Y PUBL C BRARY THE BRANCH LIBRARIES
3 3333 02372 7999
ST 53
Sixty
Musical Games & Recreations
for Little Musicians
By
Laura Rountree Smith
.7$
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Boston : Oliver Ditson Company
New York : Chas. H. Ditson & Co.
Chicago : Lyon & Healy
Copyright, MCMXIV by Oliver Ditson Company
International Copyright secured
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PREFACE
OW shall I present the facts of music to children?"
"How can I make my Pupils' Recitals interesting?"
IN response to these inquiries, made by music teachers all
over the country, the Musical Games and Recreations included
in this volume were written.
CHILDREN love to play games. By making use of the Play
Impulse facts learned in play will never have to be taught
in more serious fashion. The Musical Games give added in-
terest to the meetings of the Music Class, Club, or Recital,
and they have a distinct educational value for there are games
to teach Time, and Keys, and games to awaken interest in
musical subjects.
THE Recreations included in this book are in the form of
Recital Programs and Plays suitable for any season of the
year. They may be given in-doors or out.
THE entire program in each case is complete, as to invita-
tions, suggestions for costuming, recitations and music.
THE children enjoy working up special Recitals and the
program is discussed and looked forward to for weeks before
it is given.
WE have not overlooked the boys who take part in the Re-
citals and are given two entire Programs;. The Recreations
include Programs for Special Days, as Hallowe'en, Valentine's
Day, Christmas, Peace Day, and a Folk-lore Program is also
included.
A VOICE from the south says, " Please tell us how to plan a
Musical Circus," so we have A Circuj Day Recital. A voice
from the north cries, "How shall we present music of dif-
ferent countries?" so we include A Recital of All Nations.
THE out-door Recitals are planned to keep up the interest in
music-study in the vacation.
THAT the Musical Games and Recreations will meet the re-
quirement of teachers by adding interest to Class Room work
and Pupils' Recitals is the earnest desire of the author.
LAURA ROUNTREE SMITH.
NOTE
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The Music Books listed below are referred to in the text and will be
found helpful in making up other games and programs.
SONG VOLUMES
FOLK-SONGS AND OTHER SONGS FOR CHILDREN, Edited by
J. B. Radcliffe-Whitehead. (Contains 148 songs) Boards $2.00
ONE HUNDRED FOLK-SONGS OF ALL NATIONS (The Musicians
Library}. Edited by Granville Bantock Paper 1.50
Cloth, gilt 2.50
THIRTY SONGS FOR CHILDREN (The Half Dollar Series') .50
SIXTY SONGS FROM MOTHER GOOSE. By L. E. Orth 1.00
POSIES FROM A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES. By Wm. Arms
Fisher. (Contains 15 songs with words by Robert Louis Stevenson) 1.00
PIANO VOLUMES
MOTHER GOOSE SONGS WITHOUT WORDS. By L. E. ORTH 1.00
(Contains 70 little piano pieces)
RHYTHM AND ACTION < WITH' Music. By K.Uherine P. Norton 1.00
(Contains 47 piano 'pieces' )'
ALBUM FOR THE YOUNG AND SCENES o* CHILDHOOD. By Robert
Schumann. (Ditson Edition, No. S3). '(Contains 56 piano pieces) .50
SONGS WITHOUT WORDS., .fey F.eli^ Mcfideissohn (Ditson Edition,
No. 98}. (Contains 49 piano pieces j 1-00
Cloth, gilt 2.00
YOUNG PEOPLE'S CLASSICS. Vol.1. (Contains 51 piano pieces) 1.00
YOUNG PEOPLE'S CLASSICS. Vol. II. (Contains 39 piano pieces) 1.00
YOUNG PLAYERS' POPULAR COLLECTION 1.00
(Contains 51 piano pieces)
INDEX
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GAMES
Bo-Beep
Flats, The (First game)
do. (Second game)
Jolly Fiddlers, The (Sharp, Flat and Natural)
Key of C, Notes in the (Dialogue of)
do. What?
