Monarchs & Viceroys

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Requirements

• Age 7+
• Players 8-16
• Time 3-5 min rounds
• Location Small clear area
• Energy Low (sitting, standing)
• Materials NONE
• Lead by Pathfinder
• Guides 1

Story

Monarch butterfly caterpillars only eat leaves from milkweed plants, which contain special chemicals that are stored in the caterpillar's bodies and make them toxic to predators. These chemicals stay with the Monarch throughout its metamorphosis into a butterfly , making predators less likely to eat Monarch butterflies. Another butterfly that is distasteful to predators is the Viceroy, which looks very similar to the Monarch (this is known as "mimicry"). In this game, a bluejay tries to spot the lone Monarch among a group of Viceroy "mimics."

Action Call

As the Monarch, can you be strategic about what motions you make, and when you change the motions, to avoid detection by the bluejay? As a Viceroy, can you Pay Attention to the Monarch without looking at them? As the bluejay, can you use your Whiskers to notice who is leading the changing movement and catch the Monarch?

Game

Mission

Explain the idea of mimicry, and that viceroys and monarchs gain protection from predators by being distasteful to them AND by looking like each other - being mimics. Explain that this game will involve mimicking others, and spotting the "original."

Begin by having one guide DEMONSTRATE how to make a series of rhythmic, repeating motions (rubbing their belly, waving their hands, tugging their ear, nodding their head, etc.) The guide should continually, subtly change their movement, and the players should immediately match them. This practice is important because many children struggle to figure out what to do when they're the Monarch, so they stick to one movement for a long time, which makes the game boring.

Once everyone understands the idea of rhythmic, changing movement, start the game. Get a volunteer to leave the group (the "blue jay"), then have the group choose one person to be the “Monarch.” Everyone else is a Viceroy: a mimic.

The blue jay is called back to the circle, but before they arrive the Monarch starts performing movements that all the Viceroys immediately copy, without making it obvious who the Monarch is.

Every few seconds, the Monarch should subtly change the motion; ideally, the Viceroys will quickly mimic the new motion.

The goal of the blue jay is to figure out who the Monarch is. They can call "freeze," then make a single guess. If they're wrong, the motions continue.

The blue jay gets up to three guesses. Once he or she guesses successfully, or uses up all three guesses, the monarch becomes the new blue jay.

Modify

Variations of the game.