Section 1: Introduction
Simon Says is a listening and reaction game in which one participant, called Simon, gives instructions to the other players. Players must obey an instruction only when it begins with the command phrase “Simon says.” An instruction given without that phrase must be ignored.
The game tests attention, self-control, quick interpretation, and the ability to distinguish a valid command from a trick command. Simon may make the game more challenging by changing pace, demonstrating misleading movements, or alternating rapidly between valid and invalid instructions.
Simon Says has no single governing body or universal competitive code. These rules describe a clear version suitable for playgrounds, classrooms, camps, parties, and recreational events. Before play begins, the group should agree whether the game will use elimination, lives, points, or a cooperative format.
Object of the Game
In an elimination game, the object is to remain active after the other players have been eliminated. In a points game, the object is to finish with the highest score. In a cooperative game, the group attempts to complete an agreed number of valid commands without an error.
Spirit of Play
Simon should challenge players through wording, timing, and harmless misdirection rather than through unsafe, impossible, humiliating, or inaccessible tasks. Commands should be delivered fairly and clearly enough that attentive players have a reasonable chance to respond correctly.
Section 2: Equipment
No equipment is required to play Simon Says. The game can be conducted using only spoken or otherwise clearly communicated commands and the players’ responses.
Optional Organizational Aids
A group may keep a written record of scores or use boundaries already present at the venue, but these aids are optional and are not necessary to compete. Any optional prop introduced for a themed variation must be safe, available to every affected player, and explained before the round begins.
Communication Access
If spoken commands are not accessible to every participant, Simon may communicate through visible signs, gestures, captions, or another agreed method. The exact equivalent of the phrase “Simon says” must be established before play so that every player can reliably identify valid commands.
Clothing and Personal Items
No special uniform or protective gear is required. Players should wear ordinary clothing appropriate for the location and planned movements. Loose objects, dangling accessories, and personal belongings should be moved aside if they could interfere with safe play.
Section 3: Playing Area
Simon Says may be played indoors or outdoors on a level, unobstructed surface. The space must be large enough for all players to perform the planned actions without colliding with one another, walls, furniture, spectators, or fixed objects.
Player Positions
Simon should stand where every participant can hear or otherwise perceive the commands. The remaining players should face Simon and spread out with enough room to extend their arms and take any permitted steps safely. Players must remain within the agreed area unless a valid command specifically allows movement elsewhere.
Boundaries
Formal boundary markings are unnecessary. For larger or more active games, the organizer should identify clear limits using existing floor lines, landmarks, or verbal descriptions. Leaving the playing area is an error only if boundaries were announced before the round or if remaining inside was part of a valid command.
Area Inspection
Before play, Simon or the organizer should check for wet or uneven surfaces, sharp edges, breakable objects, low ceilings, traffic, open flames, and other hazards. The range and speed of commands must suit the available space. Running commands should not be used in a cramped room.
Spectators
Spectators and eliminated players should remain outside the active space. They must not imitate Simon, call out instructions, warn players about trick commands, or obstruct anyone’s view.
Section 4: Players & Officials
A game requires one Simon and at least one responding player. Three or more responding players generally create a more lively contest, but there is no fixed maximum if everyone can perceive the commands and move safely.
Simon
Simon gives the commands, observes the responses, identifies errors, and controls the pace of the round. Simon must use the agreed command phrase exactly enough to distinguish valid commands from invalid ones. Simon should apply the same interpretation and response-time standard to every player.
Simon may perform a movement while speaking, but the spoken or agreed accessible command determines what players must do. Simon’s demonstration does not create a valid command and does not override the words used.
Responding Players
Each responding player independently decides whether to obey a command. Players must not deliberately copy another participant after the response period, physically interfere with others, or distract opponents by shouting false commands.
Organizer or Judge
No separate official is required. For a large group or competitive event, a neutral organizer may help watch for errors, resolve close decisions, track points, and stop unsafe play. The organizer’s announced decision is final for that round unless the group has adopted a replay procedure.
Selecting Simon
Simon may be chosen randomly, by group agreement, or by rotation. A common format allows the winner of one round to serve as Simon in the next. If younger players are participating, an adult or experienced leader may serve as Simon to maintain suitable pacing and safety.
Section 5: Rules of Play
Starting a Round
Before the first command, Simon confirms the game format, the command phrase, the playing boundaries, the consequences of an error, and any special timing rule. A round begins when Simon announces that play is starting and then delivers the first command.
Valid Commands
A command is valid when it begins with “Simon says” and clearly describes an allowed action. For example, “Simon says touch your shoulder” must be obeyed. A command such as “Touch your shoulder,” without the command phrase, must be ignored.
The phrase must belong to the current instruction. Mentioning Simon elsewhere in a sentence does not make it valid. For example, “Jump because Simon says so” is invalid under the standard game because it does not begin with the agreed phrase.
Responding to Commands
Players must begin a valid action within a reasonable response period set by the pace of the game. For an instant command, they complete the action once. For a continuing command such as “Simon says keep one hand raised,” they maintain the action until Simon validly changes or ends it.
A player must not begin an invalid action. A small involuntary flinch may be ignored in casual play, but a clear attempt to perform the commanded movement counts as a response.
Ending or Replacing an Action
If players are maintaining an action, an instruction to stop is itself subject to the command phrase. “Put your hands down” must be ignored if it does not begin with “Simon says.” A new valid command replaces any incompatible continuing command. Compatible commands may be cumulative if Simon makes that intent clear.
