How to Play Doggy Doggy Where's the Bone

"Doggy, Doggy, Where's the Bone?" is a classic children's participation game. It is an excellent distraction to use when children start getting bored or there is a little extra time before the next activity at Sunday school, birthday parties or in school classrooms. It can be played with many children or only a few; although at least 4 are recommended for the sake of making the game interesting. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

1. Select a student to be the Doggy. This person sits in a chair in front of the room with his or her back turned to the class. All other students should be seated on the ground or in their desks out of sight of the Doggy.

2. Place an object representing the Doggy's bone underneath the chair.

3. Instruct a student to steal the bone. This person sneaks quietly up behind the Doggy, takes the bone and hides it somewhere on his or her person.

4. Lead the class in chanting, "Doggy, doggy, where's your bone? Somebody stole it from your home. Guess who-maybe you! Maybe the monkeys from the zoo! Wake up Doggy, find your bone!" The Doggy then turns around.

5. Instruct the Doggy to guess which student stole the bone. The Doggy has three chances to correct identify the bone thief. (If there are only a few students playing, allow the Doggy only one or two guesses.) If the Doggy correctly guesses who stole the bone, he or she gets to be the Doggy again. If the Doggy can not guess who stole the bone, then the bone thief gets to be the Doggy.

6. Continue playing the game until the majority of the students have had the chance to be the Doggy or the bone thief.

Tips & Warnings

• A fun way to incorporate creativity into the game is to have individual students design, cut out and decorate their own "bones." The teacher can then alternate which bone is placed under the chair, using the students' hand-made artwork.

• A fun twist to the game is to leave the bone under the chair instead of having anyone steal it. The Doggy always has the option of guessing that no one took his bone.