100+ Simon Says Ideas (From Toddlers to Big Kids)

So we put together more than 100. This list of Simon Says for kids starts with toddlers and works up to kids 6 and older, with talking prompts and party themes after that. Scroll to your kid's age and go.

Key Takeaways

• Toddlers do best with one-step commands and no one getting out.
• Preschoolers are ready for animal moves, pretend play, and trick commands.
• Kids 6 and up like multi-step and left-right commands.
• Give caught players a silly job instead of sending them out, and every kid stays in the game.

How to Play Simon Says (in 30 Seconds)

One player is Simon. Everyone else does what Simon says, but only when the command starts with "Simon says." If Simon just shouts "Jump!" and you jump, you're caught.

Normally, caught players sit out until one is left, and that kid becomes the next Simon. We'd skip the sitting out with anyone under 5. Little kids get caught a lot, and watching everyone else from the couch isn't much fun.

Aim for one trick command after every three or four real Simon Says commands. Five minutes is a good round. Speed up once they get it.

Easy Commands for Toddlers (Ages 2 to 3)

For toddlers, say one simple action and do it with them. A 2-year-old is mostly copying you, and that's how they learn the game.

• Touch your nose.
• Clap your hands.
• Stomp your feet, really loud.
• Wave hello.
• Touch your tummy.
• Put your hands on your head.
• Jump up and down.
• Sit down.
• Stand back up.
• Wiggle your fingers.
• Blow a kiss.
• Give yourself a big hug.
• Pat your knees.
• Open your mouth as wide as it goes.
• Reach up and touch the sky.

Hold off on trick commands for now. Most toddlers will happily copy whatever you do, "Simon says" or not, and that rule usually makes sense to them around age 4.

Simon Says Game Commands for Preschoolers (Ages 4 to 5)

Four and five is when Simon Says gets fun. Preschoolers can handle trick commands now, and they think getting a grown-up caught is the funniest thing ever. Mix the three groups below, and switch whenever the giggles start to fade.

Body and Movement

Start with movement commands. Most 4-year-olds know these words already, so nobody gets stuck.

• Hop on one foot.
• Spin around slowly. (Slowly!)
• Touch your toes.
• March in place.
• Stand on your tiptoes.
• Shake your whole body like a wet dog.
• Touch your elbow.
• Do five jumping jacks.
• Freeze like a statue.
• Sit down and cross your legs.

If your kid could bounce all day, try some of these jumping games for kids after Simon Says.

Animal Actions

Animal commands let preschoolers move and make noise at the same time, which is pretty much their favorite thing. Act each one out the first time you call it.

• Hop like a bunny.
• Waddle like a penguin.
• Roar like a lion.
• Flap your wings like a bird.
• Slither like a snake.
• Swing your arm like an elephant's trunk.
• Walk like a bear on all fours.
• Leap like a frog.
• Swim like a fish.
• Wag your tail like a happy puppy.

Pretend and Silly

Pretend commands get the biggest laughs, and you can do most of them sitting down.

• Brush your teeth.
• Eat a giant pretend sandwich.
• Drive a car.
• Make your silliest face.
• Melt like an ice cream cone on a hot day.
• Row a boat.
• Rock a baby to sleep.
• Do a huge pretend sneeze.

Tricky Commands for Kids 6 and Up

Six-year-olds will tell you "touch your nose" is for babies. Fair enough. Give them commands with two or three steps, left and right, and a little counting. Teachers, these work as classroom brain breaks too.

• Touch your head, then your knees.
• Clap three times, then stomp twice.
• Raise your left hand.
• Touch your right ear with your left hand.
• Hop on your right foot four times.
• Spin around, then sit down.
• Touch your left knee with your right elbow.
• Put your right hand on your head and your left hand on your tummy.
• Jump forward, jump back, then jump to the side.
• Hold up as many fingers as you are years old.
• Balance on one foot while you count to ten.
• Touch something blue.
• Touch something that starts with B.
• Take three steps backward.
• Hold up seven fingers.
• Draw a circle in the air with your elbow.
• Clap behind your back.
• Pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time.
• Snap your fingers. (Or try to.)
• Write your name in the air with your finger.

Heads up: crossing commands like "left knee, right elbow" trip up a lot of kids. If yours gets tangled, do the move together slowly once or twice.

Simon Says Questions That Get Kids Talking

Talking prompts turn Simon Says into a speaking game. Kids answer out loud and stay in their seats, so this version works in the car, at a restaurant, or at dinner.

The trick still works here. Say "Tell me your favorite color" without "Simon says," and anyone who answers is caught.

