Hide - More Tiny Games for Kids: Games to play while out in the world

First published in Great Britain in 2016 by Osprey Publishing,

PO Box 883, Oxford, OX1 9PL, UK

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Osprey Publishing, part of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

This electronic edition published in 2016 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Bloomsbury is a registered trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

2016 Alex Fleetwood & Osprey Games

All rights reserved
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 9781472817259 (PB)

ISBN: 9781472817266 (ePDF)

ISBN: 9781472817273 (eBook)

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HELLO!

THIS BOOK IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE READ IN ORDER.

Weve split the book into two sections: ! Dont worry if youve got a favourite game and want to play it everywhere. Most of these games will work in any context with a little imagination.

Why dont you pick a random page and get playing? Or head to the list at the back of the book to find a game that suits your number of players. Have fun!

TINY CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Theres a secret to making Tiny Games which Ill let you in on. Most games start with an idea, and then look for rules which make that idea come to life. These rules get refined, and honed, and even made your own. If you play the game a lot they get memorised, and baked into your instincts.

You might have picked up a videogame controller and had your hands move almost involuntarily as you remembered the first level of a classic game better than your own childhood bedroom. If youve ever instinctively reached for the money in the pot when youve landed on Free Parking youll know what I mean.

These games are born different though. With Tiny Games we look at the rules which already exist, then try to find the game. Rules like socks go in the basket or parents sit on chairs or even words mean things.

Tiny Games are not just about play in the real world, theyre about play with the real world. Theyre about unleashing the fun that already exists in places and objects and ideas and people. And hopefully in years to come the reflective instinct these games will trigger in the people who played them will be to describe the world, or hug your mum, or learn, or throw your socks.

Duncan Molloy, Osprey Games

GAMES FOR OUT

LETTERBACK
1

DOES YOUR KID KNOW THEIR LETTERS?

With your finger, draw a letter on the kids back. Ask them to guess which letter you drew.

If they guess right, switch roles! If not, give them a clue and draw it again. If the kids dont know their letters yet, have them guess between a circle and a square.

SILENT SIMON SAYS
1+

SIMON SNEAKILY SAYS STUFF SILENTLY.

In this game the grownup silently mouths the name of a body part and the kids try to figure out what theyre saying.

Gather the kids in a straight line, shoulder to shoulder, and stand in front of them. Tell the group that youre going to mouth (but not say) a part of the body. They should put their hands on what they think youre silently saying. Pick the word nose to practice with. Silently mouth nose and wait for players to put their hands on their noses. If they have trouble, mouth it again while pointing to your nose. Once the group gets the hang of it, challenge the group to correctly touch five silently said body parts in a row. Good luck!

COLOUR SPOTTERS
1+

WHATS THE WEIRDEST COLOUR YOU CAN FIND?

This is a game about finding things of different colours in the world around you. First, give an example of how to play. Name a colour, and then find something around which is that colour. Point to it.

Then start the game! Name another colour and ask the players to find something around which is that colour. Whoever finds something first gets to pick the next colour. For a bonus round, try naming two colours and finding something thats both.

CANINE COUNTERS
1+

ARE YOU GOING ON A WALK? DO YOU THINK YOULL SEE ANY DOGS AS YOU WALK?

This is a game about keeping a running count of all the dogs you see. First, explain to the group that you will be looking for and counting all the dogs you see. Have everyone guess how many they think you will count before you start.

Start your walk! Remind everyone to keep an eye out for doggies. Youre all working together. You the grownup keep the tally. How many dogs did you count by the end of your walk? Did anybody guess the number? Who was closest? Next time, add cats or squirrels and keep two running totals!

REVERSE PICKPOCKETS
1+

DO YOU HAVE POCKETS AND SOME SMALL THINGS WHICH WILL FIT INTO THEM?

This is a game about kids sneaking things INTO the grownups pockets! Find a few objects which will fit into your pockets and hand them out. Challenge everyone to try and sneak the objects into your pockets, without you noticing!

If you catch someone sneaking something into your pocket shout OH NO! A REVERSE PICKPOCKET! The sillier the objects the better. Can the team hide a feather in your pocket?

READ MY MIND
1

DO YOU HAVE A MAGAZINE OR PICTURE BOOK HANDY?

In this game, the grownup secretly chooses an object or detail in a picture, and the kid has to find it.

First, find a large, colourful, detailed photo or illustration. Put it down between you and the kid. Now, secretly choose one detail or object in the picture. It helps if the thing you pick is a distinct colour or shape, something easy to give hints about.

Now its time to play! Ask the child to read your mind and point to part of the picture. Be as telepathic as you can and try to project an image of the thing you chose. If they found it on the first try, you both have great powers! Go buy a lottery ticket!

If they dont find it immediately, have them move their finger around and give hints about where it is in the picture. For example, its higher! or youre getting close! You can also give hints like its the same colour as a firetruck for something red. When they find it, congratulate them on their physic powers and switch roles!

THAT LOOKS DELICIOUS!
2+

ARE THERE STORES, ADVERTISEMENTS, OR GARDENS NEARBY?

Let players know that they are looking for the most delicious thing around. Set a limit, either an amount of time, or a distance like by the end of the next block, or before we get to the park.