Crafts and Games-
Game of Graces

The game of graces is an outdoor game played by two people.  Some people say that it got its name because it taught the players to make graceful movements.  The game of graces was considered a proper game for young ladies, although boys sometimes joined in, too.

  You’ll need:

• four wooden dowels, about 18 inches long

• a wooden hoop about 9 inches across

• several pieces of brightly colored ribbon

  1.  Wrap the wooden hoop with the ribbon, leaving the ends hanging off.  The ribbon cushions the hoop, making it softer to catch, and the hanging ends flutter in the breeze and slow the flight of the hoop through the air.

  2.  Each player has two dowels.  The players stand a few feet apart, facing each other.  One player crosses her dowels in front of her like a pair of open scissors, hanging the hoop near the cross.  When she pulls the sticks apart, the hoop flies off toward her opponent.  The other player tries to catch the hoop on her sticks.  It takes some practice to be able to aim the hoop correctly.

  3.  Keep track of how many times you catch the hoop.  The first person to catch the hoop ten times wins.

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