Conductors
Train Ride
Ages 7 – 11 / Players needed 8 – 18
Sit in a circle with your guests.
Explain the game as follows: "You are
going on a train trip. Everyone wants to go on the trip but
no one can go unless the Conductor says they can join the
club and have what they need for the trip. If you have what
you need you can board to train for the trip but if not you
have to wait until your next turn to tell what you would
bring. There is a trick connected with what he would like to
have you bring but I can’t tell you that until the end of
the game. If you listen carefully you may be able to figure
it out." (The trick is that each person must bring something
along which begins with the same letter of their name…to
make it more challenging you may have them use first and
last name initials and bring two objects.)
Begin by telling your guests what you
would bring on the trip. Don’t hint that it has anything to
do with your name. If your name is Jerry Smith, say "I’m
going on a train trip and I’m taking a "jacket"
and a "suitcase". Encourage one-word answers
such as "cake" rather than "a piece of cake."
Go around the circle counterclockwise,
asking each child in turn what he/she would bring. If
someone uses your answer, but has different initials,
explain that you can go on the trip but the Conductor won’t
let them on the train with the same items. Someone may guess
correctly purely by accident. Capitalize on that guess by
repeating: Bobby can bring a "basketball", Scott can bring a
"soda", and Amber can bring an "apple", what can you bring?
If the game drags on with no correct
guesses, try this: Shane just guessed a "flashlight", he
can’t get on the trip, neither can Eddie, but Frank could go
with a "flashlight".
The trick will soon become clear to the
majority of your guests. Suggest that they explain it to
those who still don’t understand.
Variation
– For
Halloween have them join the Witch’s broom trip, at
Christmas the Santa sleigh ride, at Easter the Bunny’s road
trip.
ESP Game
To play this game have your
guest sit in a circle. You will need an assistant for this
game and explain the game ahead of time to your assistant.
When the guests are
seated in the circle explain that you have one guest who has
ESP and you are going to ask him/her to demonstrate.
Ask the assistant to leave the room (out of
sight) but remain within hearing distance. You will point to
one guest in the circle and ask your assistant who you are
pointing to. The assistant should be able to answer without
any hesitation. Ask the assistant to come back into the room
and repeat the trick a second time.
Get your guest guessing: "How does it work?"
Your guest should be the ones who try to figure out the
trick. After several rounds some guests may begin to catch
on. If someone thinks they know your trick allow them to
tell you what they think your ESP trick is but go outside
the room so as to not tip off the other guests.
Here is how it works. When you and
your assistant give the directions and your assistant leaves
the room pay attention to the last guest who made a comment
or spoke to either of you. You point to the person in the
room that was the last one to speak before the assistant
left the room. It is a simple trick but you’ll be surprised
how many people you can catch in this ESP game.
Railroad Crossing
Sit in a circle with your
guests.
Tell them you are going to ask them to say
something. Also tell them there is a trick to the game.
Say "Railroad crossing lookout for the cars
- can you say that without any R’s" do so without
emphasizing any of the words. Ask the guest to try what you
told him. Go right around the circle.
If someone says the phrase correctly,
indicate at the end who it was. (The trick is that you are
telling the guest to say that without saying anything else.
Thus the only correct response is just the single word "that")
If no one said the phrase correctly, go
around the circle again. Most children will try to imitate
an inflection in your voice. Or perhaps they will try to
copy the position of your feet or hands.
Animals Fly
Ages 5 - 6 / Players needed 6 - 15
Have the children stand or sit in a
semicircle facing you. Explain that you are going to call
out an animal - something like "robins fly" and that every
child must flap his arms like wings. However, you may say
"elephants fly" then no one should wave his arms (because
elephants can't fly).
Practice a few times, using the names of
animals that do or do not fly, until you think the children
understand what to do.
Then announce that the game is starting.
From that point on, any child who does not wave his arms
when you mention an animal that can fly is out. Any child
who waves his arms when you call out an animal that cannot
fly is also out.
Call out the animals' names as
rapidly as possible. Continue playing until only
one child is left. This child is the winner
