Good Games for One or two Persons
Some things that grown or fairly mature patients may do while convalescing may be mentioned here. Games for two, such as dominoes, checkers and various card games, especially cribbage, are excellent if not too exciting. Solitaire may be played by the patient himself part of the time. “Cut-out” and other puzzles may be worked with. If he has a collection of snapshot pictures these may be put into an album and cap-tioned; or a scrap book may be filled with any material of interest. Drawing and coloring or painting; wood or leather carving; whittling blocks and wood for little cottages, log cabins, bird-houses, or toys; clay modeling; tatting, knitting, crocheting, basket-weaving, picture framing; making calen¬dars or small lamp-shades, trimming hats, making ribbon flow¬ers or articles from crepe paper or sealing wax, etc., etc.—all these are excellent.
Working with potted flowers, watering and light weeding, planting seeds and other light work will be possible later, also perhaps light bench work for men patients. The interest must be maintained, while always guarding against fatigue. Ten¬sion during any pastime must not be allowed; the work must be changed, or, if necessary, rest must be insisted upon.