Simon Says

👥 2+ players 📍 Outdoor📍 Anywhere ⚡ Active 🧩 Simple ⏱ 5-15 minutes 🎂 Ages 3+

Quick Pitch

Simon Says is a listening game where players must follow commands only when they start with "Simon says" — do it when Simon didn't say so, and you're out.

Hook

The leader calls out actions fast: "Simon says touch your nose!" — you touch it. "Touch your toes!" — wait, did they say Simon says? If you touched them, you're out. The game punishes instinct and rewards careful listening, and a skilled Simon will string together a dozen "Simon says" commands in a row before suddenly dropping the phrase on a familiar-sounding action. The trick is staying sharp when everything looks obvious.

Equipment Needed

None. Simon Says requires only space for players to move and perform gestures.

Setup

  • Gather all players in an area where everyone can see and hear the leader
  • Choose one player to be "Simon" (the leader/caller)
  • All other players stand in front of Simon or in a visible location
  • Simon announces they are beginning and will call out commands
  • Players should be ready to listen carefully and respond quickly

Rules

Objective

Players must follow commands preceded by "Simon says" while avoiding movements for commands NOT preceded by "Simon says." The last player remaining is the winner, or Simon can simply run through commands for fun.

Gameplay

Valid Commands (Simon says...):

  • "Simon says touch your toes!"
  • "Simon says pat your head!"
  • "Simon says stand on one leg!"
  • "Simon says make a funny face!"
  • Any physical action or gesture preceded by "Simon says"
  • Players MUST perform these actions immediately

Invalid Commands (no "Simon says"):

  • "Touch your nose!" (no "Simon says")
  • "Jump up and down!" (no "Simon says")
  • "Wiggle your fingers!" (no "Simon says")
  • Players should NOT perform these actions
  • Performing an invalid command usually means elimination or loss of a point

Participation:

  • Simon calls out commands rapidly or at medium pace
  • Players watch Simon closely and follow along
  • Quick, synchronized response is the goal
  • Mistakes eliminate players (in competitive mode) or are simply noted

Speed of Play:

  • Simple version: Slow pace, clear commands, easy movements
  • Medium version: Moderate pace with occasional tricky commands
  • Advanced version: Very fast pace, complex movements, tricky phrasing like "Simon says... Simon says..." (only one counts)

Scoring/Winning

  • Elimination Version: Players are eliminated when they perform a non-"Simon says" command or miss a "Simon says" command. Last player standing wins.
  • Point Tracking: Assign points for correct responses; negative points for mistakes; highest score wins.
  • Round Playing: Play multiple rounds and track cumulative wins.
  • No Elimination: Simply play for fun without elimination, focusing on synchronized movement.

Expert Player

Tips

For Players

  • Listen Carefully: Focus intently on whether "Simon says" precedes each command
  • Delay Slightly: Wait a split second to confirm "Simon says" before moving
  • Watch Others: Sometimes you can copy faster-reacting players to avoid mistakes
  • Relax: Tension increases errors; stay relaxed but alert
  • Eye Contact: Watch Simon's mouth to catch the "Simon says" phrase
  • Anticipation: Avoid anticipating commands; react only when you hear the full instruction
  • Fake-outs: Be aware of Simon trying to trick you with quick, misleading phrasing
  • Confidence: Perform moves with full commitment once you begin

For Simon

  • Timing: Vary the pace between commands—sometimes fast, sometimes slow
  • Trick Phrasing:
    • "Simple Simon says..." (includes the word "Simple")
    • "Simon says... Simon says..." (which one is real?)
    • "Says Simon..." (reversed phrasing)
    • "Let's Simon says..." (embedded differently)
  • Distraction: Use funny voices, exaggerated movements, or humor to distract players
  • Momentum: Sometimes use many "Simon says" commands in a row to build false confidence
  • False Starts: Start to move or gesture as if about to give a command, then pause
  • Complexity: Use increasingly complex movements as the game progresses
  • Psychological Pressure: Build tension with long pauses before commands

Variations

Follow the Leader

Instead of "Simon says," players simply follow all movements the leader makes, without the listen/don't listen element.

Reverse Simon

Call out actions, and players must do the OPPOSITE of what Simon says:

  • "Simon says touch your head!" → Players touch their toes
  • "Simon says jump!" → Players crouch

Silent Simon

Simon performs movements without speaking; players must follow the movements but NOT movements that are exaggerated or intentionally silly (marked as "fake").

Group Simon

Divide into two teams; one team is led by one Simon, the other by another. Teams compete for accuracy.

Speed Simon

Play at extremely fast pace; quick decision-making is essential.

Action Simon

Instead of simple movements, Simon demonstrates complex choreography that players must remember and repeat.

Cumulative Simon

The leader performs a sequence of moves, and players must remember and repeat all moves in order (similar to "Telephone").

Theme Simon

All commands relate to a theme:

  • Animal movements: "Simon says gallop like a horse!"
  • Sports: "Simon says swing a baseball bat!"
  • Jobs: "Simon says paint a wall!"

Backwards Simon

"Simon says" means DON'T do it; no "Simon says" means DO it (the inverse of standard rules).

Alphabet Simon

Simon spells out letters with their body; players must guess the letter or copy the pose.

Learn More — History & Origins

History & Origins

Simon Says is an American game from the early 20th century, though the exact origin is unknown. The "Simon" name is part of a tradition of attributing game commands to an authority figure — French children play "Jacques a dit" (Jacques says), Germans play "Kommando Pimperle," Italians play "Fa' quello che ti dico io" (Do what I tell you). These parallel versions suggest the game's underlying mechanic — follow commands only from a designated authority — was independently invented or adapted in multiple countries. The American version became the dominant form in English-speaking countries and spread through school curricula worldwide.

The game's longevity comes from the simplicity of the concept paired with genuine challenge. The "Simon says" condition exploits the way the human brain processes commands: under pressure and at speed, we tend to respond to the action word before fully registering the qualifier. Simon Says weaponizes that tendency.

Cultural Context

Simon Says is one of the most widely used educational games in the world, taught in kindergartens and primary schools across virtually every country. Educators value it because it develops listening comprehension, impulse control, and the ability to distinguish between valid and invalid instructions — skills with obvious real-world relevance. Occupational therapists and physical therapists use it specifically to develop attention and controlled movement in children with developmental delays.

The game also appears regularly in team-building workshops for adults, where the same impulse-control challenges that trip up five-year-olds also catch adults who aren't paying close attention. That universality — the game works identically for three-year-olds and forty-year-olds — is unusually rare and contributes to its status as one of the most durable children's games in existence.

Also note: Simon-Says appears as a See Also link in this file but refers to the same game — this is a self-link to remove if editing the file list.

See Also