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Party fun galore with this traditional kids' game. Make sure that there is plenty of room and lots of drinks on hand for puffed-out players at the end. More is preferable.
Steps
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Assemble the children against the wall in a line.
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Choose "Mr. Wolf". Ask Mr. Wolf to stand at the other end of the playing area.Advertisement
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Play the game:
- Mr Wolf turns their back so they cannot see the kids.
- The row of children chant:
- "What's the time Mr. Wolf?"
- Mr. Wolf will turn around and answer a time (for example, 4 o'clock).
- The children advance the number of steps called out and then repeat the chant, waiting for a response and so on.
- Eventually they will be standing very close to Mr. Wolf. Mr. Wolf can, at any moment once the line of children is close, respond "Lunch Time" in a loud growl, instead of giving a real time.
- This is the cue for lots of screaming (remind them not to scream) and running because now Mr. Wolf has to chase the rest of the children and tag one of them.
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Change Mr. Wolf. The child who was the wolf can choose another person to be the next wolf. Usually whoever was tagged is the next Mr. Wolf.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionWhat if I want to play but have no friends to play with?Community AnswerAsk family and make friends to play with, or invite kids from your class or old friends.
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QuestionWhat if people get too close to the wolf and the wolf doesn't say "lunch time"?Community AnswerThe people continue going forward and past the fox, but this makes it easier for the wolf to catch you. The wolf should call "lunch time" before people get too close.
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QuestionMy 17-year-old son keeps playing this with his friends every weekend at my home. These friends of his are around the ages of 10-12. Does this have any sexual meaning?Community AnswerAny children's game could be altered to include something inappropriate, but there is nothing inherently sexual about this one. If you're worried, perhaps you shouldn't let your son play with these younger children unsupervised.
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Tips
- This game will result in lots of screaming and hilarity. Make sure you live in an understanding neighborhood. It's not that great for indoors unless you're in a large space, such as a gym.Thanks
- The more players, the merrier.Thanks
- For a version with a little more strategy, have Mr. Wolf keep their back turned the whole time so that they have to guess if the children are close enough to chase. In a more competitive version for older children, the child Mr. Wolf tags is "out" and Mr. Wolf resumes their place for the next round. However, if one of the children gets close enough to tag Mr. Wolf before "dinner time", or if all of the children reach a designated safety zone before Mr. Wolf catches them, Mr. Wolf is out. The next Mr. Wolf is either the child who tagged Mr. Wolf or the first child to have reached the safety zone.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Make sure to bring some humor to the game if you're playing with toddlers, so that they're not afraid of the wolf.
- It doesn't have to be a wolf. Change it into whatever you like, like a crocodile or a dragon!
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Warnings
- Also give the smaller children a chance to run; as they may be seen as an advantage to the bigger children.Thanks
- Make sure that you have an adult supervising at all times. Adults and senior citizens are right for this job as they are responsible.Thanks
- Small children may be easily frightened by this game. It is usually okay for children around five and over (school age) but gauge the suitability of the game from what you know of the children. One or two scared children is probably usual - they can sit on the side and squeal, while eating an ice cream, or maybe a healthy snack instead.Thanks
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Article Summary
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To play “What’s the time Mr. Wolf?” start by gathering a group of friends, and choose one person to be Mr. Wolf first. Have Mr. Wolf stand far away from the other players with their back to everyone. Then, have the rest of the players stand in a line facing Mr. Wolf and shout out “What’s the time Mr. Wolf?” Mr. Wolf can answer with different times, like “3 o’clock” or “7 o’clock.” All of the players have to take that number of steps toward Mr. Wolf. Then, ask Mr. Wolf again and take the right number of steps based on the time they answer. Keep doing this to get closer and closer to Mr Wolf. At any point, Mr. Wolf can answer with “dinnertime” and start chasing the other players. Whoever Mr. Wolf catches first becomes the new Mr. Wolf in the next round!
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