How to play “What are you doing?”

Without equipment or much space, indoor games can be challenging, especially games that get older kids excited. This week’s fun game takes its roots from theatre, is challenging and fun. The Game of the Week is What are you doing?

Group Size: 

 Any size

Age Group: 

 Grades 3+

Length of Activity: 

 Under 10 minutes

Developmental Goal: 

 To develop creative thinking and listening to directions.

Equipment: 

 None

Before You Start: 
  • Explain the rules of play.
  • Demonstrate how to play.
  • Have players explain the rules back to you or to someone next to them.
  • Players get in line and the first two face each other.
How To Play: 
  • Player A does a motion like in charades, and then player B asks “What are you doing?”
  • Player A must name a motion that doesn’t match the motion that they are doing.
  • Player B must do the motion that player A named.
  • Player A then asks, “What are you doing?”
  • Game continues until someone makes a mistake. When a player messes up, they go to the end of the line and the next person steps up.
Variations: 
  • Have multiple lines going to increase participation.
  • This game can also be played in pair, eliminating the rotational style and shortening the time of play.


Find more new and exciting games in our games database! 

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