Classic Kid’s Games and Party Games

Two pens are marked off in distant corners of the playground. One player, called the chaser, stands at one side of one of these pens. The other players stand within the pen that is nearest the chaser. All of the players in the pen are named for different animals, there being several players of each kind. Thus there may be a considerable number each of bears, deer, foxes, etc. The chaser calls the name of any animal he chooses as a signal for the players to run. For instance, he may call “Bears!” whereupon all of the players who represent bears must run across to the other pen, the chaser trying to catch them.

Any player caught before reaching the opposite pen changes places with the chaser.

The particular point of difference between this and some other similar chasing games is that the chaser may not know just which of the players in the pen will start out in response to the name of the animal that he calls.
Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium by Jessie Hubbell Bancroft

One player is blindfolded and stands in the center of a circle with a wand, stick, or cane in his hand. The other players dance around him in circle until he taps three times on the floor with his cane, when they must stand still. The blind man thereupon points his cane at some player, who must take the opposite end of the cane in his hand. The blind man then commands him to make a noise like some animal, such as a cat, dog, cow, sheep, lion, donkey, duck, parrot. From this the blind man tries to guess the name of the player. If the guess be correct, they change places. If wrong, the game is repeated with the same blind man.

The players should try to disguise their natural tones as much as possible when imitating the animals, and much sport may be had through the imitation. Players may also disguise their height, to deceive the blind man, by bending their knees to seem shorter or rising on toes to seem taller.

Where there are thirty or more players, two blind men should be placed in the center.
Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium by Jessie Hubbell Bancroft