Keys, Bunch of
Keys, Major and Minor (First game)
do. (Second game)
do. (Third game)
Musical Signs
Musical Terms
do.
do.
Musicians
Music Master, The
Orchestra, The
Piano Tuner, The
Rest, The
Scale, The
do. What?
Sharps
Sharps and Flats
Staff, The
do. (Dialogue of)
Story-teller, The
(First game)
(Second game)
(Third game)
PAGE
17
4
5
14
10
13
15
10
11
12
27
18
19
21
24
23
2$
27
22
7
9
6
7
1
3
29
GAMES Continued
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PAGE
Valentine 16
do. Party 16
Violin Pupils (Dialogue of) 26
What number of voices or instruments 28
RECITALS
Autumn 8 1
Boy Scouts' program 38
Christmas 109
Christmas (Eugene Field) 137
Circus Day 113
Fairies' Frolic 132
Fairy Revels 86
Field, Eugene (Christmas) 137
Flower Festival 41
Folk-lore 116
Founded on a Greek myth 128
Hallowe'en 125
In St. Valentine's Garden 92
Japanese (for the Spring) 69
June's Reception 54
Lind, Jenny, A little visit to 65
Mendelssohn 99
Mother Goose Recital for September 120
do. for Summer 143
do. for Winter 60
Music Program for any Season 72
Nations, All 46
October 76
RECITALS Continued
PAGE
Old Folks 103
Peace Day 50
Pied Piper and Robin Hood 30
Riley, James Whitcomb 107
Robin Hood and Pied Piper 30
St. Valentine's Garden, In 92
Schumann-Stevenson 34
SEASONS:
Spring 150
Japanese Recital for Spring 69
Summer
June's Reception 54
Mother Goose Recital for Summer 143
Summer Recital for the Youngest Class 95
Autumn 8 1
Hallowe'en 125
Mother Goose Recital for September 120
October 76
Winter
Christmas 109
Field, Eugene (Christmas) 137
In St. Valentine's Garden 92
Mother Goose Recital for Winter 60
Spring 150
Stevenson, Robert Louis 91
Stevenson-Schumann 34
Summer Recital for the Youngest Class 95
Tableaux 50
Sixty Musical Games ana Recreations
for Little Musicians
1. GAME OF THE STAFF
(Mrs. Staff carries a large pasteboard card on which are
written the lines of the staff, and the treble clef. Each
Key carries a card, hanging from the neck by a ribbon.
On the card is printed the name of the Key, as C, G, etc.
The Sharps also wear a card on which the sharps are
printed. Thus, the Sharp who plays with Key of G has
one sharp printed on his card ; the Sharps who play with
Key of D each have two sharps printed on their cards;
etc. Any song written in the specified key may be sung.
The songs mentioned are from Folk Songs and Other
Songs for Children. The children form a circle, all join-
ing hands. Mrs. Staff stands inside the circle. The Keys
and the Sharps stand outside the circle. The game will
begin with Key of C, who has no sharps. Some one
knocks and the following dialogue take place.)
MRS. STAFF Who is knocking at the door?
KEY It is the Key of C.
MRS. STAFF Who has come knocking here before?
CHILDREN It is the Key of C.
KEY OF C Open the door and let me in,
I, too, will join your merry din.
No sharp or flat comes in with me,
I am just the little Key of C!
CHILDREN Sing for us with voice in tune;
Then we will answer very soon.
(Key of C now skips about the circle and tries to break
in. She sings a verse of Annie Laurie. If she breaks in,
she and Mrs. Staff change places, and the same dialogue is
spoken again. If she does not break in, Mrs. Staff takes
up the next dialogue, and Key of G and the Sharp try to
enter the circle.)
MRS. STAFF Who is knocking at the door?
KEY It is the Key of G.