Fair Command Delivery
Simon may vary speed and use harmless deception, such as demonstrating the wrong motion. Simon may not make a command retroactively valid, merge separate statements after players have reacted, conceal key words through deliberately unintelligible speech, or penalize players for differing reasonable interpretations of an ambiguous instruction.
Ending a Round
An elimination round ends when only one player remains, when all remaining players make an error on the same command, or when a preset time or command limit is reached. If everyone is eliminated simultaneously, the last command may be replayed, all players who began it may share the round, or the round may restart according to the announced house rule.
Common Variations
- Three Lives: Each player begins with three lives and loses one for each error. A player remains active until all lives are lost.
- Silent Simon: The valid-command signal is a clearly defined gesture rather than the spoken phrase.
- Speed Round: Simon increases the pace while still allowing a consistent, reasonable chance to respond.
- Reverse Simon: Players do the opposite of each valid command when a safe and obvious opposite exists.
- Memory Chain: Each valid command adds an action to a sequence that players must repeat in order.
- Cooperative Challenge: The group tries to complete a target number of commands with no more than an agreed number of combined errors.
Section 6: Scoring
Traditional Simon Says is usually an elimination game rather than a points game. No numerical score is necessary: a player who makes an error leaves the active group, and the last remaining player wins the round.
Elimination Format
A player remains eligible while correctly following valid commands and ignoring invalid ones. If several players remain when an announced time or command limit expires, they share the win or enter a tiebreaker round.
Points Format
For non-elimination play, each player may receive one point for correctly obeying a valid command and one point for correctly ignoring an invalid command. An error earns no point for that command. To prevent scores from rewarding inactivity, Simon should use a balanced mixture of valid and invalid commands.
The winner is the player with the most points after the announced number of commands or rounds. If players join late or miss commands, scoring should use only a complete round in which all competitors had the same opportunities.
Lives Format
In a lives game, each error removes one life. The last player with at least one life wins. If a command eliminates every remaining player, the group may restore the players’ most recently lost life and replay with a new command.
Team and Cooperative Scoring
Teams may earn one point when every active team member responds correctly. Alternatively, each individual correct response may add to the team total. In cooperative play, the group records consecutive error-free commands and attempts to beat its previous best.
Tiebreakers
Tied players may continue alone in sudden-death play. Simon alternates valid and invalid commands until one tied player makes an error and another completes the same command correctly. If all tied players make the same error, none gains an advantage and the tiebreaker continues.
Section 7: Violations & Penalties
Player Errors
A player commits an error by performing or clearly beginning an action after an invalid command. A player also commits an error by failing to begin a valid command within the accepted response period, performing the wrong action, stopping a continuing action without a valid instruction, or failing to stop when validly told to do so.
Minor differences that still satisfy the instruction should not be penalized. If Simon says “raise a hand,” either hand is acceptable unless a particular hand was specified. Players should not be eliminated for an ambiguity created by Simon.
Standard Penalties
In elimination play, one error eliminates the player from the current round. In a lives format, one error costs one life. In points play, the player receives no point for that command; groups may instead use a one-point deduction if that rule is announced in advance.
Interference and Unsporting Conduct
A player who pushes, blocks, startles, deliberately misleads, or shouts over Simon should receive a warning or an immediate round penalty, depending on severity. Repeated or dangerous interference may result in removal from the game.
Invalid or Unfair Commands
A command should be cancelled if it is unsafe, impossible, inaccessible without reasonable adaptation, contradictory, unintelligible, or too ambiguous to judge consistently. No player is penalized for a cancelled command. Simon should explain the issue briefly and continue with a new command.
Close Decisions
When it is unclear whether a player moved, whether Simon used the command phrase, or whether two events occurred in time, casual play should favor keeping the player active. In organized play, the designated judge may order a no-penalty replay.
Eliminated Players
An eliminated player must promptly leave the active area or move to the designated spectator space. Continuing to perform commands is allowed only if it cannot confuse active players; otherwise, eliminated players should remain still and quiet until the round ends.
Section 8: Safety Considerations
Safety takes priority over obedience to any command. A player may refuse or stop an action that feels unsafe, painful, inappropriate, or beyond the player’s ability. Such a refusal should not be treated as an error; Simon should replace the command or provide an accessible alternative.
Safe Commands
Commands should use controlled movements suited to the players, surface, clothing, weather, and available space. Avoid dangerous jumping, climbing, tackling, throwing objects, holding breath, closing eyes while moving, extreme stretching, rapid spinning, contact between players, or actions near traffic, stairs, water, or fragile objects.
Personal Boundaries
Simon must not require unwanted touching, embarrassing behavior, disclosure of personal information, removal of clothing, imitation targeting a person or group, or any action likely to humiliate a participant. Players should be able to opt out without pressure.
Age and Ability
The pace, language, and complexity of commands should match the participants’ ages and abilities. Offer seated, lower-impact, or nonverbal equivalents where appropriate. Accessibility adaptations should preserve the same listening and decision-making challenge rather than exclude a player for being unable to perform a particular motion.
Spacing and Supervision
Players should maintain enough distance to move without contact. Large groups and games involving young children should have attentive adult supervision. Simon should stop play immediately if someone enters the area, a hazard appears, or a participant falls or becomes distressed.
Emergency Stop
The group should recognize a plain stop signal, such as “Stop the game,” that ends activity immediately whether or not it includes “Simon says.” Emergency and safety directions always override the game’s trick-command mechanic.
Health and Environment
Provide breaks during long or energetic sessions and account for heat, cold, hydration, fatigue, and medical needs. Outdoor play should pause during dangerous weather. A player who is injured or unwell should stop participating and receive appropriate assistance.
