Lively elimination game for larger and small groups.
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Fun Games |
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Communication, Collaboration, Having Fun |
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6 – 15 minutes |
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1 – 8, 9 – 16, 17 – 30, 31+ |
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Children, Youth, Adults |
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Low |
Step by Step Instructions:
- Have players form into groups of 8 and no more than 12.
- Choose one group to form a circle and they will then demonstrate the game to everyone else.
- Instruct players in the circle to extend their left hands with their palm facing up.
- Then instruct everyone to take their right hands, also palm up, and place it onto the left-hand of the person standing to their right.
- You will be teaching them a short song, and on each beat, one person will take their right hand and slap the upturned hand of the person to the left of them.
- One person will slap, and the next person will do the same and so on, around the circle until the song ends.
- Once a player slaps their neighbor’s hand, they must return it and place it palm up onto the left hand of their neighbor to their right, ready for the next round.
- Teach the group the lyrics to the next song, accompanied by an easy and
familiar beat. (S) means slap below.Down (S) by the banks (S) of the hanky (S) Panky (S)
Where the Bull (S) Frog jumps (S)
From the bank (S) to Banky (S)
Singing Eeps (S), IIps (S), Oops (S), Uups (S)
Knee-Sucker (S) Dilly Dally (S)
Ding (S), Dang (S), Dong (S) - Allow the group to practice the song as well as the movements.
- The objective of the game is to remain a player in the game until you are the only one left.
- The player who has their hand slapped on the last word of the song (Dong), is
then eliminated. - Each time the song ends, somebody in the group will then be eliminated, the
person standing to the left of the player eliminated will be the one to begin the game again. - The game continues around the circle until there are only two players remaining.
- To end the game and have only one winner, play a quick game of ‘rock-paper-
scissors.’
Benefits
- Playful and Entertaining
- Elimination game
- Small and large group sizes
- No props needed
How to Play
- Have players form into groups of 8 and no more than 12.
- Choose one group to form a circle and they will then demonstrate the game
to everyone else. - Instruct players in the circle to extend their left hands with their palm facing up.
- Then instruct everyone to take their right hands, also palm up, and place it
onto the left-hand of the person standing to their right. - You will be teaching them a short song, and on each beat, one person will
take their right hand and slap the upturned hand of the person to the left of them. - One person will slap, and the next person will do the same and so on, around
the circle until the song ends. - Once a player slaps their neighbor’s hand, they must return it and place it
palm up onto the left hand of their neighbor to their right, ready for the next
round. - Teach the group the lyrics to the next song, accompanied by an easy and
familiar beat. (S) means slap below. Down (S) by the banks (S) of the hanky (S) Panky (S)
Where the Bull (S) Frog jumps (S)
From the bank (S) to Banky (S)
Singing Eeps (S), IIps (S), Oops (S), Uups (S)
Knee-Sucker (S) Dilly Dally (S)
Ding (S), Dang (S), Dong (S)
- Allow the group to practice the song as well as the movements.
- The objective of the game is to remain a player in the game until you are the
only one left. - The player who has their hand slapped on the last word of the song (Dong), is
then eliminated. - Each time the song ends, somebody in the group will then be eliminated, the
person standing to the left of the player eliminated will be the one to begin
the game again. - The game continues around the circle until there are only two players remaining.
- To end the game and have only one winner, play a quick game of ‘rock-paper-scissors.’
Useful Framing Ideas
This elimination game is fun and easy to play in a group circle. Can you last until the
end?
You know those commercial songs or how about the ‘Baby Shark’ song. They just
seem to stick in your head, if you find this irritating, you might want to skip this next
game. We will be learning a short fun song, which you have to sing over and over
again, I’m sure you will be singing it while riding into work next week!
Facilitators and Leadership Tips
To create more enthusiasm and involvement, make sure to present the game with as
much flare as possible. It is after all already a silly and fun game, but you can make it
more interesting and appealing.
Those players who have been eliminated can watch the rest of the group as they try
to stay in rhythm. You could also introduce a variation, form new circles with those
who have been eliminated. This can be done when there are 4 or more players
available.
You don’t have to use the lyrics provided, you can come up with your own words.
The song doesn’t really have to make any sense, it mainly just has to be fun to repeat
over and over.
There are players who might speed up the clapping motion, in order to avoid being
eliminated, watch out for this. There should only be one slap for each beat of the
song.
Debriefing & Reflection Strategies
Here are some questions to ask the group, which will help them to process their
experience of the game ‘Down by the banks’
- Were you tempted to increase the pace of the game in order to prevent being
eliminated? Explain. - What were you thinking when you knew you were about to be eliminated?
- What was the reaction of the group when somebody got eliminated? Do you
find they were sympathetic or not? - Do you think being eliminated was fair?
Popular Variations
- Forming new circles: Larger groups will form smaller groups, so you will
have quite a few circles and players. When somebody is eliminated from a
group, have them form a new circle. New circles will then be popping up,
keeping everybody active in the game. Do this until you feel the enthusiasm
in the room waning and then move on to the next activity. - Join a circle: If you have more than a few groups and circles, have each player
who is eliminated to move and join another circle. This will help keep the
game moving and the energy up. Again, stop when you feel everybody has
had enough. - There are many more fun and crazy group games to play, such as the Ha Ha
Ha game, Super Smile, Popping Corn, and the Dinosaur Game.
