Simon says is a classic game that, throughout the years kids continue to love and play! Since introducing it to my kids, we have come up with new Simon says ideas to make the game more interesting and perfect for everyone playing.
How to Play Simon Says Game
Playing Simon Says is easy! In each round, you will designate one person to be Simon, and everyone else plays. Simon then stands in front of everyone, and Simon tells them what to do by saying Simon Says and then gives a task for them to do. The players then do whatever Simon says, or they are out. But be careful; if Simon doesn’t say Simon Says first, then you don’t want to do it, or you are out!
For example, if Simon says, “Simon says, touch your toes.” Everyone immediately touches their toes.
If Simon says, “Touch your toes.” You do not want to do it, or you will be out because Simon didn’t say Simon says!
The last person standing is the winner and then becomes Simon!
Simon Says Rules
The Simon Says rules are simple. Simon gives commands by saying, “Simon says (insert thing to do). All the players must do the task as quickly as possible, or they are out.
If Simon gives a command and does not say, “Simon Says,” beforehand, then you do not want to do it. If you accidentally do it, you are out until the next round.
Simon Says Tricks: How to Be a Great Simon in Simon Says
We love that Simon Says is so easy to play that kids of all ages can join in. But how do you be a great Simon? Well, we have some great Simon Says tricks up our sleeve to teach you how to be an expert Simon to be the ultimate Simon expert.
Trick #1
- Simon Says touch your toes.
- Simon Says close your eyes.
- Simon Says turn around.
- Simon Says, pink like a pig.
Would you still be in the game if you were playing? Notice anything strange? Well, if you were playing, you would be turning around and oinking like a pig with your eyes closed because Simon never told us to open them. This is a surefire way to trick a lot of people playing.
Trick #2
The goal is to trick everyone while you are simon, so a great way to do this is to play it very quickly. The faster you give commands means the faster they have to do them which means throwing in a non-simon command in the middle will trick them because they will just be listening for what they need to do!
Trick #3
Be a sneaky one, and instead of Simon says, Goat says, or cow says or another word that rhymes with Simon or sounds similar by doing this it makes all the players pay very close attention to if Simon is really asking them to do a task.
Benefits of Simon Says
Simon Says is fun to play, but we love the game for all the educational benefits it brings to the table. There is no wonder why teachers have been using this game in the classroom for years. Simon Says can:
- Improve Listening Skills
- Learn Body Parts
- Body Awareness
- Improve Gross motor skills
- Memory
- Teach kids to think for themselves
- Help Them process and analyze information quickly
Simon Says Ideas
- Simon Says run around in a circle
- Simon Says walk backwards
- Simon Says touch your nose
- Simon Says walk like a crab
- Simon Says pretend to sneeze
- Simon Says sing loudly
- Simon Says sing
- Simon Says singly quietly
- Simon Says rub your tummy and pat your head at the same time
- Simon Says cry like a baby
- Simon Says roar like a lion
- Simon says act like Santa Claus
- Simon Says be a snowman
- Simon Says close your eyes
- Simon Says close your right eye
- Simon Says close your left eye
- Simon Says swing a bat
- Simon Says jump like a monkey
- Simon Says dance
- Simon Says sing a lullaby
- Simon says wiggle your nose
- Simon Says don’t touch your ears
- Simon Says crawl like a baby
- Simon Says hop like a frog
- Simon Says drive a car
- Simon Says do your best yoga pose
- Simon Says do something silly
- Simon Says wave
- Simon Says point at something blue
- Simon Says dance the salsa
- Simon Says do the macarena
- Simon Says act like a friend
- Simon Says curl your tongue
- Simon Says hug yourself
- Simon Says touch your shoulders
- Simon Says jump
- Simon Says do the chicken dance
- Simon Says hop up and down 15 times
- Simon Says stand on one foot
- Simon Says bark like a dog
- Simon Says act like your favorite animal
- Simon Says swim
- Simon Says hop like a kangaroo while touching the top of your head
- Simon Says laugh
- Simon Says cry
- Simon Says smile
- Simon Says get mad
- Simon Says frown
- Simon Says act like your dad
- Simon Says act like grandma
- Simon Says act like a mom
- Simon Says act like a bucking bull
- Simon Says act like a cat
- Simon Says play an air piano
- Simon Says play an air guitar
- Simon Says play an air trombone
- Simon Says play the air drums
- Simon Says wave
- Simon Says march
- Simon Says honk your horn
- Simon Says act like a police car
- Simon Says act like a fire truck
- Simon Says talking with your hands
- Simon Says stop
- Simon Says make a funny face
- Simon Says pretend to make a TikTok
- Simon Says pretend you are at the dentist
- Simon Says pretend to be surprised
- Simon Says pretend to put on makeup
- Simon Says pretend to go grocery shopping
- Simon Says pretend to play football
- Simon Says pretend your score a touchdown
- Simon Says do your touchdown dance
- Simon Says pretend to balance on a balance beam
- Simon Says pretend to hit a volleyball
- Simon Says pretend to swing a tennis racquet
- Simon Says blow kisses in the air
- Simon Says snap
- Simon Says do a kick
- Simon Says run in slow motion
- Simon Says run in place
- Simon Says touch your knees
- Simon Says touch your elbows
- Simon Says pretend to sleep
- Simon Says fly a kite
- Simon Says act like your teacher
- Simon Says order your favorite fast food meal
- Simon Says cover your eyes
- Simon Says walk like a zombie
- Simon Says act like a princess
- Simon Says act like a boss
- Simon Says act like an evil villain
- Simon Says act like your favorite Disney Character
- Simon Says be a news anchor
- Simon Says hula dance
- Simon Says walk like an ape
- Simon Says act like a robot
- Simon Says do the chicken dance
- Simon Says waddle like a penguin
- Simon Says cluck like a chicken
- Simon Says give yourself a high five
- Simon Says do the twist
- Simon Says switch places with someone else
- Simon Says wiggle your fingers
- Simon Says slide to the right
- Simon Says slide to the left
- Simon Says roll
- Simon Says sit down
- Simon Says nod your head
- Simon Says stomp your feet
- Simon Says kneel
- Simon Says walk in place
- Simon Says walk in a circle
- Simon Says stand next to a friend
- Simon Says freeze
- Simon Says look up
- Simon Says look down
Funny Simon Says Prompts
These funny Simon says prompts will get everyone giggling in no time.
