Sunny Sprouts

Name and Purpose

• Sunny Sprouts is a circle focus game that rewards a calm, straight face and sharp listening.
• Great as an icebreaker, rainy-day activity, or quick focus reset between program blocks.

a.k.a.

• Garden Circle, No-Teeth, Veggie Face

Age / Group / Time / Space

• Ages 8-16 | 10-30 players, split into circles of 6-10 | 10-20 minutes | Seated indoor or outdoor space

Materials

• Vegetable name cards (optional, helpful for remembering names)
• Chairs or comfortable floor space for seated circles

Quick-Run Card

1. Split into circles of 6-10 players. Each player chooses or is assigned a vegetable name.
2. One Sun player starts: they say their vegetable twice, then call another vegetable.
3. The called player responds the same way, keeping a straight face.
4. No one may show their teeth at any point.
5. If someone shows teeth, the group laughs together, the player resets and tries again immediately. Track the group’s longest streak.

Setup and Boundaries

• Signal: staff clap twice = pause all circles; three claps = wrap up
• Arrange circles so they are not too close to each other (reduces distraction)
• Check that players can see each other’s faces clearly

How to Play

1. Players sit in circles of 6-10, facing each other.
2. Each player chooses a vegetable name. Staff can use pre-made veggie cards to help players remember each other’s names.
3. One player is named the Sun. Everyone else is a Garden Veggie.
4. The Sun says their own vegetable name twice, then calls another player’s vegetable name. For example: “Tomato, Tomato, Cucumber!”
5. “Cucumber” then does the same: “Cucumber, Cucumber, Carrot!”
6. The rule: no one can show their teeth at any point during play. Keep lips gently over teeth when speaking or listening.
7. Players are watching each other and trying to make others smile or laugh without breaking the rule themselves.
8. When a player shows their teeth, the group laughs together. The player resets their face and tries again immediately. No one leaves the circle.
9. The group tracks their streak: how many successful passes can the circle make before someone shows teeth? After the break, the count resets and the group tries to beat their record.
10. The Sun role rotates by volunteer every few minutes.
11. Frame the challenge as collaborative: “How many rounds can WE keep going as a group?”

I-OPt Options

• Start
  • A (Active): Jump in as a Veggie and try to keep a straight face
  • S (Support): Help hand out veggie name cards or explain the rule to late arrivals
  • Q (Quiet): Choose a simple, easy-to-say vegetable name and settle in calmly
  • O (Observer): Watch one round before choosing a vegetable and joining
• Mid
  • A (Active): Work on creative ways to make others smile without breaking the rule yourself
  • S (Support): Track the group’s streak count and announce it
  • Q (Quiet): Focus on listening and staying calm rather than trying to provoke others
  • O (Observer): Step back for a round and watch the strategy players are using
• Late
  • A (Active): Aim for the Sun role to try a speed round
  • S (Support): Help new players remember their vegetable name
  • Q (Quiet): Notice how the group energy has shifted since the game started
  • O (Observer): Track which vegetables got called most often
• End
  • A (Active): Suggest a speed round
  • S (Support): Help gather chairs or tidy the space
  • Q (Quiet): Share one word about the experience
  • O (Observer): Name something they noticed about how the group played

Inclusion Adaptations

• Players who find keeping a straight face physically difficult (e.g., due to a tic or involuntary smiling) can take the Sun role or a Streak Tracker role with no face-rule pressure
• Players who prefer not to speak aloud can point to their name card rather than calling their name

Stewardship Moment

• Collect and store vegetable name cards for reuse next time
• Reflection: “What did you notice about the way people listen when things get funny?”

Consent

• Pre-brief: “This is a face-watching, listening game. There’s no running or physical contact. If you show your teeth, the group laughs, you reset, and you keep going. No one leaves the circle. For those who find sitting in a circle uncomfortable, a slightly behind-the-circle seat is another option.”
• Mid-game check: After a few streaks, ask players to give a thumbs up/sideways/down
• Opt-out/re-entry: Any player can step just outside the circle for a break and rejoin at any time

Risks and Mitigation

• Players feeling embarrassed when they break: frame breaks as the fun part. Everyone laughs together and the group resets. No one is singled out.
• Circles becoming chaotic or too loud: staff gently reset the pace by modelling a slow, calm Sun call

Warm-Up Suggestions

• “Veggie Vote”: go around and everyone says their favourite vegetable as a way to choose names
• “Straight Face Challenge”: everyone tries to hold a completely neutral face for 10 seconds before the game starts

Debrief Questions

• What? “What was the group’s longest streak? What almost got you?”
• So What? “What helped the group keep going longer?”
• Now What? “Where else does your group need to stay focused together?”

Cleanup and Reset

• Collect name cards and store in a bag for next time
• Return chairs or tidy the floor space
• 60-second sweep for any dropped items