We haven’t played this game yet but I have decided to try it later so may report back. It is a game that Bronwen enjoyed in her drama class so this game is perfect for 5-9 year olds.
First, choose a small object such as a pencil sharpener, rubber, small figurine, for example a Silvanian or something completely different like small piece of wrapped cheese or a plastic bug. A marble, ring, or coin will do just as well. The first player is then asked to leave the room. The player can be allowed to choose their own object as part of this set up.
The small object is hidden in an amusing place, for example in somebody’s pocket, whilst the first player is out of the room. The player return to the room and is asked to locate the object.
All the players except the one who is searching make ‘buzzing’ sounds continuously to indicate where the object is hidden. The louder the sound, the nearer the person is to the object. The player has to listen to the “buzzing bees” to find the hidden object. The goal of the game is therefore to find the person who has the object through listening to the groups’ buzzing.
First you will need to explain the game. The volunteer will choose a suitable object then leave the room, and you will hide the object, possibly on the person of one of the other players who is sitting down.
It will be necessary to retrieve the volunteer after a suitable hiding place for the object has been established. The volunteer is allowed to grapple around in order to locate the object which should be retrieved. Here, physical play is fun but do not hide the object near a sensitive or private area of the body. In a shoe is OK, on a head or in somebody’s pocket, but nothing more tactile than that.
Then the player is timed to see how long they take to find the object. Small children should be given very simple hiding places to discover. Once he or she finds the hidden object, you can select together another volunteer to leave the room. The second volunteer will come back in and try to guess who has the object through the buzzing sounds. The louder the buzzing, the closer the person with the object is.
The winner of this game is the person who has manged to find the object in the shortest time. A timekeeper adds a fun element and makes it a more competitive game, as you can time the volunteers to see who can find the object the quickest. But it is not required!