Step-by-Step Instructions
This circle game activity instantly energises groups while developing concentration and quick reactions. Chicken Eyes delivers exactly what you need when facilitating a quick energiser game that builds immediate engagement. Perfect as a warm-up game for any indoor program, it requires no equipment or setup time. The dynamic nature of this fun group game makes it particularly effective with groups who need to boost their energy and mental alertness.
Chicken-Eyes – Circle Game Activity
- Form a circle, standing close to one another.
- By way of demonstration, ask your group to form a set of ‘chicken-eyes’ using both hands, eg make two circles with each index finger and thumb, fanning all other fingers, and then place the circles over your eyes.
- To start, pull one hand up to form one chicken-eye and place it over your corresponding eye, ie right hand forms circle over right eye.
- Which ever hand is used (eye is covered) will indicate the direction of the initial impulse, eg if you place chicken-eye over right eye, your right-hand side neighbour receives the impulse.
- Practice passing the impulse around the circle, in both directions, for a few moments.
- When ready, explain that the impulse may now be passed, at any time, in one of three ways to elicit a particular response, for example:
– Same direction: place chicken-eye over same eye as your neighbour;
– Reverse direction: place chicken-eye over different eye to your neighbour, eg if impulse was running to the right, use left hand over left eye to reverse direction; and
– Same direction and skip the next person (ie your neighbour:) use both hands to form two chicken-eyes. - Aim is to respond to the impulse as quickly as possible.
- When a person makes an error, eg responds too slow or incorrectly, the person to their left will resume the action.
- Continue play for several minutes.
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This looks like fun! Can you help me understand the difference between what 2 chicken eyes does and just keeping it moving in the same direction? I’m not clear on the difference. Thanks.
Hi Susan, thanks for your question, I can appreciate your confusion (I had to re-read the rules just to clarify my thinking too!) When a person covers both of their eyes, the impulse continues in the same direction, but the next person is skipped. For example, if the impulse is travelling to my right, if I perform 2 x Chicken Eyes, my right-hand neighbour is skipped (they should not do anything) and the action is resumed by their right-hand side neighbour. Hope this helps.