SIXTY MUSICAL GAMES
MRS. STAFF Who has come knocking here before?
CHILDREN It is the Key of G.
KEY OF G I am the honest Key of G,
I take one Sharp for company,
Open the door, open it wide ;
The Sharp and I will step inside.
CHILDREN Sing for us with voice in tune ;
Then we will answer very soon.
(Key of G and the Sharp skip about the circle trying to
break in. They sing a verse of Comin' thro' the Rye.
They must both get inside the circle, or the same dialogue
will be repeated. Another way to play the game is: if
Key of G gets inside the circle, he may call the Sharp
inside. Then Mrs. Staff goes outside, takes the place of
Key of G, and calls the Sharp to come out, which he does,
and the game continues. If the Key and the Sharp can-
not get inside the circle, they seat themselves, and the
next dialogue takes place, and so the game continues until
Key of A goes inside the circle.)
MRS. STAFF Who is knocking at the door?
KEY It is the Key of D.
MRS. STAFF Who has come knocking here before?
CHILDREN It is the Key of D.
KEY OF D Though I take two Sharps with me,
I am the modest Key of D.
Please let me in, I like to play,
Though Father Time is old and gray!
CHILDREN Sing for us with voice in tune ;
Then we will answer very soon.
(Key of D and the Sharps sing The Blue-bells of Scot-
land, and try to break through the circle.)
MRS. STAFF Who is knocking at the door ?
KEY It is the Key of A.
MRS. STAFF Who has come knocking here before?
CHILDREN It is the Key of A.
KEY OF A I am the noble Key of A ;
I like to work as well as play :
May I come in to rest today?
Three Sharps will follow on the way.
SIXTY MUSICAL GAMES
CHILDREN Sing for us with voice in tune ;
Then we will answer very soon.
(Key of A and the Sharps sing I rode away to Man-
dalay, and try to enter the circle. The children usually
try to keep the Key and Sharps out, but it may be agreed
beforehand that if they are fond of any Key they will
suddenly unclasp hands, join in the song, and let the Key
and the Sharps enter. To end the game then, the chil-
dren may sing or play any little pieces in that particular
key.)
2. DIALOGUE OF THE STAFF
(Five red ribbons are stretched across one end of the
room. They may be fastened at each end to a screen.
A little girl wearing a large Clef made of black paper
stands in front of the ribbons, on the left. The children
representing the Notes carry notes made from stiff black
paper, and stand behind the lines. The children should
be chosen according to size, or some of them stand on
stools, so that the faces may appear in the spaces; the
children who represent notes on the lines will hold out
their notes in front of the ribbons. The child represent-
ing the added line below sits on a stool. The entire scale
is represented in this way, and the following dialogue
takes place; after which the children may sing the scale
and any simple tune.)
CHILDREN in spaces
If you look now in the spaces,
You'll see little smiling faces !
CHILDREN holding notes on the lines
On the lines in treble clef,
You'll see E, G, B, D, F.
C On the added line below,
I sit quite patiently, you know !
D In the space below you see,
If you look, the note for D.
E On the first line, E you'll find,
If you have a thoughtful mind !
SIXTY MUSICAL GAMES
F F you'll find in the first space,
With a rosy, smiling face.
G Reading up the staff you see,
On the second line is G.
A In the second space is A
A pretty tone to sing and play.
B On the third line you'll find B ;
It's very simple, as you see.
C C is up in the third space ;
Can you see my happy face ?
ALL These eight tones within the scale,
We often sing and play ;
We'll learn the notes then without fail,
And sing a song today.
(They sing the scale and any pretty little song.)
3. FIRST GAME OF FLATS
The children may have from one to five flats, made of black
paper, pinned on their suits or dresses in front. They
choose a director, who goes inside the circle which they
form. The director points to a child with his baton, and
says:
"How do you do ? One flat I see ;
Come inside, but bring the Key !"
