How to Play Barnyard

Birthday parties? Day care centers? Vacation Bible Schools? Do you need a game for a large number of children that doesn’t require athletic skills or even the ability to read? Try playing Barnyard; it is easy to learn and can be played indoors or outdoors.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Paper
• Pencil
• Scissors (optional)

1. Divide the number of children by three. The difficulty--and fun--of this game will depend upon the number and ages of the children and the space available to play. A group of 15 four or five year olds will work fine, while seven or eight year olds will find this game fun if there are about 20 to 25 of them.
2. Come up with different animals, based upon the number of children, divided by three; for example, you will need five different animals for 15 children. Write these animals on the paper. Or, if the children can read, write the types of the animals-goats, chickens, cows, and so on-three times each. Cut out and fold the strips of paper.
3. Give each one a strip of paper with an animal’s name on it if the children can read. If they cannot read, whisper the name of the animal to each child. Make a note on the paper, so you don’t have more than three children to each type of animal. Tell the children not to tell anyone else what animal they received.
4. Explain that, at the signal, each child is to make the noise of their animal alone. They cannot imitate their animal with body language; for instance, chickens cannot flap their wings. They are to try and find the other two children who have the same animal. When all three children find each other, they sit down. The first group to sit down wins.

Tips & Warnings

• Although it might be a bit more of a challenge, you could try this game with zoo animals.
• For larger groups of children, you can increase the number of children with the same animal to four or five.