- Simon Says pretend that you are surfing in the ocean
- Simon Says walk like a flamingo
- Simon says act like a fis
- Simon says pretend you are getting sucked down the drain
- Simon says pretend like someone is giving you a wedgie
- Simon says blow a kiss to someone
- Simon says flap like a bird and pretend to take off
- Simon says pretend you are in quicksand
- Simon says sing Mary Had a Little Lamb and pretend your lamb is following you
- Simon says do head shoulders knees and toes as fast as you can
- Simon says act like an elephant
- Simon says act like a train
- Simon says pretend to make a pizza
- Simon says act like someone is tickling your feet
- Simon says pretend to take a selfie
- Simon says fall to the ground
Hard Simon Says Ideas
If you are ready for the ultimate challenge then give these hard Simon Says Ideas a try!
- Simon says jump up and down 5 times then sit down
- Simon says do a cartwheel
- Simon says do the splits
- Simon says whistle
- Simon says win at rock paper scissors
- Simon says do a backbend
- Simon says hop on one fit and then switch to the other
- Simon says plank for 30 seconds
- Simon says do 15 pushups
- Simon says tell us a tongue twister
- Simon says ski down the hill
- Simon says get us to guess something without using the word
- Simon says touch the ground and then jump straight up
Simon Says Education Ideas
- Simon Says what’s 2X3?
- Simon Says spell dog
- Simon Says what’s the definition of biology?
- Simon Says stand in two equal groups
- Simon Says count to 30
- Simon Says say the alphabet
- Simon Says stand in pairs
- Simon Says stand in groups of 3
- Simon Says stand in groups of 5
- Simon Says count to 15 as fast as you can
- Simon Says say the pledge of allegiance
- Simon Says speak in a different language
Simon Says Halloween Ideas
- Simon Says crawl like a spider
- Simon Says stir your cauldron like a witch
- Simon Says pretend to carve a pumpkin
- Simon Says pretend to go trick or treating
- Simon Says make a scary face
- Simon Says pretend to walk through a haunted house
- Simon Says talk like a ghost
- Simon Says laugh like a witch
- Simon Says crawl like a spider
- Simon Says stir your cauldron like a witch
- Simon Says pretend to carve a pumpkin
- Simon Says pretend to go trick or treating
- Simon Says make a scary face
- Simon Says pretend to walk through a haunted house
- Simon Says talk like a ghost
- Simon Says pretend to eat candy
- Simon Says act like a scary cat
- Simon Says show us your vampire teeth
- Simon Says dance like a skeleton
- Simon Says walk like a zombie
- Simon Says fly like a witch
- Simon Says say Happy Halloween
- Simon Says tell a scary joke
- Simon Says walk like a monster
Simon Says Christmas Ideas
When you are using these Simon Says Christmas Ideas, it is always fun to turn it into Santa Says!
- Santa Says ho ho ho like Santa
- Santa Says pretend to decorate the tree
- Santa Says pretend to unwrap presents
- Santa Says pretend to put Christmas lights up
- Santa Says pretend to wrap a gift
- Santa Says pretend to shop
- Santa Says march like a toy soldier
- Santa Says clap your hands
- Santa Says spin around
- Santa Says throw a snowball
- Santa Says pose like a Christmas tree
- Santa Says eat Christmas cookies
- Santa Says sing jingle bells
- Santa Says sing silent night
- Santa Says let it snow
- Santa Says pretend to drink hot chocolate
- Santa Says be an elf
- Santa Says say “Merry Christmas”
- Santa Says sing Away in a Manger
- Santa Says Sing Frosty the Snowman
- Santa Says dance to the theme of Jingle Bells
- Santa says star jump
- Santa Says act like Rudolph
- Santa Says say all the reindeer’s names
- Santa Says make your body a sled by planing
- Santa Says stand like a Christmas tree
Coming up with Simon Says ideas can be challenging especially when you are so excited to be Simon. So we have put together the ultimate list of Simon Says Commands for you to use.
Simon says is one of those games that no matter how old you are you still love playing. It can be played rain or shine, indoors or outdoors and played with a huge group of people or just a couple.
It is easy to learn and the educational benefits are amazing! Be sure to add your Simon Says command ideas in the comments so we can add them to the list!
Looking for more games for kids? Try these!
Michele Tripple is a renowned author and expert in the fields of parenting, relationships, and personal development. She is a certified Life Coach with her degree in marriage and family studies, her experience as a Family Life Educator, and over a decade of experience as a professional writer; Michele has authored books that provide practical advice and insights into improving family dynamics and personal growth. Her work is celebrated for its blend of research-driven information and relatable, real-world applications. Michele has been a keynote speaker at conferences and has contributed to numerous publications and media outlets, solidifying her reputation as an authoritative voice in her field and helping families build relationships.