What it is: An easy game of teamwork, following orders, and posing as quickly as possible

Best for: A big group of boy/girl pairs

What you need:

  • A big open area to play

How to play: I learned this game at EFY, a week-long religious camp for teenagers. Boys and girls house separately but are put in co-ed groups, attend dances together, and are encouraged to talk to and get to know each other as much as possible, so this game fit right in.

In the game, pairs of players hit poses as quickly as possible. There are three poses.

Bird on a perch, where the boy kneels and the girl sits on his knee:

Monkey in a tree, where the girl hangs on the boy’s back:

Baby in a cradle, where the boy stands and holds the girl in his arms:

To play, each pair stands together in the open play area. A caller calls out two or three poses in any order, and the pairs must hit each pose in order, ending on the last pose and holding it. The last pair to hit the last pose is eliminated. Play continues until only one couple remains, the winners!

So, for example, the caller might call out, all at once, “Bird on a perch, baby in a cradle, monkey in a tree!” Each pair must first hit the bird on a perch pose, then the baby in a cradle pose, then the monkey in a tree pose. Last pair to hit the monkey in a tree pose is out. The caller is also the judge who decides who was last.

The caller can come up with any combination, like “Baby in a cradle, bird on a perch, monkey in a tree!” Or “Monkey in a tree, bird on a perch, monkey in a tree!” For added difficulty, call out more than three poses at a time!

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