Inspiration
Because they eat milkweed, Monarch butterflies are toxic to animals that try to eat them. Viceroy butterflies mimic Monarchs: they look very similar, even though they’re a different species (though they, too, are distasteful to predators). In this game, a bluejay tries to spot the lone Monarch among a group of Viceroy “mimics.”
Themes
Strategy, Wide angle vision, Awareness
Group size
8-16 players
Timing
3-5 min/round
Play area
Any clear area
Energy
Low (sitting, standing)
Age range
8+ years
Start formation
Circle
Equipment
NONE
Hazards/safety
N/A
Instructions
- Explain the idea of mimicry, and that viceroys and monarchs gain protection from predators by being distasteful to them AND by looking like each other – being mimics. Explain that this game will involve mimicking others, and spotting the “original.”
- DEFINITELY start by having one guide DEMONSTRATE how to make a series of rhythmic, repeating motions (rubbing their belly, waving their hands, tugging their ear, nodding their head, etc.) The guide should continually, subtly change their movement, and the participants should immediately match them. Soon, a child will be the one initiating the movement, and many children struggle to figure out what to do in the moment. Unless they have ideas about how to change movement, they will sometimes stick with one movement for a minute or more, which gets boring.
- Once everyone understands the idea of rhythmic, changing movement, start the game. Get a volunteer to leave the group (the “blue jay”), then have the group choose one person to be the “Monarch.” Everyone else is a Viceroy: a mimic.
- The blue jay is called back to the circle, but before they arrive the Monarch starts performing movements that all the Viceroys immediately copy, without making it obvious who the Monarch is.
- Every few seconds, the Monarch should subtly change the motion; ideally, the Viceroys will quickly mimic the new motion.
- The goal of the blue jay is to figure out who the Monarch is. They can call “freeze,” then make a single guess. If they’re wrong, the motions continue.
- The blue jay gets up to three guesses. Once he or she guesses successfully, or uses up all three guesses, the monarch becomes the new blue jay.
Modifications