King Bullfrog
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Supplies
- Required
- None
- Recommended
- Chairs
Group Size
Recommended: At least 5, but not more than 12
How to Play
Sit in a circle either on the ground or on chairs.
This is both a rhythm and a “passing the sign” game. The goal is to successfully stay on rhythm and pass the sign to get to the top spot which is King Bullfrog.
Signs and Sounds:
Each person needs a sign and a sound before starting. These are usually animals, but creativity is encouraged. There is a first spot, King Bullfrog, and a last spot, Dumb Beaver. Each has an already existing sign and sound.
King Bullfrog’s sign is made by putting one hand into a fist and bouncing your other hand (which is flat open) on the fist. It’s meant to look like a frog jumping on a lilypad. The sound is, “boing,” and happens when the open hand bounces off the fist.
Dumb Beaver’s sign is made by gently hitting a limp wrist against the chest and making a, “der,” sound. It should sound silly.
Before getting started, everyone must make a sign and sound. Recommendations and ideas are given below.
Passing the Sign:
In order to pass the sign and sound to someone, you must make your sign and sound and then the sign and sound of the person you want to send it to. They will then make their own sign and sound and then someone else’s sign and sound. That cycle continues until someone messes up the rhythm, a sign, or a sound.
The passing is done to a certain rhythm throughout the entire game. It sounds like "We Will Rock You." With both palms of your hands, pat your legs twice, and then clap once. To follow the rhythm, make the sign and sound on every clap.
Little Details:
The King Bullfrog always begins the rhythm and is the first one to pass the sign and the sound. The sign and sound can be passed to anyone any number of times.
When someone hesitates and gets out of rhythm, messes up a sign, or messes up a sound, the game pauses, and they are kicked to the Dumb Beaver spot. Everyone then moves up a space to fill the empty spot. The signs and sounds don’t move spots, so if you were King Bullfrog, and you messed up, then you would move to the Dumb Beaver seat, and the person who was right next to the King Bullfrog spot would then become King Bullfrog. The players move, the signs and sounds do not.
The Goal:
The goal of this game is to get to the King Beaver spot and to stay there as long as possible.
Recommendations
Time to Plan for:
This can be as long or as short as you would like. End when you are ready.
Sign and Sound Ideas:
- Snake
- Sign: Put your palms flat together and slither them forward
- Sound: "Sssss"
- Dog
- Sign: Put both hands up to the side of your head with all your fingers bent forward like floppy dog ears
- Sound: “Woof,” or “bark”
- Cat
- Sign: Put your hands part way up with your fingers spread out to look like claws
- Sound: Hissing noise or “meow”
- Panda
- Sign: Pretend like your holding a stick of bamboo in one hand and bring it up to your mouth to bite it
- Sound: Munching or crunch sound like you’re biting the bamboo
- Fish
- Sign: Bring both palms to the side of your face with palms facing your back and rotate them back and forth like fish fins
- Sound: “Blub blub”
- Moose
- Sign: Move your hands up to your head with your fingers spread and straightened to look like moose antlers
- Sound: Any kind of grunting noise works great and is hilarious