No.23

What's the Time, Mr. Wolf?

Japanese name: おおかみさん今何時

Suggested ages: Approximately age 3 through the younger primary-school years
Group size: 4-15 people
Suggested time: 5-10 minutes
Location: An open outdoor area or gym

Materials

An adult is the wolf; other players are piglets. Mark a spacious house that everyone can reach safely.
Piglets approach the sleeping wolf, leaving some space, and ask “What’s the time, Mr. Wolf?”
The wolf answers, for example, “Three o’clock.” Unless the answer is midnight, the wolf does not chase and the piglets ask again.
Only on “Midnight!” does the wolf chase. Piglets return to their house, where they are safe.
End the round when everyone reaches the house or one player is gently tagged. Bring everyone back and let a volunteer try being the wolf.

Preschool children: an adult is the wolf. Younger primary school children: children may also try the wolf role.