1-2-Lets-Play-Zoo
Set Up:
• Here is a video of a fast passed beat when first playing the game it is
recommended that the beat is very, very slow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aldrSHwqrmY
How to Play:
1. A group of people chooses to stand or sit in a circle, with everyone facing the
center.
2. Now everyone must choose an animal to represent him or herself. Each player
will have a specific animal that they represent by a hand gesture.
a. For example, a player could put their arm up by their nose to represent an
elephant or they can hold out one of their hands in a claw shape to form
the paw of a lion.
b. No two players can have the same animal or have a similar hand gesture,
so that no one gets confused.
3. Having formed a circle, select a person who will start the round. He or she begins
a basic 1-2 rhythm beat among the group using hands. On the first beat,
everyone slaps their thighs, and on the second beat, everyone claps. If this is
anyone's first time playing, make sure everyone has a feel for the beat. When all
players are ready, begin the beat and everyone shout, "One, two, let's play Zoo!"
4. Slap your hands on your thighs for the first beat, then on the second beat,
perform your animal hand gesture(if you're the first player.) On the next set of 1-2
beats, slap your thighs once, then use another person's animal gesture on the
second beat instead of clapping.
5. At this point, the player whose animal was just represented has to respond by
performing their animal, still keeping with the 1-2 beat. After that, they throw it to
another player by representing their animal on the next rhythm.
6. Continue playing the beat with your hands by slapping your thighs then clapping
on the second beat, if you don't need to represent your animal. Everyone has to
keep the beat going, regardless of whether or not you are representing yours or
another person's animals.
7. Keep in mind that just because the beat is 1-2 that doesn't mean it has to stay
the same speed. Players can, and probably will, speed up the beat, making it
tougher on everyone to stay focused.
Animal Sounds
Set Up:
How to Play:
1. One person is in the middle of the circle of youth and closes their eyes, while the people
around them go around in circle and switch places
2. When the person in the middle says “stop” they have to point to someone while their eyes
are still closed and say an animal
3. The person that is pointed to has to make the noise of that animal (or the noise it might
make “blub” for fish?)
4. The person in the middle has to guess who made the noise.
5. They get three guesses before they can open their eyes to see who it was
6. If they are right the person who made the noise is now in the middle
Balloon Stomp
Set Up:
Create zones for youth to play the game. One that is large, medium, and small. Zones
can be set up with existing lines in your space, new rooms (going from the meeting
room to a hallway), tap on the floor, tables, or anything else you can think of.
You will need:
• 1 balloon per youth
• Lots of string or yarn to tie the balloon to the youths leg
How to Play:
Instructions
1. Tie a string and balloon onto ankle.
2. Spread the group around the entire zone and wait patiently until leader says go.
3. Each person will try and pop the balloons while trying to save their own.
4. After about 30 seconds, move into the next smaller zone and begin again,
continue this until you come down to the last person.
Chicken On A Hill
Set Up:
You can follow the directions and youth will be randomly paired with a partner or skip to
step 3 and have the youth decide which team member is a one and which is a two.
How to Play:
Directions/rules:
1. Have everyone stand in a big circle and the instructor will count everyone off by
ones and twos
1. When everyone has a number have the ones stand in a straight line and the twos
stand in a straight line facing each other
2. The person you are standing across from is your partner for the game (if there is
an odd number of people there may be three people in a group)
3. When you know who your partner is then the ones group will form a big circle
and then the twos group will form another circle, but inside of the ones group
circle that was already made. When forming the circles make sure you are not
standing by or across from your partner
4. Show and explain to the group what the poses will look like.
5. When the circles are formed the ones group will walk clockwise and the twos
groups will walk counter clockwise
6. As the groups are walking the instructor will yell out the poses that you and your
partner are supposed to do
7. When the instructor yells out the pose you run and find your partner and do the
pose
8. If you are the last group to do the pose your group will be eliminated
Poses:
The backpack- You connect arms back to back
The rodeo- One partner is on their hands and knees and the other partner is standing
over them
Leap frog- One partner is on the ground in a "frog like position" and the other partner
hops over them
The proposal- One partner is standing, and the other partner is down on one knee
Row your boat- Both partners are sitting on the ground one in front the other behind and
they row their arms
Flush the toilet- Both partners are standing one in front the other behind and they move
their arms up and down
Chicken on a hill- One partner is on their hands and knees and the other partner puts
their foot on their back
EXTREAM Rock, Paper, Scissors
Set Up:
How to Play:
1. Each person will play rock, paper, scissors with another.
2. If you win you move on to play another winner, if you lose you need to cheer on and follow
the person you lost to the championship round
3. Keep going until you are down to two people
4. The person who wins this champion round is the winner
This is a fast passed high energy competition so make sure that youth are cheering on
their friends.
The Hand Game
Set Up:
Watch this video it explains the directions below really well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=DHMxfA2OivI&NR=1
How to Play:
Directions/rules:
1. Form a big circle
2. Have group get down on their knees with both hands out in front of them
3. Have each person take their left hand and cross it over the person next to
them(person to their left)
4. To start the game, someone will slap their hand down once then going clockwise,
the next person will also slap their hand down following a sort of rhythm
5. DO STEP 5 A COUPLE TIMES FOR PRACTICE
6. If someone THEN chooses to slap their hand 2 times, it sends the rhythm the
other way (counter clockwise)
7. If you mess up, you take the one hand out that you messed up with/you can have
the person be automatically out
8. See how fast you can go without messing up the rhythm
