Williston graphic., 1918-11-28

foolishly on meaningless flimsy toys
\ for children than parents, realize. lhe
familiar fivecent bag Of candy whlcf
many country children expect on a
trip to town would buy box OF col
ored crayons which would be a we'll
spring Of JOY and profit to them for
days and days. The cheap twenty
five-cent gaudily dressed doll which
yoes to pieces after day or SO OF
vigorous play, costs as much as t1ve
pounds of potter's clay which would
make innumerable toy dishes, ana DC
the source of incalculable education
al advancement. If the mother, away
on shopping trip, can resist the
) temptation to stake the children
something" in the shape OF a poorly
constructed woody lamb which loses
its legs in the first half-hour's play;
if she can persuade the visiting aunt
to let her spend the money which was
to have bought candy, very bad for
little teeth; if she can head off the
bachelor friend from bestowing me-
,chanical top which becomes unlnter-
,esting after the second day; she will
soon have money enough to buy a
treasure store of profitable educa-
tional playthings which will last
through the children's early years
Colored crayons cost five cents a
box; for another nickel good sup
ply Of wrapping paper can be bought
from the grocer, which, cut into large,
square sheets, furnishes the back
ground for much drawing" and coll
orinp by artists of three and four
wears. They can be shown how to
draw around drinking glass or
small plate, to make circles; around
a block to make a square; around a
salt cellar to make an oblong, and
they delight in coloring the designs
thus formed. This is fine prepara-
tory training for writing. These col
ored designs can afterwards be cut
out by the children with blunt-point-
ed scissors (Which can be bought for
ten cents pair) and this furnishes
another exercise for the hand. The
general opinion is that children under
five are not able to use scissors, but
there are many exceptions to this
rule.
AS the children grow older they
like a change from colored crayons
to water colors, a box of which can
be bought for ten cents. Such box
is, next to modelling clay, the most
lasting satisfaction to children. and
tho nses to which it can be put are
not ODE counted. The spools which
they have been playing with can be
colored brightly and made into neck
laces. All the designs they have
made and colored with colored cray
ons can be colored with water color
with fresh pleasure. Old magazines
with largesize pictures can be color
ed, and the children, if bit encour-
aged. are very apt to make large
drawings on the big sheets of wrap
ping paper and color those. Paper
dolls cut out of fashion magazines
and colored by the children not only
cost nothing, but give excellent prac-
tice to hand and eye. The mother
should remember that any child who
has had much practice in handling
pencils and brushes has an immense
advantage over others when he goes
to school and begins to learn to read
and write. After the child passes his
fourth birthday, his mother should
take special pains to encourage him
to use his fingers in drawing and
coloring although never in small de-
signs, which might tire his eyes.
On the whole, perhaps the very
best use that the, country mother can
make of money saved by economies
on candy and f1imsy toys is to buy
herself a few good books which will
give her valuable hints on her new
profession of motherhood. She does
not dream of trying to get along
without a good cookbook; why should
4 she think she can manage all the
details of another new business with
out any instruction? Let her, as a
matter of course, put on the kitchen
shelf beside the cookbook one or two
good mother books which she can
take down and dip into at odd min
-utes as she waits for the water to
boil or the oven to heat. One Of these
books will cost her but two-cent
stamp. and if she reads it carefully
will give her innumerable sugges-
tions. This is the catalogue Of any
firm handling kindergarten mate
rial such as the Milton Bradley Com
pany. Springfield, Mass, and E. Stei-
ger 4 Co.. 40 Murray street, New
York. Most of the country mothers
know nothing of the material sold by
such firms and will be surprised to
find that valuable educational mate.
rial is offered at prices which make
it far cheaper than common toys
bought at the stores, an dthat she
will n, ed 20 training to MAKE excel.
lent use OF much that is intended fol
class use At the back of such q
catalogue is list Of very inexpen.
sive books foc mothers which vii
give her suggestions for paper-cut
ting, clay-modelling and drawing.
But the great, great beauty ant
value of country life for the child i:
too big q theme to do more thar