How to Play Cat's Cradle

Cat's Cradle is a simple string game that many school children used to play. In an age where video games and cell phones have taken over our school yards, this can be a return to simpler times if only for a moment. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• 2 people
• A piece of tied string that is long enough to make a circle.

1. Put your hands through the string. Be careful not to put your thumb in it.
2. Loop the string around hands. Again being careful to keep your thumb out of the string.
3. Take middle finger of hand and put it into the loop on the inside of the other hand and pull.
4. Using your other middle finger put it through the other hand's loop. This is called the Cat's Cradle.
5. Find the area where an X is made with the string. There will be 2 places where X's are made.
6. Taking the thumb and forefinger of the other person, that person pinches the X's.
7. Pinching the X's, move your hands away until the string is taut.
8. Point fingers downward through the sides and push them up through the middle, all the while pulling the string gently.
9. Let the cats cradle slide out of the first person's hands causing the second player to have the cat's cradle in their hands.
10. Repeat the process, so that the first person ends up with the cat's cradle in their hands again.