Various games have been played by boys and girls from ancient times. The boys indulge in such games as hurling, football, handball, spinning and flogging tops and marbles. Hurling, football, and handball are played by the grown up boys and the other games by the weaker ones. In winter, when frost and snow comes, they are often seen pelting snowballs and when the ice is strong they are crazy for skating along the slippery roads and ponds. In winter, the boys, who have left off school, assemble in some home in the locality, often spin yarns to while away the night; but more often you will find a half dozen of them with a deck of cards playing a "rubber" for a turkey or a goose or some article and it frequently happens that young girls gather too, and the fiddle or the Concertina is brought into play and a dance is carried on for some hours.
The girls play various games. "Rounders" is played by a number of girls with a ball and a ring of four stones placed a fair distance apart. A girl taking the first innings. She stands on one of the stones, the ball is thrown to her and she hits it and drives it as far away as she can. She has to run around the circle after striking the ball, but should any of the other girls catch the ball and strike her with it before she completes the circle - she is "out" - and the one who struck her with the ball takes her place.
"Jack Stones" is another favourite game with school girls.