Hands Up!

Find 2-6 players and try to catch the most museum theives in this perception speed and reaction speed flexible thinking game.

How do you play Hands Up!?

Setup phase. Decide whether you're playing with the easier "lights on" or harder "lights off" mode and place the switch card on the centre of the table. Put the large gem where everyone can reach it. Deal the cards equally and place the piles face down in front of each player. 

That's the setup.  You're ready to play.  

You're going to use fast reflexes, fast decisions and pattern spotting to collect the most cards.

All players say "Hands Up!" and flip their top card onto the centre of the table.

If you see a set of cards including a thief, a diamond and a fingerprint with either all the same or all different quantities then its time to grab the gem.  Explain what you've seen and if you're right you claim the cards.  

You'll need to keep an eye out for special cards that change the matching rules along the way.

Play continues until all the cards have been flipped.

The winner is the player who has the most claimed cards at the end of the game.

What can you learn?

- to increase your perception speed and reaction speed
- to focus and refocus attention
- recognition of patterns
- improve working memory
- to manage in changing situations.

THINKercise twist

- If one player is more dominant then try not letting them use the special cards.
- Play the game more cooperatively by displaying 12 cards face up and seeing how many thefts you can find.