Japanese New Year Game: Fukuwarai

Fukuwarai, roughly translated as lucky laugh, is a traditional Japanese game played during the New Year’s celebration. It’s both educational and fun and aren’t those the best type of games?

One player is blindfolded and has to place the features on a blank face as the other players coach him/her. The object of the game is to place all the paper cutouts in the shape of the eyes, nose, and mouth on the face.

The game was traditionally played with a funny-looking woman’s face but now any type of face can be used.

Materials:
Paper
Different colored markers to make facial features
Scissors

Instructions:
1. Draw and cut out any type of face. Make it large.
2. Draw and cut out different noses, eyes, mouths, eyebrows
If you don’t have the time to make your own face and features, you can use this template here.

How to play:
Put the face on the floor or table. One player is blindfolded and given different face parts. The other people instruct the player where to put the parts of the face such as eyes, eyebrows, a nose and a mouth by instructing them “higher, lower, to the left, right,” etc.
The game is fun for all ages. For younger children, it’s a good opportunity to practice facial parts, basic commands and directions.