How to Play Monkey in the Middle

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Monkey in the middle is one of those classic playground games right up with there with four-square and kickball. If you've never heard of it before, don't worry! It only takes a second to learn and you don't need much to play. Since it's basically "catch" with an extra person trying to intercept the ball, it's a great game for practicing hand-eye coordination and balance. Read on for quick tips on how to get started.

Question 1 of 5:

How many people can play monkey in the middle?

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    This way, you'll have one person in the middle with the two other people on the sides. If you play with more than 3 people, then the game becomes "keep away." You can also play with more than 3 people if you're doing monkey in the middle in soccer.
    • Trying to play monkey in the middle with a big group? Break people up into teams of 3 people so everyone's got enough space and more people get a chance to play. If you've got a number that's not divisible by 3, have a team swap out players every few minutes so everyone has a turn.
    • To play keep away, gather a group of players who have control of the ball. Pass the ball back and forth between all of the players except for 1 person. There aren't rules about where to stand so you can move around quite a bit. If you find that there are too many players and people are spending more time standing around waiting for the ball, split the group into smaller teams that can each play the game.
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Question 2 of 5:

Do you need equipment to play the game?

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    If you use a ball, choose something that's not hard or heavy since you don't want someone getting hurt if they accidentally get hit. Don't have a ball handy? No problem! You could also use: [1]
    • Bean bags
    • Small stuffed animals
    • Small slippers
    • Lightweight sandbags
Question 3 of 5:

What are the rules for playing monkey in the middle?

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    The person in the middle is called the monkey. It doesn't matter how far apart each person is as long as there's space to throw a ball back and forth.
    • If you like, draw a square for each player to stand on. This is useful if you want each person an equal distance apart.
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    The goal of the game is for the monkey in the middle to catch the ball so the other person doesn't get it. [2]
    • For a variation, you could have players kick the ball instead.
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    Then the person that threw it becomes the monkey and goes to the middle. If the monkey in the middle didn't catch the ball, the 2 people on the ends just keep throwing it back and forth until the monkey catches it. [3]
    • You can make up your own rule about catching the ball. For instance, you might say the person in the middle just has to touch the ball, not catch it. This might make it easier for younger kids to play.
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    There will probably be a time when someone throws the ball and it gets dropped or thrown too far for someone to catch. When this happens, every player can run after it. If the monkey gets it, they can go to the end and the person who threw the ball goes to the middle. If the person on either end gets the ball, the monkey stays in the middle. [4]
    • There aren't points in monkey in the middle so the game keeps going until everyone's ready to stop playing.
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Question 4 of 5:

How do you play monkey in the middle as a soccer drill?

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    5 of the players will be offensive while the other 2 are the monkeys in the middle, playing defensive. If you've got more people, divide the rest into groups of 7 or have people take turns playing.
    • You'll need 1 soccer ball for each group of members playing monkey in the middle.
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    The game starts with the ball in possession by the offensive players. Just like with classic monkey in the middle, the goal is to pass the ball around the offensive team so the defensive team doesn't get it. To pass, kick the ball instead of tossing it with your hands.
    • The point of this drill is to build teamwork and practice moving the ball around the field.
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    The person who lost it to the monkey in the middle replaces them! Keep passing the ball back and forth so the team can practice working in close circles.
    • You can come up with your own rules or goals. You might tell the team that if the offensive players can get to 12 complete passes, they win, for instance.
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Question 5 of 5:

What is monkey in the middle also called?

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    You might also see it called piggy in the middle—especially in England and Australia. [5]
    • Monkey in the middle is also confused with keep away, but keep away is played with more than 5 people. The object of that game is for all of the players to keep the ball away from 1 person, but they don't have to stay in 1 area.

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      Tips

      • Take the game to the pool if it's a hot day! Have the players stand in the shallow end of the pool and throw soft pool toys back and forth.
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      • If you're rotating through players because you have a big group of people, you might set a timer so everyone gets the same amount of time to play.
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      • Be good-spirited when you play—if you're playing with a group of people, don't always pass to the same player and try to involve everyone.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.superhealthykids.com/kid-fitness/monkey-in-the-middle/
      2. ↑ https://www.thegamegal.com/2016/02/02/monkey-in-the-middle-game/
      3. ↑ https://www.thegamegal.com/2016/02/02/monkey-in-the-middle-game/
      4. ↑ https://www.kidspot.com.au/parenting/things-to-do/piggy-in-the-middle/news-story/ebc5caa38184ff1a65b93e5baf4d7fd7
      5. ↑ https://writingexplained.org/idiom-dictionary/monkey-in-the-middle

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To play Monkey in the Middle, you’ll need a group of 3 people. Line up in a row so one player is in the middle—they’re the monkey. Then, have the players on the end toss a ball back and forth. Whoever is the monkey has to try to intercept the ball while it’s in the air. If they do, whoever threw the last ball becomes the new monkey. If no one catches the ball, everyone can run and try to grab it. If the monkey gets it, they swap places with whoever threw it. Keep playing and swapping out who the monkey is for as long as you’d like!

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