What's the time, Mr Wolf ? - Party Games 4 Kids

What’s the time, Mr Wolf ?

What’s the time Mr Wolf is a classic kids’ party game for children of all ages to enjoy. It is a form of tag played in Australia, Belgium, Canada, the United States, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. This game can be played both indoors and outdoors.

Game sheet

number of players: from 3 children
age: from 4 years old
equipment needed: nothing
Played indoors or outdoors
Duration: 10 min

How to play What’s the time Mr Wolf?

One player plays the role of the wolf and stands at one end of the playing area. Mr Wolf turns his back to commence play. The other players stand in a line at the other end.
The other players line up behind the wolf and ask, “What’s the time, Mr. Wolf?”
The wolf responds by giving a time (e.g. 4 o’clock), and the other players then walk the number of steps corresponding to the time mentioned (in this case, four steps).
In this way, the players get closer and closer to the wolf. But the wolf may choose to respond, “It’s dinner time!”
If so, he turns around and chases the other players, who must try to reach the starting line. The player caught by the wolf becomes a wolf in turn.

And the game continues.

What’s the time Mr Wolf Variations

For older groups:

The game can be modified for older students by adding a constraint: when the wolf catches another player, both become wolves and must hold each other arm to arm. If the pair touches another child, that player joins them and so on.
If a player reaches the other end of the room (the wolf’s den) without being tagged, he or she releases the eaten students, and another wolf is chosen.
Another variation is to have the ones that are tagged sit out.

For multi-age groups: