In this simple presentation of innumerable things a young child can do lies the answer to the often repeated question, "What can I do now?"

Here are suggestions for games and handwork to be used indoors, outdoors, alone or in groups, by the sick in bed, or by the active youngster anxious to try something new. The materials needed to do the things are found in the home or seasonally out of doors.

This treasure of helpful ideas covers a wide range: Things to make, to puzzle over, to draw, to think about, to collect, etc. . . .

With simple text and many illustrations that make each step in the explanation easy to follow, the younger child will be able to use this book with little or no help from an adult.

WHAT CAN I DO NOW? is also an excellent handbook for teachers in Nursery, Kindergarten or Play Groups.

Foreword

THIS BOOK is for parents, teachers, and children. The author hopes it will help the parent with a child who asks, "What can I do?" and be an answer to the restless convalescent, or the rainy day shut-in. For the teacher, many of the suggestions of things-to-do will aid in planning programs in schools, clubs. or social centers. For the children, it is a treasury of things to do and think about.

What Can I Do Now

Paste Recipe

Paste Recipe

This paste should be made in a double boiler. When it is cool, put it in covered jars. Do not make much more than you can use at one time, for it will sour end mildew after a few days. Fresh paste is always best. Here is how to make it:

3/4 cups flour

3/4 cups cold water

2 cups boiling water

3/4 teaspoon powdered alum

1/2 teaspoon oil of wintergreen

Mix the flour with the cold water, and stir until smooth. Add boiling water, (and stir). Place in a double boiler with a small flame under it. When the mixture is smooth, add the alum, and stir until it is thoroughly mixed and smooth. Remove from the heat, and add wintergreen.

A toothpick, or match, with a bit of cotton wrapped around the top, will make a good paste stick.

A toothpick

How To Make A Score Spinner

Some games need dice, or a spinner-to give the numbers for moves. If you have neither of these, it is easy to make a spinner.

A Score Spinner

Draw and cut out two circles-from cardboard. The first one should be larger than the second. Make one circle about two and a half inches wide, and the other just two inches. Prick a small hole in the center of each circle. On the larger circle draw two crossed lines-dividing it into four equal parts. Mark the numbers 1 to 4 in the spaces on this circle.

cut and turn back

On the small circle, cut and turn back a slit section. (See illustration.)

Fasten the two circles together

Fasten the two circles together with a paper fastener, put through the center holes. Clip this loosely-so the top circle will spin if it is snapped with a finger against the slit piece. If it does not spin, your holes may be too small. The numbers on the larger circle can be seen through the slit.

Disguises

Make your own Halloween masks. All you need is a large paper bag, a pencil, and a pair of scissors. Be sure the bag is a large one. Put it over your head and mark the place for eyes, nose, and mouth. When you take it off, you can draw these in queer shapes. Cut either a slit for the nose, or make a hole and put a long nose in it-this can be made of a cardboard from paper towels, or a roller from toilet paper. Draw a foolish looking mouth. If you want to look like an animal, you can tie the corners of the paper bag into two knobs-for ears. A little imagination, and very little work will give you a mask that will be like no other one you will see on Halloween.

DisguisesHalloweenmask

Fig. 1.

glases

Fig. 2.

A pair of colored glasses is a very good disguise to wear. Make them from cardboard and colored cellophane. Draw the rims and bows-to fit over the ears-all in one piece. See Fig. 1. When they are cut out and colored cellophane is pasted over the two holes, fold back the bows, (Fig. 2) and the glasses are ready to wear.

How To Make A Weaving Mat

If you would like to weave a paper mat, this is the way to make it. You will need two sheets of different colored paper-one for the mat, and the other for weaving strips. Both of these should be the same size.

Cut the mat by folding the paper in half. Beginning on the folded edge, cut straight lines-each the same distance apart, and to within a half inch of the other sides (Fig. 1). When all these slits are cut, open the paper and you will have the mat ready to weave. (Fig. 2).

To make the strips to use in weaving, fold your other piece of paper the opposite way you did the mat. (Fig. 3). Now cut the same width strips, but this time cut straight through to the opposite side.

A Weaving Mat1

Fig. 1.

A Weaving Mat2

Fig. 2.

A Weaving Mat3

Fig. 3.

In weaving, remember that where the last strip went under a piece, the next strip goes over it.

last strip went under a piece