Simon Says begins by choosing one player to be Simon. Simon stands in front of the group, easily visible to all players. Simon gives a command that takes the form of a simple action, such as touching your nose or hopping on one foot. However, every valid command must be prefaced with the phrase "Simon says," or the player that followed the command is removed from play. The game ends when only one player is left. Following the orders becomes automatic after a while, and players must listen carefully for the "Simon says" phrase to avoid being eliminated.
Telephone is a game with many other names, including Fire Brigade and Translation. Players stand or sit in a line. The first person in line is given a phrase or sentence that can be any length within reason. That player leans over to the next player and whispers the phrase. Players continue to whisper the phrase along the line until it reaches the end. The last person stands to say the phrase aloud and compare it to the original. This exercise demonstrates how information can become jumbled as it is passed along. Play this game several times, and players will naturally begin to listen more closely to the phrase.
Divide players into small groups of two to four. The more groups you have, the more competitive the play will be. Stand in front of the players and read a passage from a story or a newspaper article. Follow that with a second version of the story, but with small changes or words inserted. Players have to listen to your second reading for the "lies" that weren't in the original version. Have players note every change you've made. The team with the most correct notes wins the game. Prepare several scripts with original and changed versions, with notes for yourself on what you've changed to assist with the scoring.
Dual Dictation is played by breaking a small group into pairs. Each player gets paper and pen. Give the players a scene that includes a topic of conversation, place and characters. The pair participates in the improvised dialogue while taking dictation on what their partner is saying. Players can read the conversation back to each other or to the whole group. Depending on how well they were able to record what was said, the script may or may not make sense. This game can become very difficult but very enjoyable, as the players are forced to accurately record what their partner says while trying to improvise their own side of the dialogue.