wood like the cover of a starch-box nail four short cobs of equal length for legs (half an inch or an inch long). Around the four sides, on top, nail a row of slender cobs for the walls of the corn crib. Make roof of cobs or lay a piece of cardboard across. Nail from below, through the board. It will require a little thought to determine just where the nail must go in order to run through the board and into the cob above, but tell the child that he is a little carpenter and must make careful measurements. Ask if he can think why the crib is raised thus from the ground. (To preserve the corn from the rats and mice.)

Toy-Raft (Cobs, rim of berry-box, tacks)

Lay six or more cobs of equal length side by side upon the table. Take a piece of binding-rim of a berry-box as long as the row of cobs is wide. Lay it across the row near one end and nail it fast to each cob. Nail a similar piece across the other end. This will make a serviceable toy-raft. Stick in a skewer for a mast and make a sail-boat. Paste on the mast a triangular piece of paper or muslin for a sail.

Zig-Zag Fence (Cobs only)

Lay down half a dozen cobs in zigzag fashion, with their ends not quite as far apart as the length of the cobs. Then across every two ends lay another cob, and so build up the fence.

Post-Fence (Cobs, tacks, skewers, slats)

Lay several cobs in a row a few inches apart as posts. Unite them by laying across them two rows of skewers or kindergarten slats. Join with tiny tacks. Use in the sand-table or dolls' farm.

House (Cobs, nails)

(1) Take two cobs and place them opposite to each other. Place two others across the ends of the first two, at right angles to them. Then two more directly over the first two and so on, building up alternately for log cabin. This is the first simple building experiment of the little child. Two such cabins put together will make a two-roomed house. Thus made it will be crude with wide interstices between the logs, but this forms no objection to the child.

(2) When he does manifest the desire for something better made—a house which will not admit the rain and snow—a more solid house can be made thus: Place three cobs end to end to form three sides of a square. Directly upon these lay three more, and nail firmly to those beneath at the ends, with slender nails. Build up in this way as high as desirable. One side has, however, been left open. Now put in the fourth wall but leave place for the doorway. Do this by making the lower part of the wall of cobs so short that they do not even go half way across the opening. Take two such short cobs and nail each to the side of the house. A little space will be left between them, say of two inches. Take two more of same length and place on top of the first two and nail in place. The third cob may be long enough to extend straight across the little house making the top of the doorway. Put another and another on top until the last row is reached. Roof with similar logs or with cardboard. The child can be trained a little in forethought when led to save anything like corncobs for possible use in the future.

Furniture (4 short cobs, 4 long slender ones, tacks, cheesecloth, fine cord, cotton batting)

Take four short cobs for sturdy legs. Nail to these four slender cobs for bed-frame. In the inner part of the long sides of the bed hammer small tacks about ¾ inches apart. Then string cord from one tack across to the opposite one and so on, to make springs. Make mattress of cheesecloth stuffed with cotton. Other furniture can easily be made in similar manner.

In this work, as with other suggestions here given, older children will need to help younger ones and thus the spirit of helpfulness and sympathy is exercised.

CORN KERNELS—DRY

Portieres (Kernels of corn, straws, needle, coarse thread, pan)

Soak corn in pan of water over night or till soft. Get inch-long pieces of straw at kindergarten supply store, or, if obtainable in the country, get the straws entire and let the children cut them into inch pieces. In all this work it is desirable to let the child do as much as possible himself. Later, when familiar with materials and simple processes, let him use the prepared bought material.

Now, let him string the corn and straws alternately. He can then vary by stringing first one kernel and one straw; then two kernels and one straw; then three, etc. This gives practice in counting, and exercises also his sense of taste and proportion and his invention. A pretty effect can be secured by using kernels of the two colors, red and yellow.

Suspend a number of such strings in the doorway; they may be all of the same length or may be very short in the middle of the doorway and gradually get longer as the jamb is approached.

Designing (Red and yellow kernels)

On a rainy day let the child employ his inventive skill in making designs of the red and yellow kernels on a flat table. He can lay them in squares, oblongs, crosses, etc.

POP-CORN

There are few American children who need to be told how to pop corn; they see it done before they are able to do it themselves. But this fascinating occupation is not known to many children outside of the United States. Perhaps it is well that our children should appreciate their privilege in this respect.

If a popper is unobtainable, corn can be quickly and deliciously popped by putting a tablespoonful of butter in a deep kettle and when it is hot dropping in a cupful of popcorn. Shake or rather stir to keep from burning and in a short time the kettle will be full of the white popping fairy-like kernels. Salt or sugar can be sprinkled in as desired.

Balls (Corn, popper, sugar, molasses or water)

Make a thin syrup by boiling together equal quantities of sugar and water or two cupfuls sugar, one of molasses or syrup, one teaspoonful vinegar, and butter size of an egg. Cook until it hardens when dropped in water, then pour it over 8 quarts of popped corn as quickly as possible and mold into balls, making about twenty. If made with strawberry syrup the color will be a beautiful red.

Festoons (Popped corn, needle, coarse thread)

Thread the kernels to adorn walls or picture frames or Christmas tree.

NUTS

Boat (Walnut shell, pan of water, toothpicks, candle-wax)

When busy with her baking the mother can give the three-year-old in his high chair a half walnut shell for a boat. An older child can elaborate into a sail-boat by cutting a triangular piece of paper for a sail, glueing it to a toothpick for mast, and then melting a drop of wax from a candle and inserting the mast while the wax is still warm. A burnt match can be shaped into a mast also.

Such a fleet of tiny vessels would prettily set a table for a farewell dinner to one going abroad.

Surprise Walnuts (English walnuts, baby-ribbon, tiny dolls or animals, glue)

Open a number of walnuts carefully so as not to break the shell. Remove the meats and fasten the two sides together with a tiny strip of ribbon, which serves as a hinge, glueing the ends of the ribbon to the inside of the half shells. Ribbon need be only an inch long or less. Put a tiny doll or a