Do you have some budding detectives in your house? Then this is the game for them. It’s a great party game, and works well for adults, too. Although you do have to make sure the adults leave their inhibitions at the door. If you do this with your family, pair up very small children with a teenager or grown-up.
Clear a large space to make sure everyone has room to move around. Better yet, try to do this game outside.
Choose one person to be the detective. That person has to leave the room (or hide behind a tree, if you’re outside). While the detective is gone, choose a leader.
The leader begins doing something, like flapping his arms like a chicken, or doing a dance move, or nodding his head. Everyone else copies the leader. Send one person to retrieve the detective.
When the detective returns, her job is to figure out who the leader is. The leader has to change his movement at least every thirty seconds, and everyone else follows. The trick is for everyone not to stare at the leader and to make sure they change their movements quick enough so the detective can’t figure out who is starting the action.
Once the detective figures out the mystery, the old leader becomes the detective and the game starts over.
Some suggestions for movements:
Funky chicken
Slow motion running
Playing airplane
Shrugging shoulders
Dancing River Dance style
Spinning in circles (For kids only. Or very slowly for adults.)
Patting your tummy or head
Air guitar
Break dancing (just kidding)
If you want to use this game as part of a full party, you can play Clue, serve mysterious foods and have everyone wear a name badge with their thumbprint on it. Hand out magnifying glasses for party favors.