Simple Saturday: The Bubble Gum Game

All right, here we go! Gather the gang and let's play the Simple Saturday Bubble Gum Game!

Ask the kids to sit in a circle, placing their feet and hands flat on the floor in front of them.

Now, you, being the wise one in charge, must repeat the following rhythmic chant while sequentially tapping the toe or hand of each child in the circle, moving clock-wise each at every hash-marked spot in the Simple Saturday Bubble Gum Game mantra.

The mantra goes as follows: Bubble/Gum/Bubble/Gum/in/a/dish./ How/many/pieces/do/you/wish?

 Make sure your kids have both their hands and feet placed flat on the floor while playing this game...unlike this cool picture I snagged from the internet. When you say 'wish', let your hand linger upon the hand or foot of an unsuspecting child and ask, "How many pieces of bubble gum would you like?" The child then states a number - say 5. You then proceed, in a clock-wise manner, sequentially counting out the next 5 hands or feet in the circle. One-two-three-four-FIVE! The not-so-lucky hand or foot numbered 5 is now 'out', and must be removed from the circle of play.

 The game mantra is sequentially repeated. Again, when you say 'wish', linger upon the hand or foot. Have the child state how many pieces of fantasy bubble gum they'd like to have. Play out that number to eliminate another appendage. The winner (or loser) of the game is one who has the last foot or hand remaining.

Simple Saturday Prep: Bubble Gum Game

 Parents and teachers, have you ever been in situations such as these? Say, you have there are two or more kids of the bubbly-bouncing quasi-strong-willed sort. And you, being the adult in the scene, have to decide which one goes first in any given situation - be it who will become the the leader in the line, or who is to be the first one to hit the bathtub...you get the picture.

My dear grown-up friends, trust me...the Simple Saturday Bubble Gum Game serves as a fun, palatable way to convince your darling children to perform some less-than-appealing duty or to fairly choose who may be first to engage in an over-the-top-exciting task. And, despite it's gummy name, the game is Sugar Free!

 So, tomorrow, gather up the kiddies in your life  - those that need your guidance figuring out who earns the high honor of leading the pack.We will need both their hands and their feet to play this game together.

Not dismembered, mind you. That just wouldn't be right.