This child runs inside the circle, bows to the director,
and says, "Key of F," then returns to his place in the
circle. If the child cannot answer, he runs around out-
side the circle, hoping to gain admission (that he may re-
turn to his place) by answering correctly when any other
child fails. The director will call for other Keys in a sim-
ilar way. The children may skip around the ring, sing-
ing, to the tune of Yankee Doodle :
Around and 'round and 'round the ring,
The little Flats are going,
And who will win out in the game,
There is no way of knowing.
SIXTY MUSICAL GAMES
REFRAIN.
Merry children all are we,
Smiling now so brightly ;
We will pause upon our way.
We bow now politely.
(All bow to neighbors.)
(The song may be used each time, before the director
calls for the flats.)
4. SECOND GAME OF FLATS
(The children stand in a line or circle, with Treble Clef
inside the circle, or stand facing the line.)
TREBLE CLEF I have a flat to rent. Who will come and
look at it ?
CHILDREN We all will look at it! (They go up toward
Treble Clef.)
1st What a very small flat it is !
2nd What a very old-fashioned flat it is !
yd I should not like to live in this flat.
4th The rent is a little too high.
$th What little, low windows the flat has !
6th There is only room for one person in the flat !
Jth Here comes some one with a key!
8th It is Mr. F himself. He will have to live in the flat!
(Children form a circle, into which Mr. F now steps,
carrying a card on which is printed a large flat. The
children circle about him, facing outward. While they
are singing, Mr. F drops his card behind a child, and
when the song is finished the child who finds the card
behind him takes the place of the next Key (Key of B
flat), and the game proceeds. They sing Auld Lang Syne
the first time; Robin Adair, when the dialogue for two
flats is finished -The Bluebells of Scotland, when the dia-
logue for three flats is finished; and How can I leave
Thee? when the dialogue for four flats is finished.)
5
SIXTY MUSICAL GAMES
5. GAME OF SHARPS
The children choose a director, who stands inside the circle
which the children form. The director waves his baton,
points to any child, and says :
"I will choose the Key of C;
How many sharps are there for me ?"
The child says: "No sharps for you." If the child cannot
answer, he goes in and stands by the director. The director
then says :
"I will choose the Key of G;
How many sharps are there for me?"
The child he points to must say : "There is one sharp for you."
When a child fails to answer, the director calls on another
child.
The director may call for any key in sharps he chooses.
(The little rhyme may be varied.)
"I will choose the Key of A ;
How many sharps for me today?"
Later, the game may be played by the director's pointing
to any child, and calling out quickly, "Key of G," "Key
of D," "Key of A," etc. This makes the game very
animated.
The children may sing the following every time before a key
is called for, where motion is desired :
SONG OF THE SHARPS
(Tune Oh, dear, what can the matter be?)
Oh, dear, what is the melody ?
Oh, dear, what is the melody?
Oh, dear, what is the melody?
Who can have hidden the key ?
We promised to know all the sharps every morning,
We gladly will answer if you will give warning;
We promised to know all the sharps every morn-
ing.
And we'll sing a sweet melody !
SIXTY MUSICAL GAMES
6. GAME OF SHARPS AND FLATS
The children stand in two lines. They all carry banners.
On the banners in one line are printed one, two, three or
more sharps. The children who stand in the opposite
line have one or more flats printed on their banners. The
sharps and flats may range from one to six in number.
The children now march to and fro singing to the tune
of Comin' thro' the Rye :
We are happy-hearted children,
Marching to and fro,
And so many useful lessons,
We all have to know !
See our bonnie banners floating;
We will hold them high.
And now "what key has sharps or flats?"
To answer we will try.
(They pause.)
A child from either line says : "I will exchange banners with
you," indicating any child from the opposite line. The
child he has chosen must say, when he receives the ban-
ner held out to him, what key the number of sharps or
flats on the banner indicates. If he cannot answer, he
hands his banner to some one outside the game, or seats
himself holding his own banner, and the game proceeds.
