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How to Play Cat's Cradle

Cat's Cradle is a simple string game that many school children used to play. In an age where video games and cell phones have taken over our school yards, this can be a return to simpler times if only for a moment. Read on to learn more.

Things You'll Need

2 people
A piece of tied string that is long enough to make a circle.

Instructions

- 1
  Put your hands through the string. Be careful not to put your thumb in it.
- 2
  Loop the string around hands. Again being careful to keep your thumb out of the string.
- 3
  Take middle finger of hand and put it into the loop on the inside of the other hand and pull.
- 4
  Using your other middle finger put it through the other hand's loop. This is called the Cat's Cradle.
- 5
  Find the area where an X is made with the string. There will be 2 places where X's are made.
- 6
  Taking the thumb and forefinger of the other person, that person pinches the X's.
- 7
  Pinching the X's, move your hands away until the string is taut.
- 8
  Point fingers downward through the sides and push them up through the middle, all the while pulling the string gently.
- 9
  Let the cats cradle slide out of the first person's hands causing the second player to have the cat's cradle in their hands.
- 10
  Repeat the process, so that the first person ends up with the cat's cradle in their hands again.

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