Yes, no, maybe
You’ll need
- A4 paper
- Pens or pencils
- Sticky tack
Before you begin
- Use the A4 paper and pen to make three signs. One should say ‘yes’, one ‘no’, and one ‘maybe’.
- Use the sticky tack to stick the signs around the meeting space. Leave plenty of space for people to move between them.
Play the game
- Everyone should gather in the middle of the space.
- The storyteller should begin telling the 'Example story' below. They should pause briefly after the first statement.
- Everyone should decide whether the storyteller is telling the truth, making something up, or if there’s no way to be sure. They could also look for clues such as the storyteller smiling, hesitating lots, or looking away.
- Everyone should run to the correct sign – ‘yes’ if they think the statement is true, ‘no’ if they think it’s made up, and ‘maybe’ if they’re not sure. Everyone should try to think and move as quickly as they can.
- The storyteller should notice where people have moved. Sometimes, they may want to ask a question or two to prompt people to think again, for example, ‘are you sure you know the answer?’ or ‘what clues can you see and hear?’.
- The storyteller should continue the story – they shouldn’t pause for too long each time, just enough for people to actually move and reach a sign.
It’s up to you to change the information in brackets. Make sure it’s a mixture of true statements, made up statements, and statements where it’s tricky to tell.
As I was (sitting on the bus) on the way to the meeting, I looked out of the window and saw (an octopus walking down the street). I was so shocked that I almost dropped the (sandwich) I was eating!
I made sure my (blue) coat was done up and then walked down (Scout Street) so I’d be here by (6pm). ‘Another (Wednesday),’ I thought to myself, as I unlocked the (black) door and put the keys (back into my pocket).
I was looking forward to the meeting because I knew we were going to play (splat) and (hear a story). After that, we’d have our usual snack of (earthworms) and before we knew it, it’d be (7pm) and time to go home.
I’d get into my (tractor) and head back home to eat (a bowl of custard) and (build a big tower).
I kept thinking about the (octopus) I’d seen earlier, and thought back to when I last saw one – I was on holiday (at the beach). That reminded me of the time I went (swimming with sharks) and (wrestled a great white shark).
It was a such a good holiday. I (read two books, ate one hundred pizzas, went skydiving, climbed a mountain, danced with a dinosaur, stayed in an ice hotel, met a famous person, went for a walk, wore a hat, and rode a camel).
Well, that’s the end of my story.
Oh wait, there’s just one more thing.
Or is there?
Yes, one more thing.
Did you know that octopuses have eight arms, three hearts, and blue blood? (surprisingly, these are all true)
Reflection
This game encouraged everyone to use lots of their senses to work out what was true. Was it easy to work out? Some things, like meeting an octopus walking down the road, are clearly not true – but other things are trickier. How might you know if the storyteller ate a sandwich on the bus? You might know they usually eat a sandwich on their way to the meeting, or that they usually have their tea at home. You might even be able to see sandwich crumbs on them – but unless you saw them eating a sandwich on the bus, you can’t be sure.
This game was also a chance to develop skills. Being able to tell whether something is true or not is really important. People make things up for lots of reasons, can anyone think of some? People may think about someone who wants others to think a certain thing about them, or someone who’s trying to make other people feel the same way they do. When might it be harder to tell if something is true? It can be harder online, as people can’t see or know the person. This game is a good thing for people to keep in mind when they’re looking at websites and deciding whether they’re trustworthy. If people aren’t sure, they should always check with a trusted adult. It’s fun to make up stories and be creative, but it’s usually best to tell the truth.
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
- Active games
The game area should be free of hazards. Explain the rules of the game clearly and have a clear way to communicate that the game must stop when needed. Take a look at our guidance on running active games safely.
- Online safety
Supervise young people when they’re online and give them advice about staying safe. Take a look at our online safety or bullying guidance. The NSPCC offers more advice and guidance, too. If you want to know more about specific social networks and games, Childnet has information and safety tips for apps. You can also report anything that’s worried you online to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command. As always, if you’ve got concerns about a young person’s welfare, including their online experiences, follow the Yellow Card to make a report.
The storyteller should feel free to speed up or slow down the story – everyone should be active and moving around, but they should have time to reach a sign and take a breath or two before they set off again.
Make sure everyone can access the space. The point of the game is to choose the answers, not to get to a sign first, so it doesn’t matter if some people take longer than others to move. You could also use another way of choosing an answer, for example, pointing to or holding a sign.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
If everyone enjoyed this game, you could also play ‘two truths and a lie’. Someone should tell the group two truths and one lie about themselves, and the group should work out which statement is the lie. For example, someone may say ‘I’m 8 years old, chocolate is my favourite flavour of ice cream, and I have a pet cat at home’ and everyone will have to figure out which is the lie. Has anyone met their pet or shared ice cream with them, or does anyone remember their last birthday? If not, people will have to rely on clues like smiling or hesitating.
Young people can take it in turns to be the storyteller and make up a story. It’s probably a good idea to give each person a few minutes to think of some ideas.