More cooperative games! - children's games

Camping Magazine, July-August, 1993 by Jeffrey Sobel

The following games have been excerpted from Everybody Wins 11, a new book by Everybody Wins author Jeffrey Sobel. Everybody Wins 11, an American Camping Association publication, will be available in February, 1994.

Five Changes Ages: All Formation: Partners Activity Level: Low Equipment: None

One of the underlying themes of cooperative play is acceptance of everyone...just the way we are. Players are often changed in a healthy direction, just by playing the games. But in this partner guessing game, players go through many changes -- and even exchanges ! Partners sit facing each other and decide who will be the guesser and who will be the dresser. In a moment, all the guessers will close their eyes, but before they do, they take a good look at their partner(s) -- the dressers. They carefully look them over to see what clothing they are wearing, if they have on glasses, a hat or watch, bow or barrette in their hair, etc. Guessers then close their eyes.

Dressers then make five changes to their appearance. They can roll up a sleeve or remove a ring, switch a watch to the opposite hand, take off their shoes or even socks! The changes are up to them. When they are finished, guessers are told to open their eyes and to try and guess all the changes that were made. If they have difficulty, clues can be given.

Variations:

1. The number of changes does not have to be exactly five. Very young children can make a single change with three, four, six, or more changes being made by older, more adventurous players.

2. Partner Groups:

a. Two or more guessers can play with two or more dressers, who could make some of their changes -- ex.changes ! b. Partners can team-up with each other to play with and against another partner couple. Each couple changes together, then dresses and guesses the changes and exchanges made by the other couple.

c. Many partner couples or groups can play at the same time; dressers in different groups can make exchanges with each other.

3. Instead of closing their eyes, partners sit back-to-back when making changes. Both partners can change at the same time, perhaps, with their eyes closed! Then they can open their eyes and guess together.

Jamaquack Ages: Kindergarten+ Formation: Standing Circle Activity Level: Moderate Equipment: None

This is one of the funniest games you will ever play! A jarnacluack is a bird, I'm told, originally from Australia, which is now extinct. The reason for the extinction will become perfectly clear to everyone as they play the game.

To start, everyone stands in a circle, and the leader asks for a handful of very silly volunteers to sit in the center of the circle (see Helpful Hint #1). The game is then explained.

Players sitting in the center are jamaquacks. Players standing on the circle are now asked to hold hands, forming a fence or pen surrounding the jamaquacks. When the game finally begins, the leader will tap the hands of two circle players, who will release their held hands, forming an opening or door in the fence. The object of the game is for all the jamaquacks inside the fence to find their way through this door to freedom outside the jamaquack pen.

It is time to see the bird from which this game gets its name in action. The players sitting in the middle of the circle, who only a short time ago so willingly volunteered, now get the opportunity to move like jamaquacks! A jamaquack moves only backward, bent over, while always and forever quacking in its native tongue. And one more thing -- they can't see! As these players rise to their feet, they begin moving backward, bent over and holding their ankles while continually, "Quack! Quack! Quaek!"-ing; and don't forget, since they can't see, their eyes must be closed ! As they move in this most amazing way, one more dilemma soon develops. The leader taps the ends of two circle players who then release their held hands, forming an opening in the circle. As the jamaquacks begin searching for their freedom through this door, they will be backing into circle players. It is their job to, ever so delicately and discretely, push or nudge jamaquacks back into the circle with their hands, knees, feet, etc.

Now, when finally finding freedom on the other side of the fence, jamaquacks have one more job: to "Quack!" as loudly as possible to their fellow jamaquacks still trapped on the inside. As the call of "Jama-QuackQuack-Quack" fills the air, they will be led to their freedom one by one until, alas, the last lonely bird, bent over holding its ankles with eyes closed, moves to the rear quacking and is led by the sweet song of jama-quackery to safety. Do you see why they're extinct?

Helpful Hints:

1. Players chosen to be jamaquacks should know how silly and potentially embarrassing their actions will be. I usually start by asking for volunteers who are very, very silly, and who are not easily embarrassed.

2. Circle players should be reminded to nudge jamaquacks back into the center of the circle in gentle and appropriate ways.