The games remain the same...
Too many years ago, when I was just a kid, neighborhood birthday parties were the best invitation you could get. A good portion of the day would be spent with friends enjoying cake, ice cream, opening presents and playing traditional games. Restaurants with funny names and arcades hadn't yet replaced paneled playrooms and backyard barbecues. Kids were dropped off at the birthday boy's/girl's house and it was just a whole lot of fun!
The traditional games included Red-Rover, Musical Chairs, Simon Says, Follow the Leader, Red Light, and my favorite- Pin the Tale on the Donkey. I wonder if the inventors of these games ever received the credit they deserve? I also wonder if our parents realized just how important learning to master these traditional games would be throughout our adult lives?
Red Rover involved two teams, each forming parallel lines 15-20 feet across from each another. Teammates would lock hands and one member would call out "Red Rover, Red Rover, send so-and-so right over!" The individual that was called would run across , choosing a spot to break through. If they broke through they remained on their original team. If not, they joined the other side. You had to be strong and choose wisely...
In Musical Chairs there were only so many seats available for one too many bottoms. Each round participants nervously walk around the chairs until the music stopped and then tried desperately to find a seat. Each round the number of chairs shrinks and somebody always gets left out. The winner is the last one seated. We all learned to move quickly and to secure a seat for ourselves. Survival of the fittest?
Simon Says allowed one person to control the movements of the others. If you were caught doing something that wasn't proceeded by "Simon Says..." you were out. Listen carefully to Simon, do only as he/she says and you get to play...
And for those who would rather put all their clout in one person and stop thinking for themselves, there was Follow the Leader. One individual dictates all the movement and the others simply follow. If the leader goes down the wrong path , he or she remains unchallenged and the group makes the same mistake. The only winner here is the Leader...
Red Light gave participants ample time to advance their position to the front where the leader stood, but only during the count 1, 2, 3... As soon as the leader shouted "Red Light" you had to immediately stop. Once the leader said "Green Light" you could advance again. The cadence was always unpredictable and any movement meant you were out. If you made it to the leader first, you took his or her spot. Pay attention to the powers that be, don't get caught trying to advance your position when you shouldn't and you could end up in charge...
In Pin the Tail on the Donkey you were blindfolded, spun around until you were disorientated, asked to find the paper donkey hanging on the wall and then to pin a paper tail on or as close to, the proper spot. Usually two people were there to help you find your way and you had to trust them... Seems this game is still very popular. Designate an individual as the donkey. Tell confusing and misleading stories about him or her, keep people from seeing the truth, and get those people to pin the "tale" on the one you want.
Sometimes the games we play as children are the same games we play as adults. We just don't want to admit it. Perhaps the inventors of these games would rather remain anonymous?