Four On The Bench

Name and Purpose

• Four On The Bench is a seated strategy and memory game where players use recall and teamwork to move their whole team onto four special seats.
• Great for groups that need a quieter, brain-focused activity. Builds concentration, memory, and team communication.

a.k.a.

• Name Swap, Mystery Seats

Age / Group / Time / Space

• Ages 8-16 | 12-30 players | 20-40 minutes | Circle of chairs indoors or outdoors, enough seats for all players plus one empty

Materials

• Chairs or marked floor spots, one per player plus one empty seat
• Blank name cards or slips of paper, one per player
• Pencils or pens
• A hat, bag, or bowl for drawing names

Quick-Run Card

1. Set up chairs in a circle with one empty seat. Players sit alternating Team A / Team B, including the four Bench seats.
2. Write every player’s name on a card. Each person draws one card and keeps it face-down.
3. The player to the right of the empty seat calls any name. The player holding that name card moves over and swaps cards with the caller.
4. Keep calling names and swapping cards, remembering who holds which name.
5. First team to fill all four Bench seats wins the round.

Setup and Boundaries

• Arrange chairs in a complete circle with one empty seat.
• Mark four consecutive chairs as “the Bench” with coloured tape or a sign.
• Signal: raise a hand to pause the game. Two claps to restart.
• Make sure all players can see the full circle clearly.

How to Play

1. Players sit in a circle alternating Team A and Team B, including in the four Bench seats. One seat stays empty at the start.
2. Write every player’s name on a separate card. Shuffle the cards and each player draws one card. Keep it secret.
3. The player sitting to the right of the empty seat calls any name out loud.
4. The player currently holding that name card gets up, moves to the empty seat, and swaps cards with the player who called.
5. The player who just moved has created a new empty seat. The player to the right of that new empty seat now calls a name.
6. Players use memory to track which names have moved, and try to call names belonging to opposing team members on the Bench, pulling them off.
7. Play continues until one team has all four Bench seats filled with their players.
8. Celebrate, shuffle new name cards, and start a fresh round if the group wants more.

I-OPt Options

• A (Active): Play fully as a caller and card holder, using strategy to steer your team to the Bench.
• S (Support): Sit beside a less experienced player, quietly encouraging them without giving away names.
• Q (Quiet): Focus on listening and tracking the name swaps without calling out. Jump in when you feel ready.
• O (Observer): Watch one full round before joining. Ask to be included in the next name draw.

Inclusion Adaptations

• Players who prefer not to use gender-based teams may use any two identifiers: Team Sun / Team Moon, colour preferences, or random assignment.
• Large-print name cards available for players who need them.
• Seat markers (coloured tape, cushions) help players with spatial awareness track the empty seat easily.

Stewardship Moment

• Collect all name cards after play and reuse them next session or recycle them responsibly.
• Prompt: “We used a lot of small paper slips today. What’s one way we could reduce waste in a future round?”

Consent

• Pre-brief: “This game involves moving between seats and working as part of a team. You will be called by a made-up name, not your own. If you want to watch a round before jumping in, that is a totally fine way to start.”
• Mid-game check: After 10 minutes, pause. “Quick check: thumbs up, sideways, or down. Does everyone still want to keep playing?”
• Opt-out/re-entry: Any player can swap to Observer at any time by quietly staying seated when called. Staff can sub in to keep the numbers even.

Risks and Mitigation

• Confusion or frustration with the rules: walk through one practice round with no stakes before the real game.
• Players feeling left out if they are never called: remind the group that strategy means calling any name, including less visible players.
• Game stalling when players forget names: allow a 5-second “thinking pause” before anyone can prompt.

Warm-Up Suggestions

• “Name Echo”: go around the circle; each person says their name and everyone echoes it back.
• “Two Truths”: each player shares two quick facts about themselves before names are written on cards, to help memory.

Debrief Questions

• What? “What strategies did you use to remember which names were where?”
• So What? “What made it hard to keep track? What helped?”
• Now What? “Where else in life do you need to pay close attention to who is where and what is changing?”

Cleanup and Reset

• Collect all name cards. Recycle or store for reuse.
• Stack chairs or return the space to its original layout.
• Quick floor check for any dropped paper.