Summary

Game type: 'Shadow Tag' (chasing game)
Alternative types: running games

Handwritten description of the chasing game 'Shadow Tag' compiled by Iris D., a student at East Fremantle Government Primary School, for Dr Dorothy Howard between 1954-1955. Iris describes 'Shadow Tag' as a game suitable for boys and girls, which must be played on a sunny day in a backyard or school ground. To play, she explains that a child is elected 'he'. 'He' must chase the other players in an attempt to touch their shadow as indicated by Iris' hand drawn and coloured illustration. If successful, the players exchange roles.

One of a collection of letters describing a children's game written to children's Folklorist Dorothy Howard between 1954 and 1955. Dr Howard came to Australia in 1954-55 as an American Fulbright scholar to study Australian children's folklore. She travelled across Australia for 10 months collecting children's playground rhymes, games, play artefacts, etc. This letter, together with the other original fieldwork collected by Dr Howard during this period, is preserved in the Dorothy Howard Collection manuscript files, part of the Australian Children's Folklore Collection (ACFC), Archive Series 3. The ACFC is an extensive collection documenting children's folklore and related research.

Physical Description

Handwritten game description in black ink on lined paper. Features a hand drawn illustration in coloured pencil below text; text written on one side only.

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