How to Play Hidden Proverbs
The game of Hidden Proverbs has a couple of variations, both of which require the participants to identify a commonly known proverb through unconventional means. These games are used to develop language and reasoning skills in children and as team building activities for adults. However you approach Hidden Proverbs, it can be a fun and challenging experience for all.
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Instructions
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Guessing Hidden Proverbs
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1
Choose one person to be "it." She will guess what the hidden proverb is. She should leave the room while the rest of the group works.
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2
Select a proverb. These are widely known expressions that convey a basic truth or belief. For instance, "You can't judge a book by its cover" and "The early bird gets the worm" are both proverbs.
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3
Allow the guesser to return to the room and start asking questions of the rest of the group. These questions don't have to have anything to do with a proverb and can be on any topic.
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4
Answer the questions using words from the chosen proverb in the answers. The words must be given in order. For example, the Hidden Proverb is "A dog is a man's best friend." If the guesser asks the first person "Where were you last night?" the answer may be "I went to a party," using "a" in the answer because it's the first word in the proverb. The next question may be "Who is your favorite football team?" and the answer could be "I like the Packers but my dog likes the Bears" specifically using "dog" in the answer. This goes on until all the words in the proverb are used. The person to answer the last question tells the guesser this is the last word of the proverb.
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5
Guess the proverb based on the answers given. If the guesser can't make a guess or makes an incorrect one you can repeat the process of asking and answering questions two more times. If the guesser still doesn't know the proverb, tell her the answer and let someone else be the guesser for another round.
Deciphering Hidden Proverbs
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6
Choose a common proverb.
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Create a version of the proverb that conveys the same idea using different words. For example the clue "The value of a bound collection of words should not be determined by the outer shell" is actually the proverb "You can't judge a book by its cover."
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8
Allow others to read or hear the unconventional rephrasing of the proverb and guess what the common phrase is.
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