The Victorian parlor game of Blowing the Feather

Variations of this game crop up time and time again in Victorian parlor game books, dating back to 1850. Of all the versions I have reviewed the following seems to be ideal for today's children (and adults might also find it amusing).

The game is played by any number of people. The players sit in a rectangle and hold a sheet (tightly) under their mouths. The idea is to keep the sheet as flat and tight as possible. A feather is placed in the center of the sheet and (you've guessed it) the players try to blow the feather away from themselves and towards someone else. In the original rules if the feather touches someone they must pay a ‘forfeit’. Forfeits are decided by the group and could be singing a song or doing some other activity that would amuse the party. For today’s kids parties I would suggest that a ‘score’ is kept so as after a certain time (or number of times the feather touches someone) the player with the least ‘score’ could be declared the winner, although playing the game is its own reward.

Another variation of this game involves the players sitting around a table and trying to keep the feather in the air and avoid it ‘landing’ closest to them. Again, in the original version of this game, a person must pay a forfeit if the feather lands near them.

This game can also be played ‘in teams’, although only one player is competing at a time. The team’s game, sometimes called “French and English” (because the two countries had a history of fighting each other!) is played by fist dividing the party into two teams. A line is drawn (string) in the middle of a room and each team stands on each side of the line. Then the team selects their ‘champion’ and the champions compete by try to blow the feather so it lands on the other team’s side. The competing players cannot cross the line but can get on their knees to blow as the feather falls. A ‘referee’ is needed to start the game, by holding the feather high in the middle of the room and releasing it. The referee also judges exactly where the feather ‘first’ lands as the blowing might continue after the feather has landed. The loosing player (the one that has the feather land on their side) is ‘captured’ and replaced by another team member who does combat with the winning player. This proceeds until one ‘team’ is completely ‘captured'. I would suggest a small variation to this procedure, in that you should ‘pair off’ opponents (based on size) and have each pair compete in turns until all the team members have taken part.

Another variation of this type of game, that is more ‘co-operative’ would be to have the kids form a circle and try to keep a balloon up in the air as long as possible by blowing.  I would suggest trying a few of the above options out and see what appeals to your young party guests.