What Time Mr. Wolf?

Learning and playing a new outdoor group game can be a lot of fun, and you can enhance the learning opportunities by teaching children games played by children in other countries. The children in your program may enjoy learning the fun game below which is known as “What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?” in Australia and “Lupo Della Ore” by children in Italy. The game is adapted from the International games section of the Games Kids Play website.

One player is selected to be the wolf. He or she will stand with his or her back turned to the other players, about 15 feet from the others who stand at a marked starting line. The group calls out, "What’s the time Mr. Wolf?" The wolf turns to face the group and calls out a time, such as “10 o'clock!” The group members must take 10 steps towards the wolf. The group members must always take the same amount of steps towards the wolf as the amount of hours in the time called out by the wolf. (2 o'clock = 2 steps, 6 o'clock = 6 steps etc.) The wolf will then turn his or her back to the group again for them to yell "What’s the time Mr. Wolf?" (The wolf looks at the group only when he or she calls the time. When the group gets close to the wolf, the next time the group yells "What’s the time Mr. Wolf?" the wolf will call “DINNER TIME!" and run after the group. The group runs back to the start line. The wolf tries to tag one of the group members before he or she reaches the marked starting line. The tagged group member becomes the wolf for the next game.