The Levitan Website
A personal website
How Many Buttons?
Minimum number = 6
Everyone stands in a circle facing inwards. Each person is given 10 buttons to hold in their right hand. The child who starts transfers some buttons from his/her right hand to their
left hand without revealing how many (this can be none, some or all the buttons). The child on their left now guesses how many buttons are in their left hand. If correct he/she wins
all those buttons and adds them to his/her 10 buttons. If incorrect he/she must give away some of their buttons – the difference between the guess and how many there actually were.
It is now the second person’s turn and the play proceeds in the same fashion, though the starting position will now be with either more or less than 10 buttons. After 2-3 rounds the
player with the most buttons overall is the winner. If a guesser loses all his/her buttons at any point, the game can still continue because he/she can still win some on the next round.
Jigsaw
Minimum number = 3, maximum probably 10
Before the club starts the leader takes several greeting card pictures and cuts them into the same number of pieces each (about 6-8 pieces is usually fine). All the pieces are
then distributed randomly around the room – pieces from different pictures can be in the same pile. Keep one piece back from each picture. Make sure the pictures are sufficiently
different not to be too hard to spot which goes with which, but not too easy either! Each child is given the one piece and they then have to find all their pieces and make up the picture.
The first to do so is the winner. They will inevitably pick up wrong pieces, so children are allowed to inspect the pieces other children have picked up – this will need some monitoring.
Children caught deliberately hoarding pieces should be given a time penalty.
Ladders
Minimum number = 10
Two teams – lined up in two parallel lines and paired off by height as far as possible. Then they sit on the floor facing each other with their legs stretched out and feet touching.
There is a reasonable gap between each pair. Give each pair a number or allow them to choose a name. The leader calls out a name or number and the corresponding pair must jump up and
run down the outside of the “ladder” and then all the way up the middle (jumping between the “rungs”). When they reach the top they run down the outside back to their place. The first
one in place scores a point for their team. Those remaining on the floor must keep their legs straight and feet touching. This game can be played using a story that incorporates the
names or numbers. Must be played with care to avoid stepping on people’s legs – always issue a warning before playing.
