How to play Indian Chief

As many as 30 or as few as 5 children can play Indian Chief. This game is fun and it also helps the young players to develop an awareness of others. It even can help to build teamwork in an essentially noncompetitive context. Indian Chief can be played by a mixed age group of children ranging from around the age of four up.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• children
• a large enough area of grass or floor so that all the players can sit in a circle

1. Gather all the Indian Chief players in a large circle outside or indoors. By asking the players to hold the hands of the person on their right and also the person on their left and then directing them to spread out as far as possible with the hands still touching, you will arrive at the right size of circle. Now the players can let go and sit "Indian" style (political correctness terms this cross-legged today) on the ground or floor.
2. Direct one player to leave the room or go away from the playing area so that she can neither see nor hear what is discussed in the circle. While this person is away, explain that you are going to point to one of the children. This person will become the "Chief." Without saying anything, the "chief" will lead the rest of the children in a series of motions. Everyone will follow the "chief" by copying his motions. The player who is out of the room must guess who the "chief" is. If she guesses correctly, the "chief" will be the next person to guess.
3. Practice letting the "chief" clap his hands or pat his head or snap his fingers while all the other children in the circle do the same thing. See how long it takes to get the whole circle to notice that the "chief" has changed his motions. Tell the children to try not to stare at the "chief" since this will give away the answer. Insist that no one talk during the game at all.
4. Invite the player who will be trying to guess the "chief" to return to the circle. She should step into the middle and remain standing. Can she guess who all the players are following? The larger the circle, the more difficult this will be to discover. The person in the middle gets three chances to guess the "chief". If she is correct, the chief must leave the room until a new "chief" has been selected. If she misses after three guesses, she should choose the next person to leave the room. She sits in the spot vacated by the next person who will try to guess the "chief."

Tips & Warnings

• This is a great rainy day recess game for a classroom that cannot play outside.
• This can be used with instruments where the "chief" is called the "conductor" and all the people in the circle have rhythm sticks or hand drums.
• It also makes a good party game and can be played while children are gathering since the circle can always be enlarged without ruining any part of the game.