Summary: Work together to act out animals, but make sure you’re paying attention!

Instructions:

1. Have the group stand in a circle. Explain that in this game, players will be asked to create one of three animals: a moose, an elephant, or a walrus. In order to create these animals, they must rely on the people to their left and their right. Choose three facilitators or volunteers to demonstrate how to make the animals:
   1. Moose – the person in the middle places the thumbs of their open hands to their temples, creating moose antlers. The people on either side hold up their hands (with fingers spread out) adjacent to the middle antlers.
   2. Elephant – the person in the middle sticks one arm straight out in front of them to create the trunk. The people on either side use both of their arms to create the elephant’s ears.
   3. Walrus – the person in the middle tucks their fists up under their neck, letting their elbows jut out to form the tusks and their fingers point down to form whiskers. The people on either side lean in and then clap their hands to the outside to create flippers.
2. Make sure players understand the animals before explaining the rest of the game.
3. Once players understand how to create the animals, explain that one player will be in the middle of the circle. They will point to anyone they choose, call out the name of one of the animals, and count to three. By the end of the count, the chosen player and the players to their left and right must make the animal.
4. If any of the three players do not succeed in time, then the player who was pointed at must take the place of the player in the middle. Alternatively, you could count that player as “out” for the rest of the round.
5. Play a practice round, then begin!

Variations:

• Add new animals or objects to the game. Or, invite players to create their own or try one of the following:
  • Rabbit – The person in the middle holds their hands curled in front of them and bounces up and down. The people on either side hold both of their hands straight up next to the middle person’s head, forming long ears.
  • Elevator – The person in the middle stands still and pretends to be pushing a button for their floor. The people on either side hold out their hands, enclosing the middle person, and move slowly to the floor, giving the impression that the elevator is moving up.

Debrief Questions:

• How did it feel when you got chosen but your two teammates weren’t paying attention or cooperating?
• How did it feel when the person next to you got chosen but you weren’t paying attention? (Did it feel like you let them down?)

Activity Length: Medium (15-30 minutes)

Energy Level: Medium

Grade Level: Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th

Group Size: Large (10+), Medium (5-9)