• Tell me your favorite animal.
• Name something red.
• Say your whole name, middle name too.
• Name three foods you like.
• Make the sound a cow makes.
• Tell me what you ate for breakfast.
• Name something cold.
• Count to ten out loud.
• Say a word that rhymes with cat.
• Tell me one thing you did today.
• Name an animal that lives in the ocean.
• Say hello in your silliest voice.
• Tell me what makes you happy.
• Name something in the kitchen.
• Whisper the name of your favorite song.

Younger kids will give one-word answers, and that's fine. A 3-year-old says "dog." A 6-year-old tells you all about the dog next door.

For kids working on new words or clearer speech, talking prompts are extra practice during play. Keiki World's speech games focus on communication and self-expression if you'd like more.

Themed Commands for Parties, Classrooms, and Car Rides

A theme makes an old game feel new. It also means you're not making up commands on the spot while ten kids stare at you. Pick a set, then throw in a few favorites from the age-based lists.

Birthday Party

• Blow out the pretend candles.
• Unwrap a pretend present.
• Sing the first line of "Happy Birthday."
• Dance like it's your party.
• Eat a pretend slice of cake.

Quiet Indoor Play

• Tiptoe across the room.
• Whisper your name.
• Sit still as a statue for five seconds.
• Touch your nose with your eyes closed.
• Curl up like a sleeping cat.

Car Rides and Waiting Rooms

• Touch your ears.
• Make a fish face.
• Point to something outside the window.
• Drum on your knees.
• Nod your head yes.

Winter Day

• Shiver like you're freezing.
• Pack a pretend snowball.
• Put on pretend mittens.
• Ice skate in place.
• Make a snow angel on the floor.

Sports Day

• Shoot a pretend basketball.
• Kick a pretend soccer ball.
• Swing a pretend bat.
• Run in place like you're in a race.
• Cheer for your team.

Simon Says Games and Variations So No One Sits Out

The classic rules have one big flaw: whoever gets caught first sits out the longest. These six Simon Says variations keep everybody in, and they're a good way to shake things up once kids know the basic game.

• Opposite Simon: Kids do the reverse of each command, so "Simon says touch your head" means touch your toes. It's our favorite for 6-year-olds who think they've figured the game out.
• Silent Simon: Simon acts out each command without talking, and kids copy only after a thumbs-up. Good for quiet time.
• Silly jobs instead of getting out: Caught players do three bunny hops (or any silly job you pick) and then jump right back in.
• Everyone's a Simon: A new kid becomes Simon every five commands. Shy kids get to practice speaking up in front of the group.
• Simon Says Freeze: Kids dance to music. When it stops, Simon gives a command.
• Two leaders: One leader is Simon and the other is "Captain." Kids follow only Simon. Even 7-year-olds mess this one up.

With just one kid, take turns being Simon. Kids love catching a grown-up moving when Simon didn't say.

Skills Kids Practice While Playing Simon Says

Simon Says gives kids practice with listening, self-control, memory, and body awareness. Kids need all four at school, every time a teacher says "Line up, then grab your coat."

Simon Says builds listening because kids have to catch two words at the start of each command before they move. The kids who rush are usually the ones who get caught.

Trick commands build self-control. When the whole room jumps, staying still is hard for a 4-year-old. That's why Simon Says shows up on so many lists of impulse control games.

Multi-step commands build memory. "Clap twice, then spin" means holding two steps in mind before moving, and every extra step makes it harder.

Left-right and balance commands build body awareness. Kids figure out where each body part is and how to control it, which takes a lot of practice at this age.

Keep the Memory Practice Going on Busy Days

Keiki World's memory games give kids the same practice that multi-step commands do: remember something, then use it a moment later. They come in handy when a loud game won't work, like when the baby's napping or your kid needs to calm down after a long day.

Sessions in Keiki World are short and meant to happen daily, so a memory game fits into a few spare minutes. The app is designed for adaptive learning, which means your child plays at their own pace.

Keiki World also has printables and worksheets for screen-free time. And when the wiggles come back, so can Simon.

Simon Says Suggestions for Parents

A few tricks make Simon Says better, whether you've got one toddler or a room full of kindergartners.

• Start slow. Speed makes trick commands harder to catch, so save it for when kids know the rules.
• Be a sneaky Simon. Do the move yourself on a trick command. Kids copy what they see, so this gets them almost every time.
• Quit while it's fun. Stopping after 5 to 10 minutes means they'll beg to play again tomorrow.
• Keep touch commands to kids' own bodies. "Touch your nose," not "touch your friend's nose," especially in a group.
• Move the coffee table. Clear some space before you call spinning or jumping commands.
• Let them win sometimes. Getting caught over and over isn't fun for a 4-year-old, so toss in an easy round.
• Include every kid. If a child can't hop or stand, use arm, hand, and face commands instead.