Game: Norwegian Number Game (Old Maid)

Supplies:

  • None

Song:

I was thinking this game was called "Old Maid" but recently found it in Jubilee Songbook and remembered (how could I forget???) that it is called "Norwegian Number Game".

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty
One and twenty, two and twenty, three and four and five and six and twenty,
twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine ... Old Maid.

Instructions:

  1. Girls each take a partner and link arms. The partners stand in one large circle, with one girl in the middle.
    OldMaid1
  2. The girls all start chanting in a sing-song tone:
  3. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
    Eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty
    One and twenty, two and twenty, three and four and five and six and twenty,
    twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine ... Old Maid.

  4. The girl in center runs to find a new partner by linking arms with one girl in the circle. The girl she does NOT link arms (in the team) with must now find a new partner.
    OldMaid2OldMaid3
  5. Note that the new girl in the centre must go somewhere across the circle to find a new partner.
    OldMaid4
  6. Try to make sure that the girls who have NOT been chosen each get a turn to either be in the middle, or to have someone new link up with them.
  7. Continue until you get to "Old Maid" (instead of 30). The girl in the centre is the Old Maid.