can. Brother is four
and sister is two years old. while baby,
who loves to watch or destroy, IL just
eight months DID,
| Another mother suggests:
Small blackboards with colored
crayons. Box of paints to color pic
lures in old magazines and fashion
plates.
Mother goose party in the attic-in-
Guiding dress parade.
Observation-Disclosures, singing rounds.
each carrying different tunes at the
same time accompanied with many
Ifmprovised instruments.
"An unwittingly we solved prob
lem for our little lad by playing the
game Of Finch with him. writes an
other mother. HE would turn his
pack of cards face up and as his play
came we would say. Lad, put the fig
ure four on number three, ETC.. point
ing out the cards at the same time.
Soon. to our delight, our little five
year-old knew his numbers perfectly
and needed no help. Yet hardly die
he realize the fact himself it had
come SO naturally. and the large fig
ures on the cards had SO impressed
him that when tried having him
make them from memory he made
!, very few Mistakes"
II save up funny sheets from the
/, Sundays papers to amuse my chill
dren,'' writes the mother of boy foul
and q baby one year old. Then my
four-ye4r-old has little clothes pins
with some pieces of cloth and he plays
wash day and hangs them out on the
line. He enjoys this though he is .
! boy. Again 1 give them some old car
covers and some left over pie crusl
land let them make cakes to bake
They love to see them after they ARK
baked
Perhaps YOU may have tried al
these schemes to keep little hands
from being the prey Of the personagt
who finds things for idle hands to do
II you haven't happened to think O
them we hope these few suggestion,
} win help you out and that you win b,
j loo grateful that you win be moved 4
{ f1end noAne 1chemb ~ yenr own t0 ~