More Inexpensive Family Games for Christmas

For me, like many others, Christmas is about family and even more importantly, the younger members or our families. I was a teacher for 30 years, with afterschool programs and special daycamps. These are some of the games we played with the children and I've gone on and used them many times as family games. Many require an Assistant, which usually ended up being the child who needed a little extra self-esteem. These games can be played over and over, or you can disclose the secret when you are finished. You can also make your props as elaborate as you wish or just grab what's lying around. These are meant to be fun and no real deception is intended.

1. MAGIC RULER: This family game requires a yardstick and the ability to spell. The Leader of the game and the Assitant must both know the secret. The object of the game is to distract the other players with the yardstick, while verbally giving the Assistant the clues. Have your family gather in a circle, in chairs or on the floor. The Leader enters the circle with the yardstick. The Assistant plus a circle member, leave the area far enough away so they can't hear the Leader. The circle members choose a short word for the "Secret Word". The Leader calls in the Assistant and the other person. They can join the Leader inside the circle. The Leader will now astound the circle by drawing cryptic designs on the floor with the yardstick. At the same time he/she recites a cute rhyme. The Assistant remains silent and allows the circle member to try and decipher the drawings on the floor. If done correctly the drawings, will reveal the secret word..... if they guess incorrectly, the Assistant will say the secret word, because they can "read" the drawings... well, not exactly. Let's take the word NOEL for instance. The Leader can draw what ever they like. He does one drawing per letter of the word. For instance, for the N make zig zags, circles for the O, an X for the E and long wavy lines for the L. Get it? Ok, so that's not the real secret. How about this clue. As the Leader draws he/she recites a rhyme. Next to grandma sits the tree..... Over yonder lights lights we see.... Everyone's waiting 1 2 3.... Like a snowflake, floating free.... Get it? How about taking the first letter of each rhyme to spell the word. N in next O in over E in everyone and L in like N O E L. The drawings are just a distraction from the rhyme. You can make longer words as you get skilled at coming up with the rhymes. As for the yardstick, any long stick will work. You don't want to have to bend over too far to do the drawings. I've even used a large candy cane and drawn on a tray table, or a piece of paper. It can take a long time for even learned adults to tumble to the secret of this family game!

2. OPEN/CLOSED CROSSED/UNCROSSED: This is truly one of my favorite family games. It can be played for a short time, or played until everyone guesses the secret. I REALLY like this game. To play you will need a pair of scissors, or two sticks or two candy canes. It helps this game if several people know the secret, but it can be started with no one but the Leader being able to interpret the moves. Seat everyone in a circle, this time they must be in chairs. As the scissors or candy canes are passed around the circle the holder, can twist them, open or shut them, cross them, flip them, whatever they desire. When they are finished they declare if the scissors are open or closed or if using sticks, they would be crossed or uncrossed. The Leader and others, then agree or tell the correct answer. Let's say you have the candy canes, you turn them around, up and down and then make an X with them. Crossed? Nope, they are Uncrossed. What? But you are holding them in a Cross shape! Yes, but you flipped them backwards once. What? So you flip them one more time. Now they're Crossed right? Nope, still uncrossed. You forgot to wiggle them. What? So you pass them on. Again, lots of shanigans, with wiggling, and crossing and flipping. Open or Closed. Closed. What? OK, here's how it's done. It doesn't matter what you do with the scissors or the candy canes. What the Leader and the other secret knowers are doing is looking at your ankles. Are they Crossed or Uncrossed, are their legs, Open or Closed? Again it's a family game of distraction. As to telling someone they wiggled it too many times, or flipped them upside down, have a blast and make up whatever you can. It's all about distraction!

3. HOW MANY? This family game is for a smaller goup. It's quick, and a good one for everyone to figure out the secret. You will need a set of ten small objects, such as candy, pencils, beads, or even coins. Everyone needs to sit in front of the Leader, on the floor or at a table. The Leader then places a number of objects in front of him/her, say 5. The Leaders spreads his hands out just behind the objects. Then he very specifically asks, "How many do I have out?" Not how many are there. Everyone will guess 5! Yes! You're right. The Leader does it again, using 2 objects. "How many do I have out?" "2" everyone shouts! No, this time it was 4. What? There are only 2 objects out there. Yes, but the answer is still 4. Try again. 7 objects, the answer is ...... 10! What? See? We are back to distraction. When the Leader asks "How many do I have out?", they are referring to the number of fingers he is showing. Each time the Leader puts his hand out, he curls up some fingers, the number of fingers stretched out is the number he/she is asking for. In the first example, 5 is the correct number because he had one hand flat and one hand curled. The objects and how they are moved around are the distraction. That is also why you say "have out" to indicate fingers pointing out. This family game is easier to figure out, so it does fast. If your young players are struggling, try wiggling your fingers, or tapping them to call attention to your hands.

I sincerely hope you have as much fun with these games as my family does. Please never do them in a mean spirited way, and help anyone who gets too frustrated. Maybe next time they could be the assistant.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!