Pearl Bates: Any number of players can play. You all stand in a circle and the first player says, “I’m gonna take a trip to Alaska, and I’m gonna take some ____________.” In the blank you put a word that, say, starts with the first letter of your last name. Like I might say, “baloney.”
Then the next person says, “Well, I’m gonna go, too, and I’m gonna take some ___________.” But if the word that the person uses doesn’t start with the first letter of his or her last name, I say, “No, you can’t go,” and that person has to keep standing there in the circle (and guess again when his turn comes around). If the word chosen does start with that person’s last name, that person gets to sit down and wait for the next game to start.
Then the next person goes, and so on around the circle until everyone has caught onto the trick and has sat down. You keep going until everyone is out.
Then with the next game, the lead person chooses another trick that the rest have to figure out. Like I might decide to use the first letter of my first name this time, and say, “I’m gonna take a trip to Alaska, and I’m gonna take some peas.” And the next person tries to figure out what trick I’m using and choose the right word.
—Foxfire 6
I like the game about going to Alaska! I can imagine teachers using it in their classrooms and coming up with all sorts of rules for the students to use as the game progresses. I think it would work well as a car game on a long trip too.
The girls and I used to play the alphabet game in the car. We would pick a subject, like first names, and then take turns thinking of names that start with each letter of the alphabet.
Last night’s video: A Great Honor For Our Family.
Tipper
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I’ve never played this game but have played similar to the one you mention. I loved the video.
Had a late day today, but what a wonderful game! Wishing so many congratulations to your family for honors at the Folk School! Well deserved recognition for your family!!!!!
Timely post! I just heard a daycare teacher use this game last week while the children were waiting for their bus to arrive….she finally revealed the connection at the end. I must admit, I couldn’t figure out what she was doing, but the kids sure did.
Here’s a similar game. You start out and say: ‘It can be a giraffe but not a zebra.’ They say ‘It can be dog but not a cat.’ — You then say, ‘No, it can’t be a dog.’ So you try again and say — ‘It can be an apple but not an orange’, or say, ‘It can be happy but not sad.’ By this time they’re thoroughly confused, but the trick is if they say it can be something that has a double letter then you say yes, it can be ___. Make sure that the person who gets it right doesn’t tattle or the game is done. Sometimes they have no idea why they got it right and still play, trying to figure it out.
This game sounds like fun. From the 3rd through the 5th grades, we almost always played softball…girls and boys together. I loved playing first base. I remember a girl in our 5th grade class was pitching, and she got her four top front teeth knocked out by a hard line drive. It was scary, but it didn’t deter any of us from playing after that. We loved it, and had to play together. There weren’t enough girls or boys to make different teams.
I’m going to Alaska and taking all of you along. That does sound like a cute game indeed. I watched the video on the Folk School and your daddy’s music history being honored. You’re all museum relics now and the pictures and sayings of your family were just lovely not to mention very inspirational. Some day I may take a ride in that direction and see that folk school for myself. It’s a lovely place. God bless you all and remember you’re prayed for and cared for by someone the Lord sent your way-me! I love people and animals and especially old folks and babies. It’s a good life outside the chaos and we have to live with purpose and a reason to keep going. I think that’s what keeps you thriving, Tipper! Btw, you looked very pretty in the video and burgundy is a great color on you.
Oh I like this one! It will be fun to have to guess the rule. Thank you for the fun game! ❤️
We always played with food and followed the alphabet. I’m going to Alaska and I gonna take an Apple. The next would remember the Apple and say “I’m going to Alaska and I’m gonna take an Apple and a Banana” The third player would have to remember the Apple and the Banana and add a Cantaloupe. Then came Apple, Banana, Cantaloupe and a Date and so on until we got all the way through the alphabet. I don’t remember ever making it all the way though but it was fun to try.
That does sound like a fun game to play with kids at school or family events.
Will you play this except we go in order of the alphabet for each item packed or brought with, not by the letter of the person’s name. It’s a very good car game. Entertaining and funny to see what other’s come up with. It makes for a very interesting trip and is fun to see how long you can go without messing up!
Congrats on being featured as a family in the cabin exhibit at JCCFS. What a very WELL deserved honor!
Every summer we(mom, dad, younger brother, myself) made the very long car trip from our farm in central IL to visit my dad’s family in Columbia, KY. The trip(before and as interstates were being built) could take from 10.5 to 12 hours, depending on the road construction. Our trips were always in July, so there was ALWAYS road construction. Now, to 3 and 6 year olds, sitting in mountains, with signs along the road stating “Danger: Blasting Zone” the excitement was real. Feeling the ground shake under our car as the blast took place was something I would describe at my first show and tell when school resumed in August. Not so fun or exciting was sitting in a hot car with my parents getting grouchier by the minute and a little brother increasingly more annoying. But, after that part of our journey was behind us, we’d continue on with our favorite car game, that inevitably led to a fight….SLUG BUG!!! Writing this brings up another wonderful memory from my childhood and trips to the south. Stuckey’s!! A memory to share on another day. Tipper, thank you again as your writings stir long forgotten memories. I enjoy reading what other’s remember as you spark our brains and lead us back to simpler times♡
Yes, Stuckey’s! What did you always want from there? We would get a decorative plate, spoon, or thimble in whatever state we were in for my grandma and mom who collected them. I’d want one of those nougat and caramel pecan rolls and whatever else looked good.
Kim, my husband’s family is from Russell Springs just up the road from Columbia. Small world! I love all parts of KY! When I married him and went to his people’s side of KY I thought they’re rich! My momma’s side is from southeastern KY, coal country, poor, but they’re the best people in the world! Tipper brings up so many memories for me, too!
This puts me to mind of a jump-rope game we often played. The first player starts with “A” and chants(while jumping) A my name is Alice(or any name starting with A) and I came from Alabama and my husband’s name is Andy and he sells Apples! ( Any set of “A” names works.) And on to the next letter in the alphabet until the jumper falters and is out. Then the next jumper takes a turn. Sharp thinking and stamina required! So much fun. Haven’ t recalled this in years.