Simon Says Ideas

Fun Simon Says commands to call out, with trap cards that leave out “Simon says”.

Simon says touch your toes without bending your knees

Read it as printed. No “Simon says” means a trap.

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How it works

These Simon Says ideas are 140 commands to read out as printed. One card in four is a trap: it leaves out “Simon says”, so anyone who moves is out. Start with Simon says touch your toes.

Read the full guide

Easy, tricky, silly and calm down

Easy is one plain move: Simon says reach for the sky. Tricky takes two things at once, or a left and a right: Simon says touch your left ear with your right hand. Silly is for laughs: Simon says wiggle like cooked spaghetti. Calm down ends the game quietly: Simon says sit like a sleepy cat.

The trap cards

A plain trap is a bare order, such as Stand up. The sneaky ones sound almost right: Simon wants you to jump, Salmon says swim like a fish, Simon's mom says take a bow. Only the exact words “Simon says” count.

  • Speed up as the game goes on. A quick run of easy commands, then a trap, catches the most players.
  • House rule for young players: whoever is caught does one silly command alone, then rejoins. Nobody sits out.

Questions and answers

What are the best Simon Says commands?

Ones the whole room can do at once without leaving its spot, mixed with traps: Simon says pat your head and rub your tummy, Simon says freeze like a statue, and then the trap, Unfreeze.

What are funny Simon Says commands?

The Silly cards: Simon says roar like a tiny dinosaur, Simon says be a teapot and pour yourself out, Simon says walk like you are on the moon, Simon says say hello in a squeaky mouse voice.

What are some Simon Says questions?

The caller gives commands, not questions, but a few make players think before they move: Simon says point to something blue, Simon says hold up seven fingers, Simon says whisper your favorite color.

What are good Simon Says ideas for ending the game?

The Calm down cards: Simon says take one slow, deep breath, Simon says tiptoe back to your seat, Simon says line up at the door without a sound. Even these hide a trap, such as Get up and run.

How do you play Simon Says?

Three or more play. One is Simon and calls commands; the rest follow only those that begin “Simon says”. A player who obeys a bare command, or ignores a real one, is out. The last player left usually wins.

All 140 Simon Says commands

Easy 40

  • Clap once Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Hands down Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Jump Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Simon says bend your knees
  • Simon says blink three times
  • Simon says clap your hands three times
  • Simon says cover your eyes
  • Simon says fold your arms
  • Simon says give a thumbs up
  • Simon says hop on one foot
  • Simon says jump up and down
  • Simon says march in place
  • Simon says nod your head
  • Simon says pat your head
  • Simon says point to the door
  • Simon says put your hands on your hips
  • Simon says reach for the sky
  • Simon says shrug your shoulders
  • Simon says sit down
  • Simon says stand on tiptoe
  • Simon says stomp your feet
  • Simon says stretch out wide like a star
  • Simon says swing your arms
  • Simon says take one giant step forward
  • Simon says take two tiny steps back
  • Simon says touch your ears
  • Simon says touch your elbows
  • Simon says touch your knees
  • Simon says touch your nose
  • Simon says touch your toes
  • Simon says turn around once
  • Simon says wave hello
  • Simon says wiggle your fingers
  • Sit down Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Stand up Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Stop Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Take a step forward Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Touch your shoulders Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Turn around Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Wave both hands Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.

Tricky 40

  • Do what I do Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Everybody clap Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Left foot down Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Now the other foot Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Okay, put your arms down Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Simon said touch your head Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Simon says balance on one foot and count to five
  • Simon says clap behind your back
  • Simon says clap twice, then stomp once
  • Simon says cross your arms and touch your shoulders
  • Simon says do five jumping jacks
  • Simon says draw a circle in the air with your elbow
  • Simon says draw a square in the air with your foot
  • Simon says freeze like a statue
  • Simon says high-five the person next to you
  • Simon says hold up seven fingers
  • Simon says hop three times on your left foot
  • Simon says make a letter T with your arms
  • Simon says pat your head and rub your tummy
  • Simon says point to something blue
  • Simon says point to two things that are red
  • Simon says point up with one hand and down with the other
  • Simon says put your right hand on your left knee
  • Simon says spin once to the left
  • Simon says stand on one foot and touch your nose
  • Simon says take three steps backward
  • Simon says tap your head with one hand and wave with the other
  • Simon says touch your knees, then your toes, then your nose
  • Simon says touch your left ear with your right hand
  • Simon says touch your left shoulder, then your right hip
  • Simon says touch your nose with your pinky
  • Simon says touch your right knee with your left elbow
  • Simon says touch your toes without bending your knees
  • Simon says walk in a circle on your heels
  • Simon says whisper your favorite color
  • Simon says wink one eye, then the other
  • Simon thinks you should clap Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Simon wants you to jump Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Touch your nose, quick Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Unfreeze Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.

Silly 40

  • Cluck like a chicken Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Everybody moo Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Flop like a fish Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Quack three times Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Salmon says swim like a fish Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Shake like a wet dog Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Simon says be a balloon losing its air
  • Simon says be a monkey looking for a banana
  • Simon says be a sleepy sloth
  • Simon says be a teapot and pour yourself out
  • Simon says do your best robot dance
  • Simon says flap your chicken wings
  • Simon says gallop like a pony on the spot
  • Simon says grow like a sunflower
  • Simon says hop like a frog
  • Simon says juggle pretend hot potatoes
  • Simon says laugh without making a sound
  • Simon says make a fish face
  • Simon says make the silliest face you can
  • Simon says melt like an ice cream cone
  • Simon says play the air guitar
  • Simon says pop like popcorn
  • Simon says pretend your feet are stuck in glue
  • Simon says ride a tiny pretend bicycle
  • Simon says roar like a tiny dinosaur
  • Simon says say arrr like a pirate
  • Simon says say hello in a squeaky mouse voice
  • Simon says stomp like an elephant
  • Simon says swim through a pool of jelly
  • Simon says tiptoe like a sneaky cat
  • Simon says waddle like a penguin
  • Simon says walk like a robot
  • Simon says walk like you are on the moon
  • Simon says wiggle like a worm standing up
  • Simon says wiggle like cooked spaghetti
  • Simon says wobble like a bowl of jelly
  • Simon sings: la la la Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Simon's mom says take a bow Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Simone says do a silly dance Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Stop being a robot Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.

Calm down 20

  • Get up and run Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Open your eyes Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Simon says close your eyes and count to three in your head
  • Simon says fold your hands in your lap
  • Simon says give yourself a hug
  • Simon says line up at the door without a sound
  • Simon says listen for the quietest sound in the room
  • Simon says make your face as calm as a pond
  • Simon says melt slowly to the floor
  • Simon says put a finger on your lips
  • Simon says rest your head on your hands
  • Simon says sit down criss-cross
  • Simon says sit like a sleepy cat
  • Simon says smell a flower, then blow out a candle
  • Simon says stretch up tall, then float your arms down
  • Simon says take one slow, deep breath
  • Simon says tiptoe back to your seat
  • Stand up again Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Talk to your neighbor Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.
  • Wiggle one more time Trap: no “Simon says”, so nobody moves.