Chapter I: Foreword

Amos R. Wells said, “Recreation is re-creation, or a re-fashioning of the soul in the image of God wherein it was created.”

Real recreation is just that. All through the war every effort was made to fill the leisure time of soldiers and sailors with recreation rather than dissipation, the kind of recreation that made leisure time an asset rather than a liability. Since the war, with the great impetus it gave the movement, recreation work in churches, in communities, in schools, and in almost every kind of social service work, has been put on the same constructive basis, and it is being looked upon not merely as a side issue or as “entertainment,” but rather is respected as one of the most vital forces for a re-fashioning of souls in the image of God wherein they were created.

“It Is to Laugh” was written for the purpose of answering requests of re-creators everywhere, who are in constant need of new material in their recreative work. The games and stunts described do “entertain,” but behind the inevitable resultant hearty, healthy laughter is the re-creation that gives one a new lease on life, that makes one sure that life is good to live, and that helps one to live life joyfully and abundantly. If “It Is to Laugh” may help in accomplishing this, it will have served its purpose.

Many of the ideas for these games are not original but have come from co-workers in the Y.W.C.A., from members of training classes at the University of Chicago, and from delegates to recreational conferences all over the country, and I wish in this way to express my sincere appreciation of their coöperation, and to thank them for their invaluable assistance in promoting the gospel of re-creation.

EDNA GEISTER.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I MIXERS 11

II GROUP GAMES 31
GAMES FOR SMALL GROUPS 31
GAMES FOR LARGE GROUPS 47
GAMES FOR EITHER LARGE OR SMALL GROUPS 53

III RACES 63

IV TRICK GAMES 77

V PICNICS! 105
RACES 105
PICNIC GAMES 114
TAG GAMES 122

VI PARTNERS, REFRESHMENTS AND DINNER TABLE AMUSEMENT 127
TO FIND PARTNERS 127
REFRESHMENTS 131
DINNER TABLE AMUSEMENT 135

INDEX 139

IT IS TO LAUGH

IT IS TO LAUGH