The children should exchange banners and name the keys
as quickly as possible. They exchange until the two lines
have changed places.
This game should be played in a lively manner. The children
stand in two lines again, and march to and fro, singing as
before, and choose again. This may keep up as long
as desired, or it may be brought to an end by having those
drop out of the game who cannot name the key indicated
by the sharps or flats on the banner held out.
In this way the game will naturally end when only two are left.
7. GAME OF THE SCALE
Eight children stand in line, to represent the tones of the
Scale. Each child wears a letter pinned on his suit or her
7
SIXTY MUSICAL GAMES
dress, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. They stand first in this
order, left to right, representing the scale of C. The
leader stands in front of the children and says :
"I hold a very little key ;
It will unlock a melody.
Oh ; who will sing the scale for me?
Come, let us sing in key of C."
Each child names his letter and they all sing the scale. Next,
the leader says :
"I hold another little key,
It will unlock a melody,
Oh, who will sing the scale for me?
Come, let us sing in key of G."
The children change places quickly so that they stand with
their letters in this order: G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G. The
child on the left end must have a supply of letters, so that
he can change quickly to complete the scale, as from C to
G. This end child will stand still while all the rest change
places. The children may name their letters each
time before the song is sung, if they like. When
they are standing to represent the key of G, the child
holding F must call out "F sharp," or any other child in
the room will take his place. The game may proceed to
the formation of any other scales in like manner, any
of the scales being called for in any key. It is good drill
for the children to say their letters before singing the
scale. In the key of D, they will say D, E, F sharp, G,
A, B, C sharp, D ; etc. Whenever a child fails to call the
sharp or flat after his letter, another child may take his
place. The last two lines of verses may be varied to suit
the need, as :
"Oh, who will sing the scale today?
Come, let us sing in key of A."
Or another form :
"The key of F appeals to me,
Because it has one flat, you see.
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SIXTY MUSICAL GAMES
Or another form:
"Another scale we often sing,
B flat is here, let voices ring."
The scales may be played very softly on the piano each time,
so that the children can get the correct pitches. The keys
should be called for in a regular order at first; later any
key may be called for. The children will have to think
rapidly what letters in the key require sharps and flats.
8. GAME OF WHAT SCALE
The children stand in two lines, waving their arms up and
down while singing the following song to the tune of
Humpty Dumpty from Sixty Songs from Mother Goose,
by L. E. Orth. They stoop down when they sing
"Over the sleigh goes," then rise slowly.
See the notes
Go out for a ride,
Black notes, white notes,
All side by side,
Over the sleigh goes !
They'll fall without fail,
We will pick them up gently
And make a new scale !
The teacher plays a scale and the child she names must answer,
"That is a major scale," or "That is a minor scale," as the
case may be. The child must answer correctly, or be
seated. The children sing their verse again, the teacher
then plays another scale, calling on another child, and the
game proceeds as before.
Later on, the teacher may ask what scale she is playing; she
may train the children to recognize the scales, first by
playing them for the children in a regular order, with
their relative minors. Still later, she will play any scale
she pleases.
When the teacher wishes to bring the game to an end she will
play a chromatic scale. It is agreed beforehand that this
will close the game.
SIXTY MUSICAL GAMES
9. DIALOGUE OF NOTES IN THE KEY OF C
The children may have letters pinned on their suits and
dresses, or each child may hold a small staff drawn on
pasteboard. Nine children may take part in the dialogue,
every other one, representing Lines, recite at first.
ALL All the notes on every line
Can be learned if we take time.
IST CHILD On the first line letter E
Is as plain as plain can be !
2ND CHILD Going up the staff you see
Second line and letter G.
3RD CHILD Learn the notes, and you'll agree
On third line is letter B.
4TH CHILD I'll do my best, for letter D
On the fourth line waits for me!
