I packed my bag

I packed my bag is a memory game often played as a car game. In the traditional version of the game, one person says "I packed my bag and in it I put...", and names any object. The next person then says "I packed my bag and in it I put...", followed by the original suggestion, and adding their own. The game continues with more objects being added, and a player is disqualified if they forget one of the previously occurring items or can not think of a new item to add to the bag. The game continues until all but the winner has been disqualified.^[1]

Example

A game that started as "I packed my bag and in it I put a toothbrush" may, after six further turns, be something like: "I packed my bag and in it I put a toothbrush, a volleyball, a comic book, a banana, a deck of cards, a baseball cap, and a tent."^[2]

Variants

Alphabetical

A common variation of the game is that the items listed must be in alphabetical order, so the first person would need to choose an object beginning with A, the second person's object would begin with B, and so on.^[3] Alternatively, objects can be named in any alphabetical order, but without repeating an earlier starting letter.^[4]

Scenario

Other variations involve using a scenario other than packing the bag. For example, "'I went to the zoo and saw..." following the same rules as either of the above variants.^[5] The game can also be played as "I went on a picnic"^[6] or "I went to the shops".^[7]

See also

• Here Comes an Old Soldier from Botany Bay, a nursery rhyme sung in a similar way

References

1. Brandreth, Gyles. Everyman's word games. Dent. ISBN 0460047116.
2. Jack McGuire (1990). Hopscotch, Hangman, Hot Potato, & Ha Ha Ha: A Rulebook of Children's Games. Simon & Schuster. p. 68. ISBN 0671763326.
3. Cohen, Vicki; Cowen, John (2007). Literacy for Children in an Information Age: Teaching Reading, Writing, and Thinking. p. 334. ISBN 978-0534611194.
4. Parlett, David. The Penguin book of word games. Penguin Books. p. 53. ISBN 0140056866.
5. Wallace, Gerald; Kauffman, James M. (1973). Teaching Children with Learning Problems. Merrill. ISBN 978-0-675-08998-2.
6. Dynes, Robin (2017-07-05). The Memory Handbook: Strategies and Activities to Aid Memory. Taylor & Francis. p. 161. ISBN 978-1-351-69800-9.
7. Lauchlan, Fraser; Carrigan, Donna (2013-03-28). Improving Learning through Dynamic Assessment: A Practical Classroom Resource. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-85700-731-5.