CHOOSING THE STARTING PLAYER/TEAM

A game has to begin with someone, or some team. Below we have some activities for choosing the starting player/team that we feel are more interesting than pointing and saying, "You first!"

1. HOT POTATO

Recite the following:

One potato, two potato,
Three potato, four.
Five potato, six potato,
Seven potato, more.

Point your finger back and forth (at the two teams or players) while you say this rhyme. Stop on "more". The team that you are pointing to gets to play first.

2. EENIE, MEENIE

Recite the following:

Eenie, meenie,
Minee, moe.
Catch a tiger by the toe.
If he hollers
let him go.
Eenie, meenie,
Minee, moe.

As in "Hot Potato," point back and forth at the two teams/players while you say this rhyme. Stop pointing on "moe." The team/player that you are pointing to gets to play first.

3. PICK A NUMBER

Think of a number between 1-10. Ask the kids to guess what your number is. Let each team/player make only one guess at a time.

4. RIDDLES

Ask a simple riddle. For example, "What is big and has a long nose? What animals says moo and eats grass? What is red and round?" The first team/player to answer correctly starts the game.

5. WHICH HAND?

Place something small in one hand. Put both hands behind your back. Ask the students to guess in which hand is the object. The first team/player to answer correctly starts the game.

6. HEADS OR TAILS

Toss a coin in the air and ask one student to call it "heads or tails." If the student calls the correct side, let him or his team play first. If not, then not.

7. PAPER, SCISSORS, STONE (aka ROCK, SCISSORS, PAPER)

Choose one player from each team to play "paper, scissors, stone." The winner or the winner's team plays first.

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