Summary

Game names (and types): 'Crow's Foot', 'Parachute', 'French Lace', 'Queen's Crown', 'Witches Hat', 'King's Crown', 'Cup and Saucer', 'Cat's Cradle', 'Sydney Harbour Bridge' (string games)
Alternative game type: play with equipment/props

Article titled 'String Games of Australian Children' written by Dr Dorothy Howard and published by Folklore in 1961. Dr Howard considers the origins of the different string game figures played by children in Australia. She highlights the need to investigate the influence of the string games played in Australian Indigenous communities on those played by non-Indigenous children. Dr Howard cites the work of anthropologists Charles Mountford, Walter E. Roth and Daniel S. Davidson, who recorded many of the string games played by Indigenous adults and children in the first half of the 20th century. Dr Howard includes photographs of some of the string game figures played by non-Indigenous school children observed during her research visit to Australia.

One of a collection of publications about children's folklore written by Dr Dorothy Howard. 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. The original fieldwork she collected during this period is held in the Australian Children's Folklore Collection (ACFC) at Museum Victoria and includes index cards, letters and photographs.

Physical Description

Booklet with typed black text printed on paper. Three pages printed on both sides inside orange cardboard cover; includes photographs.

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