of this volume.

Finger-plays and action-plays, in which Froebel found so rich a meaning,
do much to help the baby to know and control his fingers and hands, to
enable him to discover the other parts of his body, to awaken his
intelligence and to bring him into affectionate companionship with his
father and mother. Here we have gathered not only the traditional ones,
which the mother and father may remember from their own early childhood;
but also many that will be fresh and new.

Mother Goose long ago established her throne as Queen of the Nursery.
There is something about her short ditties, always full of rhythm,
sometimes of sense, and frequently of the most elemental humor, that
appeals to the baby mind as nothing else does. A proof of the worth of
her songs and stories would be found if any of us should try to write
better. We have brought together many familiar ones and some unfamiliar
(for Mother Goose lived in many times and many lands), and have
illustrated them with some new and charming drawings and color-plates.

Children as young as three are ready for the simplest sort of stories,
but it is so hard for us grown-ups to become children again that many of
us have found difficulty in suiting our language and thought to their
eager but unfurnished minds. These bedtime stories and little tales of
babies and animals and girls and boys are therefore a real godsend.

Soon comes the time when the little folk are ready to learn about the
letters and the numbers and the days of the week. Rhymes to help this
first memorizing will be welcome.

Most of the stories in this book are illustrated by pictures, some are
told entirely by them. The choice of these illustrations was made from
our best modern knowledge about little children. It is now recognized
that they like simple incidents, about themselves or the familiar things
around them, drawn in clear outline or with strong color. There are
certain artists, too, who seem to have retained their own childlikeness
better than others, and such were called upon to illustrate this
volume.

* * * * *

CONTENTS
PAGE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION vii
INTRODUCTION TO VOLUME ONE xv

#FATHER AND MOTHER PLAYS#

BABY'S TEN LITTLE LIVE PLAYTHINGS 2
By J. K. Barry
MONDAY