Top 5 Parlor Games

For all of you locked down and sheltering at home with family, here are some of my favorite parlor games. These were a staple amusement for Victorians, particularly during long winter evenings. I've previously posted some popular Christmas games; here are my all-around favorites.

Hunt the Slipper (1860) by Frederick Goodall
Don't play in such large groups just now.

5. The Elements. Players sit or stand in a circle, and toss a small ball or knotted handkerchief. The person throwing the ball names one of the four classical elements (earth, water, air, fire), and the person catching the ball must name an animal appropriate to that element. For "fire", the catcher needs to say nothing. Forfeits are assessed for repeating an animal, naming an inappropriate one, or forgetting to call out an element.

4. Biz. This simple counting game is surprisingly amusing. Players sit in a circle, and count down the row 1, 2, 3, etc. However! The person who gets "4" (or a multiple of 4, or a number with a "4" in it), instead says "biz". The trick is to keep on count, and not say the forbidden numbers or 4, 8, 12, 14, etc. Forty through forty-nine are especially interesting. The game is played with forfeits (for errors and stalling).

3. Barnyard Animals. This is a story-telling game that's fun with kids, and hilarious with adults. Everyone selects an animal, and sits in chairs in a circle, with one person standing in the center.  The standing person starts to tell a story, using the animals as characters. When an animal is named, the corresponding player must stand  up, spin in a circle making the animal's noise, then sit again. At the phrase "all the barnyard animals", everyone stands, spins while making noises, and then scrambles for a new seat. The player without a seat becomes the next story-teller.

[I've found this game in period books as "My Lady's Toilette", with everyone pretending to be shoes and combs and so on, but prefer it with animals, as I learned it with LHS.]

2. I Love My Love With An A. An alphabetical game of wit. The group goes alphabetically around the circle, the first player getting "A", then "B", "C", all through the alphabet. Each player much think of a name, occupation, and trait that starts with that letter. For advanced play, add a flower, a food, and a present. The rulebook recommends skipping Q, X, Y, Z, though intrepid players can power through these tricky letters. You do not have to play with forfeits, but can assign them for forgetting a category, choosing a word with the wrong letter, or stalling too long.

Example rounds:

Person 1: "I love my love with an A for her name is Anna, she is an architect, and she's angelic."
Person 2: "I love my love with a B for his name is Ben, he is a bus-driver, and he's very bashful."
(Full version) Person 3: "I love my love with a C, for their name is Chris, they are a carpenter, and they're very careful. I will feed them carrots, give them a candle, and crown them with chrysanthemums."

1. What is my thought like? My current favorite is a game of wit. It's very popular with middle schoolers and adults alike; I've not tried it with younger children.

The person whose turn it is will think of an object (or concept), and without saying what it is ask the group "What is my thought like?" Each person then makes a comparison. After everyone's committed, the turn-taker will announce their thought, and everyone must explain why their comparison is true. Once everyone has done so, the next person gets a turn to pick the secret thing. You can play the game for forfeits, but I have never done so.

Example round:
Abby: I'm thinking of a thought. What is my thought like?
Ben: I think your thought is like a book.
Claire: I think your thought is like a summer's day.
Danny: I think your thought is like a baby.

Abby: I was thinking of my bunny slippers.
Ben: Abby's bunny slippers are like a book, because they are useful for relaxing at the end of a long day.
Claire: Your slippers are like a summer's day, because they are very comfortable.
Danny: The slippers are like a baby, in that I'd get in trouble for losing them.

The game continues with Ben picking an object, while Abby, Claire, and Danny make similes for it.

***

Honorable Mention: Blindman's Bluff. Not a good social distancing game, but very fun with a small group of close friends, at some point when it's safe to touch eachother again.

The two versions I like are blindman's bluff with a wand and seated blindman's bluff. In both games, one person is blindfolded, and tries to catch another member of the group and guess who they've caught. When played 'with a wand', the whole party holds hands in a circle around the blindfolded person, who uses a long stick to feel around for someone in the circle; the blindfolded player must then guess who it is. "Porco" (an Italian variant) allows the blindfolded player to make animal noises, which must be repeated  by the person being tapped with the stick (giving a clue to their voice). For safety, be sure to hold the stick low--below waist level--to avoid hitting faces.

In seated blindman's bluff, the whole company sits in chairs in a tight circle, and the person guessing has to sit on someone and guess who it is, rather than hitting anyone with a stick.

Sources

The Sociable, or 1001 Home Amusements (1858)
A Week's Delight or Games and Stories for the Parlor and Fireside (1859)
Fireside Games: For Winter Evening Amusement (1859)
Parlour Pastimes for the Young (1859)
Sports and Pastimes for In-Doors and Out (1863)

[Parts of this post previously appeared at my old Civil War blog.]