Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was reviewed by Ashton Wu and by How.com.vn staff writer, Hunter Rising. Ashton Wu is a Board Game expert at Shelfside. After delving into the Yugioh tournament community while growing up, Ashton launched himself into the board gaming community in 2014 and went into reviewing board games as a career full-time in 2019. His YouTube channel Shelfside has over 35K subscribers and over 4 million views, assisted by written reviews on the Shelfside website and BoardGameGeek.com. He also consults with gaming companies to build high-quality gaming products. Ashton is a tournament commentator, board game playthrough director, and host of the Shelfside Podcast, where he talks about board games with his business partner, Daniel. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in addition to the Technology Management Certificate.
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If you’re looking for a fun game that’s perfect for kids and adults, Simon Says is the perfect thing to play. Simon Says is perfect for improving listening skills for children, and it’s super easy to learn for the whole family. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through how to play as well as some exciting variations to try out!
Simon Says Game Rules
Choose a player to be Simon. When Simon gives a command starting with “Simon says…” the other players have to follow the instructions. If a player doesn’t follow the instructions correctly, they’re out of the game. The last player standing is the winner!
Steps
Rules of Simon Says
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Gather a small group of players. Although Simon Says is normally a children’s activity, all ages can play and enjoy the game. Gather a few friends and family members together so you have a few players.[1]- Simon Says works best with 5 or more people, but you can play short games with fewer players.
- Normally, all the players in Simon Says remain standing for the duration of the playing round, but you can also play while sitting down if it’s more comfortable.
Choose a player to be Simon. Within your group of players, randomly pick one person to be Simon first. Whoever is chosen as Simon stands in front of the rest of the players and faces them. All the other players become the “listeners.”Advertisement
Give commands as Simon to eliminate players. Whenever Simon is ready, they can start giving commands to the rest of the group. If you begin a command with “Simon says…”, the listeners have to obey and do what you tell them. If you simply state the command, then the listeners should not follow the instructions. If a listener incorrectly follows Simon’s instructions, they’re eliminated for the rest of the game.[2]- Give your commands quickly and frequently switch up whether you say “Simon says…” to confuse the listeners.
- Some common commands you can give include:
- Touch your toes
- Hop on one foot
- Dance around the room
- Do some jumping jacks
- Give yourself a hug
- Play air guitar
Obey “Simon says” commands as a listener. When you’re playing as a listener, pay attention very carefully to the commands given by Simon. Only follow the instructions if they say “Simon says…” before the command. Simon will try to trick you into obeying commands you shouldn’t by giving the commands very quickly. If you don’t follow the instructions correctly, then you’re eliminated for the rest of the round.- If Simon gives a command, keep performing it until the next time they say “Simon says…” For example, if they say “Simon says hop on one foot,” then keep hopping on that foot until they say “Simon says stop.”
- Wait a second before performing a command to make sure you heard Simon correctly.
Win the game if you’re the last remaining listener. During the round, Simon keeps giving commands until there is only one listener left. That player is the winner for the round and becomes the new Simon for the next round. All the eliminated players are back in the next game.
Community Q&A
- QuestionIs it an all ages game or is it just for small children?
Community AnswerIt's not only for small children, anyone can play Simon Says! - QuestionIs this game suitable for elementary school students?Community AnswerYes, this game would be appropriate for elementary school students.
- QuestionWhat if there are 27 players?
Community AnswerGet everyone in a circle, make sure everyone knows who Simon is, then play exactly the same.
Video
Tips
- If you’re Simon, try to give commands quickly to fool the listeners.Thanks
- If you’re a listener, wait a second before you perform a command to make sure you heard it correctly.Thanks
References
About This Article
1. Choose someone to be “Simon.”
2. Have “Simon” give a command to the other players.
3. If the command starts with “Simon says…” the players have to do it.
4. If the command doesn’t start with “Simon says…” and a player does it, they’re “out.”
5. The last person standing wins!
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"All your games help us to learn English with fun. Here we learn verbs, instructions, parts of the body. It motivates students and the process is very interesting and fun."..." more
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