Simon says, hold your friend's hand and jump!!!. Simon says, turn around. Simon says touch your toes.
I remember having lots of fun and laugh with the kids in my classroom playing Simon says. Is it just a fun game? You, our dear readers might not realize that teachers use this game quite a bit to help calm kids down, build their listening and focusing skills. They really have to be attentive to the instructions, while having fun.
It was not Simon that started it. It was Cicero; "Cicero Says". Marcus Tullius Cicero was a renowned Roman orator, respected wordsmith, and statesman, In Latin, the phrase is “Cicero dicit fac hoc” meaning “Cicero says to do this” Why? If Cicero said something you will listen and the game was born.
How did we get to Simon? And why do we have to do what he says? According to Julie Glover, a blogger who writes a lot about children's games and their origins, it's because of Simon De Montfort, a 13th-century French-English noble, who commanded so much authority from those around him that he imprisoned King Henry III. His words were feared and outranked the king.
That was a little fun look at the little unnoticed history of the game Simon says. What is your favorite listening game that also builds focus? Let us know the comment below. Would love to hear from you.
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About the writer
Mazura Illani Manshoor graduated from Boston University with a degree in Psychology. She is a certified Early Childhood and a Montessori teacher with years of teaching experience.
She is also the co-founder of CreaTee and has a strong passion for children and education causes.