Acting and Dramatic Games Zoo
( Acting and Dramatic, Choreographed, Educational, Literature, Pen and Paper )Each player is provided with ten slips of paper numbered conspicuously from one to ten but arranged irregularly in a pile. The players gather around a table or sit in a circle each one being given the name of an animal the sport of the game will consist largely in choosing unusual or difficult names such as yak gnu camelopard hippopotamus rhinoceros Brazilian ant-eater kangaroo etc.
Each player holds his slips with the numbers turned downward. The first player turns up his upper slip so that the number is visible and lays it down in front of him. In doing this he must turn it away from himself so that the other players see it first the next player then does the same. Should the two slips happen to coincide in number for instance should the first player have turned up number three and the second player turn up number three they must each at once call each others names as “Yak ” “Hippopotamus ” or whatever name was assigned to them. The one who first calls the others name gives away his slip to that other the object being to get rid of ones slips as fast as possible.
Should the slip turned up by the second player not correspond in number to that turned by the first he also lays it down in front of him the third player then turns his up and this is continued around the circle until a slip is turned that corresponds in number with any that has already been turned up when those two players must immediately call each others names as before explained. The player wins who first gets rid of all of his slips.
For schools a class should divide into small groups for this game which may be made to correlate with geography or history by using proper names from those subjects instead of names of animals.
For older players the game may be made very funny also by assigning to each player the name of a patent medicine instead of the name of an animal and playing cards may be used instead of the numbered slips.