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Concentration Games

Below are Samples from “The Games Box”

When you pre-order this fantastic resource you you will automatically receive a 50% discount on that purchase, a free guide on how to organise a games session and these sample games from “The Games Box” in a form that you can print out and use as individual cards.

ADD A MOVEMENT

Players sit in a circle. The leader stands and makes one simple movement, e.g. spiral movement with finger. The next person makes a spiral movement plus another e.g. stamping foot, etc. Each succeeding group member adds to the movement around the circle. There should be no talking, if someone misses or talks s/he ‘s out.

ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES

Players stand in a circle. The first player begins by (rhythmically) calling “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”, while

doing some motion. (e.g. stamping feet, clapping hands – in rhythm). Then, the second person says it while copying the first motion. At the same time, the first person again repeats the chant but changes the actions. The third copies the first motion, now being performed by the second player. The second player then does the second set of actions and the first person does a new set of actions. The chant is maintained by all the moving players until the whole circle is in motion. Anyone who makes a mistake is out and play continues.

ALI BABA – VARIATION

Players sit in a circle. The leader begins, saying “Ali Baba and the forty thieves” while doing a repeatable action, (clapping, snapping etc.) with hands, feet etc.. As soon as the phrase, “Ali Baba and the forty thieves” is finished, the second person (to the right of the leader) picks up the leader’s first motion, saying the “Ali Baba” phrase. The leader is now saying “Ali Baba…” for the second time, with a new hand movement, so the second person must still keep an eye on the leader – s/he will have to duplicate every new movement as the leader finishes. The movements travel around the circle in this fashion, with the leader coming up with a new movement, each time she says “Ali Baba…”, until the first action reaches the leader. That is, the leader sees the person to her left repeating the first action s/he made, and stops the action. Then the non-action follows through the circle until the last person has repeated the last motion.

ANSWER THE QUESTION

The leader asks the players different questions. A player who is asked a question must give an answer that is not related to the question. The leader might ask: “How did you get here today?” and the player answers “I went to the zoo” etc. Players who answer “Yes” or “No” or “I don’t know” pay a forfeit. (e.g. hop 10 times, sing happy birthday, run around the circle twice etc.) The game should be played at a rapid rate. If a player doesn’t answer the question while the leader counts “one, two, three”, a forfeit must be paid. The leader must not ask the same person more than 3 questions running. The leader tries to confuse the players, e.g. The leader asks: “How did you get here today?” The player answers: “I went to the zoo”. The leader provokes by asking: “Is the zoo open today?” The player answers “Yes”. As it is against the rules the player must pay forfeit.

CLAPS

Players get into a circle. They stand at an arms length from each other. The leader stands in the centre of the circle and counts aloud; one, two, three etc. Players may clap their hands only when the leader calls a number that ends at 5 or is divisible by 5. The leader tries to confuse the players by clapping hands at the wrong time. Players who clap at the wrong time are eliminated. Complexity can be added through the introduction of additional numbers – 3, 4, 6 etc.

CLICK CLICK

Players sit in a circle. The leader starts off a beat like clap knees, clap hands, click fingers (right then left). On the first click of the fingers the leader calls out his/her own name; on the second click someone else’s name. The person who is called, without missing the beat established by the leader, takes the lead and on the first click of the fingers calls out his/her own name. On the second click another person’s name and so on.

CROSS THE CIRCLE

Players stand in a circle. One person (A) is selected and starts by calling another person’s (B) name. (A) starts walking towards (B) but before s/he gets to (B), (B) must call another name (C) so that his/her spot in the circle is freed for (A) to take. (C) then needs to call yet another name and start walking so that (B) can take (C’s) spot, and so on around the circle.

Variation: Players pick another person by making eye contact and that person nods to acknowledge eye contact has been made.

DEAD FISH

All players should lie down and not move at all. Anyone who moves at all is out. When the game nears the end and there are a few very disciplined individuals left, allow the ones who are out to try, without touching them, to get the others to move. This is a good game for calming or quieting a group or for older players to gain control over their bodies and emotions.

FOLLOW THE HAND

In pairs, (A) holds her/his hand palm outwards a few inches away from her/his partner’s face. Now she moves her hand slowly and (B) tries to keep his/her face the same distance away, moving their body wherever needed. As a variation, try both leading the other, or in 3’s, each leading another whilst being led themselves.

FIZZ BUZZ WIZZ

Players sit in a circle. Go around the circle, each person counting in turn 1, 2, 3 etc. If the number is either a multiple of three, or has a 3 in the number (e.g. 3, 6, 9, 13, 34) then the player must say “Fizz” instead of the number. If the number is either a multiple of five, or has a 5 in the number (e.g. 5, 10, 25, 56) then they must say “Buzz” instead of the number. If both (e.g. 15, 35, 54) then they must say “Fizz Buzz”. Anyone who says the wrong word is out. After the group has had some practice with “Fizz” “Buzz” add “Wizz” for multiples or numbers with 7 in them.

GRANDMA’S FOOTSTEPS

A traditional children’s game. One person is ‘Grandma’ – s/he faces a wall at one end of the room. The others in the group must start at the opposite end of the room and try to creep up to ‘Grandma’ and tap her on the shoulder. However, at any moment, ‘Grandma’ can turn around suddenly. If s/he sees anyone moving, that person must return and start again from the end of the room. It’s a great game for cultivating concentration and patience.

GROUP PULSE

All players should stand or sit in a circle and hold hands. The leader should start by squeezing the hand of the player to her/his left, who in turn squeezes the hand of the person on his/her left. This pulse should be passed around the circle until it arrives back at the leader who has timed how long it takes. At the beginning, the pulse could take up to half a minute to get round the group, but with lots of practice and intense concentration the time can be reduced to under two seconds.

For a comprehensive set of games cards for every age group, every occasion, in 11 different categories, look at “The Games Box” .

Harry Tawse | July 20, 2009 12:05 pm

1 Comment

By Jo, November 28, 2010 @ 7:24 am

Brilliant resource, thanks So much!
actually interesting and well thought through games.

Make the drama! Don't become the drama!