July 2010

Hey, when was the last time you knuckled down, lagged or played for keepsies? Now before you think you've accidentally stumbled on "Sex and the Pueblo," let me explain. This lingo comes from the game of marbles. Yes, those pretty little glass spheres can be put to use in a game.

On a recent trip to Kansas City to see my in-laws, we paid a visit to the Moon Marble Factory in Bonner Springs, Kansas. This place is amazing! If you are ever in that part of the country, it is most definitely worth dropping in. They had marble making and marble playing demonstrations, tons of unique toys, and of course, enough marbles for sale to sink an ocean liner.

When I got my hands on some of those multi-colored globes, it was like looking through tiny crystal balls into my past. It all came back to me. I could hear the crisp rattle of a hundred marbles crashing against the inside of a rusty Folger's Coffee can as I ran down the street to challenge any friend or neighbor who was not afraid to play for keepsies. I had steelies, cats' eyes, boulders, and the prized peppermint swirl. What a great game to pass on to our kids!

If your kids are three or under, keep them away from marbles. There is a good chance they will put them in their mouths and of course, choke, and I can't have that on my conscience! But, if you have kids between about ages five and twelve, take notes, as they may really dig this old school game.

Although I had vivid memories of my marbling experiences, my recollection of the rules and procedures was a little sketchy. I did what most people do these days when they thirst for knowledge, and Googled, "How to play marbles." My search lead me to this video from Howcast on Youtube: youtube.com/watch?v=ewqFhNw9k7g. In case you don't want to mess with the websites here are the basics:

Supplies: You will need 13 smaller marbles; two boulders (larger-sized marbles) as shooters; and chalk, a stick or a string to make a circle and two lines on the ground.

Object of the game: To flick the most marbles out of the circle

Set Up:

•  Gather your 13 smaller marbles and two boulders.
  Note:  I haven't seen marbles for sale at local retailers, but look around as they may be out there. If not, you can definitely order a wide variety online.
  
•  Draw a 3-5 foot circle (larger circle = more difficult) with chalk on the sidewalk or with a stick in the dirt. If you're playing indoors, you can tape a string to the floor.
•  Draw two parallel lines - one on either side of the circle.

Lagging: This determines who will go first. Players kneel behind one line and each takes a turn flicking their boulder across the circle. The player to come closest to the second line goes first.

More set up: Place 13 smaller marbles in the center of the circle to form a "plus" sign.

To Play: During his turn, the player places his knuckles on the ground (thus, "knuckling down") with palm facing up and flicks his shooter using his thumb to try to knock a smaller marble out of the circle. When a player succeeds at knocking one out, he gets another turn until he fails to knock a marble out. A player leaves the shooter where it landed on the last play and shoots from there in the next turn.

A player can knock another player's shooter out of the circle, thus placing it further from the other marbles for a harder shot.

Players hold on to the marbles as they knock them out of the circle. Play continues until all the small marbles have been knocked out of the circle. The player with the most marbles wins. Players can agree to play keepsies, in which case, the players keep the marbles they knocked out of the circle.

Have a great time playing marbles this summer!

Along with Marbles, try some of these other old-school favorites:

•  Chinese Jump Rope
•  Cat's Cradle
•  Yo-yo
•  Hopscotch
•  Pick-up Sticks

More online:

Check out how marbles are made here: youtube.com/watch?v=yTywSwzpLHA&feature=related

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