Polar Bear Club

Name and Purpose

• Polar Bear Club is a group puzzle game where players figure out a hidden counting rule using dice.
• Players practise observation, pattern recognition, and deductive thinking.

a.k.a.

• Polar Bears (dice puzzle)

Age / Group / Time / Space

• Ages 8-16 | 6-30 players | 10-20 minutes | Indoors, circle seating around a table or on the floor

Materials

• 2-3 standard six-sided dice
• Flat surface (table or floor)
• Optional: large foam dice for visibility in bigger groups

Quick-Run Card

1. Gather the group in a circle around the dice.
2. Tell them you belong to the Polar Bear Club and recite the poem.
3. Roll the dice and ask: “How many Polar Bears do you see?”
4. Confirm correct answers with a nod. Redirect incorrect ones with “Not quite yet.”
5. Once someone figures it out, they lead the next roll and confirm answers quietly.

Setup and Boundaries

• Players sit in a circle close enough to see the dice clearly. Large foam dice help for groups over 15.
• Signal: staff raises a hand to indicate a new roll is coming.
• No physical movement involved. This is a seated observation game.

How to Play

1. Gather the group in a circle and introduce the Polar Bear Club.
2. Recite the poem: “Polar Bears, Polar Bears, gather around the ice hole. In the days of Genghis Khan. The game is in the name; the name is in the game. How many Polar Bears do you see?”
3. Roll the dice. Ask the group how many Polar Bears they count.
4. Accept guesses. Confirm correct ones with enthusiasm. Redirect incorrect ones warmly without explaining the rule yet.
5. The rule: a die showing a dot in the centre (the 1-dot face) has an “ice hole.” The dots surrounding that centre dot are the Polar Bears. Count only those surrounding dots on dice that have a centre dot. Dice without a centre dot have no Polar Bears.
6. Example: roll a 3 and a 6. The 3-face has a centre dot with 2 surrounding dots, so there are 2 Polar Bears. The 6-face has no centre dot, so 0 Polar Bears. Answer: 2.
7. Once a player figures it out, invite them to quietly confirm future answers alongside the leader without revealing the rule aloud.
8. Round ends when most players have discovered the rule, or after 10-15 minutes.

I-OPt Options

• A (Active): Guess out loud each round and test different theories openly.
• S (Support): Once you know the rule, help confirm answers alongside the leader without spoiling it for others.
• Q (Quiet): Observe and think quietly, sharing your answer when you are ready.
• O (Observer): Watch the pattern of correct and incorrect answers as clues without guessing aloud.

Inclusion Adaptations

• For players with visual differences, allow them to hold and examine each die up close before guessing.
• The poem reference to “Genghis Khan” may need brief context for younger players. Staff can note: “That is just a name in the rhyme, it has no special meaning for the game.”

Stewardship Moment

• Dice are reusable indefinitely. Store them in a small pouch or tin for future use.
• No consumables involved. A zero-waste activity.

Consent

• Pre-brief: “This is a puzzle game. There is no wrong answer while you are figuring it out. For those who would rather observe before guessing, that is completely fine.”
• Mid-game check: After 5 minutes, staff checks in with any players who look frustrated. A quiet hint (not the answer) can be offered one-on-one.
• Opt-out/re-entry: Players can pass on guessing at any roll and re-engage whenever they are ready.

Risks and Mitigation

• Players who already know the game spoiling it for others: brief them privately before play to act as quiet co-leaders.
• Frustration for players who cannot find the pattern: offer a gentle mid-game nudge (“pay attention to only one die at a time”) without revealing the rule.
• Very fast solvers dominating: channel them into the co-leader role immediately.

Warm-Up Suggestions

• Quick visual puzzle warm-up: show a simple optical illusion image and ask what people see.
• “I Spy a Pattern”: staff points to something in the room and players guess the rule (colour, shape, size).

Debrief Questions

• What? “What did you notice first that helped you figure out the rule?”
• So What? “How does it feel to spot a pattern that others have not found yet?”
• Now What? “Where in your week do you solve puzzles by observing quietly before jumping in?”

Cleanup and Reset

• Collect dice and store in pouch.
• No other cleanup required.