What are you doing?

Playworks Cummings Elementary School 10455 S Kirkwood Rd, Houston, TX 77099 Teacher is Ms. Irby, 2nd grade class game time Only one student released for RWJF IMG_1164.JPG
  1. Autonomous/Self-access Games
  2. Indoor Game
  3. Rotational Games

  • Any Size

  • Grades 3-5

  • None

  • Less Than 10 minutes

Imagination and creativity are the name of the game here. Allow a student to do whatever they want (appropriately) in front of the other students. As they perform their imaginary task, someone asks, “What are you doing?” Instead of explaining, the performer describes a new activity (that they are not doing) and the next child performs that imaginary task. Have fun!

Development Goal

To develop creative thinking and listening to directions.

Before You Start

  • Explain the rules of play.
  • Demonstrate how to play.
  • Have players explain the rules back to you or to someone next to them.
  • Players get in line and the first two face each other.

How to Play

  • Player A does a motion like in charades, and then player B asks “What are you doing?”
  • Player A must name a motion that doesn’t match the motion that they are doing.
  • Player B must do the motion that player A named.
  • Player A then asks, “What are you doing?”
  • Game continues until someone makes a mistake. When a player messes up, they go to the end of the line and the next person steps up.

Variations

  • Have multiple lines going to increase participation.
  • This game can also be played in pair, eliminating the rotational style and shortening the time of play.