Animal Signs Game

3 phases to this fun game:

How to Play

Phase 1

  1. Have everyone sit or stand in a circle.
  2. Have one person be first to make a sign that represents an animal.
  3. Have everyone make the sign together to practice it.
  4. Continue by having the next person in the circle create a sign for a different animal.
  5. Then have everyone make the new sign, followed by the old one.
  6. Keep following this pattern until everyone has created an animal sign.

Animal Sign Examples

  • Elephant: Hold one arm out in front of you like a trunk.
  • Monkey: Scratch your armpit.
  • Snake: Wiggle your arm like a snake.
  • Butterfly: Connect your hands and flutter your fingers.
  • Shark: Make a fin with your hand and move it back and forth.
  • Rattlesnake: Shake a couple of fingers like a rattle.
  • Cat: Use your fingers to make whiskers on your face.
  • Owl: Make circles with your fingers around your eyes.
  • Giraffe: Raise an arm high above your head.
  • Turtle: Tuck your chin inside your collar.
  • Rabbit: Make bunny ears with your fingers.

Phase 2

  1. Practice sending around your signs by choosing someone to start.
  2. That person will make their sign, and then make eye contact with another player.
  3. Once they've made eye contact with another player, they make that player's sign.
  4. That second player then accepts the sign by making their own sign.
  5. Play continues by that second player making eye contact with another player and then making that third player's sign.
  6. Keep going until everyone is comfortable and ready for Phase 3.

Phase 3

  1. Choose someone to be in the middle of the circle.
  2. While that person closes their eyes, silently choose another player to start.
  3. When ready, tell the middle player to open their eyes.
  4. Pass around the signs while the middle player tries to figure out who currently has the sign.
  5. Players cannot make any signs unless they have been chosen to accept and then pass on a sign. One exception though is that they can make the middle player's sign whenever they feel like it.
  6. When the middle player catches the active signer, the active signer becomes the new middle person.