SOCIABLE GAMES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
What Animal?
The leader whispers the name of a different animal or object to each
individual. When called upon each must try to represent the noise or
action of the animal or object. The rest of the group guess what is
represented and write the same on a slip of paper. The one guessing the
most wins.
Rhyming Verbs
Half of the group leaves the room while the others decide upon a verb.
The group which left the room is then called back and tries to guess
the verb from the clues which are given by those who determined the
verb. These clues are given in the form of sentences containing words
rhyming with the verb. Should the group which is to guess think they
have found the right verb, they retire from the room without stating it
and returning act out the verb. If they have been successful in
guessing the verb, then the other group is given an opportunity to
guess a verb in the same manner.
Fruit Basket
The group is seated in a circle and counted off in 4's. The number 1's
are given the name of oranges, number 2's lemons, number 3's bananas,
number 4's apples. One of the individuals is selected to be "It". He
takes his place in the centre of the group and one chair is taken out
of the circle, leaving one less chair than there are players. "It"
then calls the name of two fruits, for example, oranges and lemons.
Thereupon all of the oranges must exchange places with all of the
lemons and "It" endeavors to capture one of the seats. Succeeding, the
one left without a seat is "It" and calls two other kinds of fruit.
These two must change places and "It" endeavors to capture a seat.
Should "It" say "Fruit basket", instead of naming two fruits, all must
change seats.
Exchange
The group is arranged in seats around the room. "It" takes a place in
the centre. All of the players are given a different number. "It" is
blindfolded. The game is started by "It" calling two numbers. Thereupon
the numbers called must change seats. "It" tries to either tag one of
the players seeking to change seats or occupy one of the vacant seats,
in which case the one without a chair becomes "It".
Barnyard Chorus
Each player in the group is given some barnyard noise to represent. The
leader takes his place in the centre of the room. If he holds up his
left hand, all is quiet; if he holds up his right hand, they all
imitate their various noises in concert. Should one of the players make
a noise while the leader is holding up his left hand, that player must
stand up before his chair and imitate the noise he has been given to
imitate, until some member of the group can guess what the noise is
supposed to represent.
Donkey Solo
This is a good game to follow immediately after the Barnyard Chorus.
The leader announces that he is to whisper to each member of the group
the name of some animal that is to be imitated by that member in chorus
with the others. He then goes about and whispers in the ear of every
member of the group that he is to keep perfectly quiet, excepting to
one individual to whom he suggests that he is to imitate the braying of
a donkey. He then takes his position in the centre of the group and
instructs the players to give as much volume to their imitation as
possible. He gives the signal to start. Naturally, all are quiet except
the poor donkey who brays his solo, to the amusement of the other
members of the group.
Shifting Seats
The group is seated in a circle. There is one more chair than there are
players. One individual is selected to be "It" and takes his place in
the centre of the room. "It" gives the command to shift right.
Thereupon, the one at the left of the vacant chair moves into the
vacant chair, leaving his own chair vacant. The one at the left of his
chair, moves into that, each one trying to get into the vacant chair to
the right before "It" can succeed in touching him. "It" can give the
command "Shift left" at any time, which means that they must move into
the vacant chair to the left. Should "It" succeed in sitting in an
empty chair, the one who should have occupied that chair becomes "It".
Guess the Sound
The group is arranged in a circle. The one selected to be "It" is
blindfolded and takes a position in the centre of the circle. After the
blindfolded player has been spun around a few times so that he does not
know his location, he is given a wand or short stick. He holds this
stick out in front of one member of the group. That member must grasp
the end of the stick. Then "It" names some animal which the player on
the other end of the stick must imitate by some sound. Thereupon, the
blindfolded player tries to guess who has hold of the other end of the
stick. Succeeding, the player guessed is blindfolded.
Rapid Transit
The players form in a circle. To each is given some article to be
passed. These articles should vary in size anywhere from a peanut to a
flat iron. The game starts by the leader commanding them to pass to the
right. He then passes his article on to his right hand neighbor and
receives in turn from his left hand neighbor the article coming to him.
The passing continues until the leader gives the command "Change". Then
the articles are passed in the opposite direction. Should a player drop
one of the articles to be passed or should any one of the players have
in his possession more than two articles at one time, that individual
drops out of the game, taking one article with him. The game continues
until but one is left in the circle. The passing can be complicated, if
so desired, by having one or two of the articles passed in the opposite
direction.
Feather Tag
The group sits in a circle in the centre of the room, holding a large
sheet stretched tightly between them. A fluffy feather is placed in the
centre of the sheet. One of the group who is "It" endeavors by running
about, to catch the feather. Those sitting around the edge of the sheet
keep the feather from "It" by blowing it beyond "It's" reach. Should
"It" capture the feather, the one sitting at the edge of the sheet
nearest to the feather becomes "It".
Birds
All the players sit in a circle. Each is given the name of a bird. The
keeper takes a position in the centre of the room and begins to tell a
story about birds. When a bird's name is mentioned, that bird must
stand up and turn around once in front of his chair. Failing to do
this, he must pay a forfeit. When the keeper utters the word "migrate"
in his story, all of the birds must change seats and he tries to get
one of the seats. Succeeding, the one left without a seat, continues
the bird story. Otherwise the first keeper continues his story.
Simple Simon's Silly Smile
The group is arranged in chairs around the room. The one who is
selected to be "It" goes from one to another asking questions. All
questions must be answered by "Simple Simon's Silly Smile", without
laughing. Should the one questioned laugh, he must take the place of
the one who is "It".
Wink
Chairs are arranged around the room in a circle, with the boys standing
behind each chair. There should be one more chair than there are girls
in the group. The boy standing behind the empty chair winks at one of
the girls who endeavors to get to the vacant chair before the boy in
whose chair she is sitting can tag her. If she succeeds, the boy behind
the chair last vacated continues the game by winking at another girl.
Hush
The group sits in a circle in a room which is semi-dark. The leader
goes around inside of the circle and slips a button in the hands of one
of the players. He does this after making an offer to do it to several
others, so as to disguise where he finally deposits the button. All
then have a turn to guess in whose hands the button lies. The one who
guesses right becomes the leader, and the leader becomes a ghost. The
game then continues as before. The ghost asks questions of any of the
players, and they are not supposed to answer any question asked them
except by the leader. Should they do so, they also become ghosts. As
the ghosts multiply the game becomes more difficult. The game continues
until but two are left of the circle.
Jack's Alive
The group sits in a circle in the room. A lighted splinter is handed to
one of the group in the circle. It is then passed around the circle,
still lighted. Should the flame become extinguished, the one in whose
hand the splinter rests at that time must pay a forfeit. The forfeit
sometimes demanded is that a mustache be made on the upper lip of that
individual with the charred end of the splinter.
In passing the splinter the player must say Jack's Alive; failing to do
this the splinter is returned to him and should it become extinguished
before he can say this, it counts against him.
Going to Jerusalem
The chairs are arranged in a circle in the center of the room, with the
seats away from the center. There should be one less chair than there
are participants in the game. The participants form a line around the
outside of the chairs and march forward around the chairs, while the
piano, phonograph, or some other musical instrument is being played.
The instant the music stops each player tries to sit in a chair. The
one failing to get a chair drops out of the game. A chair is taken from
the circle and the group starts marching again with the music. When the
music stops they seek chairs as before, the one failing to secure one
dropping out. A chair is taken out of the circle after each scramble
and so the group diminishes until all are eliminated except one, who is
crowned King of Jerusalem. If the group be large more than one chair
can be eliminated at a time.