STH CHILD There's fun for one and fun for all ;
Letter F, the fifth line call !
The children representing the Spaces say, together:
If you look in all the spaces,
You will see our smiling faces !
ALL NINE
Lines and spaces all in turn
Are not very hard to learn !
FIRST FIVE E, G, B, D, F.
REMAINING FOUR F, A, C, E.
FIRST FIVE We think we've learned it all, but no !
Sometimes there's an added line below !
'Tis well that musical things we love,
For lines are also added above!
ALL There are so many things to learn,
We'll sing and play each day in turn.
We'll learn the notes for lines and spaces,
And always wear bright smiling faces !
10. GAME OF MAJOR AND MINOR KEYS
The children choose a capellmeister (director). He chooses
the Major and Minor Keys. Any even number of keys
10
SIXTY MUSICAL GAMES
may be chosen. The Major Keys go in front, form a cir-
cle, and hold up their hands. The Minor Keys march in
and out between them, singing to the tune of Comin' thro'
the Rye :
If a body love a Minor,
Here you have them all ;
( Little Minors, larger Minors,
Minors large and small,
Tra la, la, la, la, la, la, la,
If you want the Key
Of any pleasant little tune,
You'd better call on me !
The capellmeister, who is standing inside the circle, now names
any Minor Key, for example, A Minor. The child who
represents that key runs to its seat, and the child who
represents the Key of C must run quickly, also. If he fails
to do this, or fails to recognize that he is the relative of
the Key of A Minor, the other children clap him out. If
they both find their seats, they may return to their places
in the game.
The children who represent the Major and Minor Keys now
change places quickly. The Minor Keys form the circle,
and the Major Keys march in and out, singing the same
verse, substituting the word "Major" for "Minor."
When they pause now, the capellmeister chooses a Major Key,
and he and the relative Minor must be seated. The Major
and Minor Keys change places every time the verse is
sung.
The game should be played in a lively manner. It may con-
tinue so long as any Keys are left standing.
II. SECOND GAME OF MAJOR AND
MINOR KEYS
The children stand in two lines. The first line represents the
Major Keys ; and the second line, the Minor Keys. The
teacher pins names upon the children's suits or dresses;
as, Key of C, Key of A Minor, etc.
The child bearing the name of Key of C runs out of line and
says:
II
SIXTY MUSICAL GAMES
"I am the C Major Key,
What Key will keep me company?"
The child bearing the name of A Minor must run across to
the other and say :
"I am A Minor, without a doubt,
As very soon you will find out."
These two children join hands and run to the end of the line;
where they hold their hands up while the rest of the chil-
dren join hands and run under the archway formed by
the first two.
They form two lines again, facing each other, and the child
bearing the name of Key of G runs out and says :
"I am the G Major Key.
What Sharp will keep me company?"
The relative Minor Key must respond, and the game continues.
If at any time a Minor Key fails to respond, the children
clap him out, and the Major Key must also be seated.
The game should at first be played by the Keys stepping out in
regular order; later any Key may step out and call for
its relative Minor.
This game should be played with considerable liveliness.
12. THIRD GAME OF MAJOR AND MINOR KEYS
(The children stand in a circle. The Key of C stands in-
side the circle.)
KEY OF C I hear some one knocking.
The children in the circle clasp hands, circle about her,
and say :
"Oh, stranger you may go away,
For Mother C is old and gray."
KEY OF C I am sure I hear some one knocking. I will go to
the door myself and see who it is.
Key of C steps outside the circle, and the children go
toward the center of the circle, saying :
"We will go dancing up and down,
For Mother C has left the town."
KEY OF C Here I am back again. Let me in, please, chil-
dren.
CHILDREN Round and round like tops we spin.
12
SIXTY MUSICAL GAMES
Open the door, come in, come in !
(They hold hands tightly clasped, and skip round, while
Key of C tries to break in.)
KEY OF C I have a relative with me it is A Minor. Please