How to Play Queenie Queenie

By Jaques of London · Est. 1795 · Updated 2026-08-17

Queenie Queenie is a traditional playground game for four or more players that needs nothing but a ball and a bit of outdoor space. One player takes the role of Queenie, turning their back on the group, while everyone else competes to secretly hold the ball and bluff their way past Queenie's scrutiny. It is fast to learn, endlessly replayable, and requires no equipment beyond whatever ball is to hand.

The game is particularly popular with children aged five to ten and is most commonly played in school playgrounds, parks, and gardens. Its charm lies in the combination of quick physical scrambling and deliberate acting: players must look innocent while hiding a ball, and Queenie must read faces and body language to expose the culprit. It rarely needs an adult to referee and self-organises easily in a break-time setting.

A little history

The origins of Queenie Queenie are unclear. It belongs to a broad family of traditional British playground games involving a ball, concealment, and a single guesser, and has been played in UK schoolyards for at least several generations. Variants are documented across Ireland, Australia, and parts of North America under similar names. No single inventor or date of origin is recorded, and it is thought to have been passed down through oral tradition among children rather than through any formal publication or ruleset.

Setting up

1. Choose a flat, open space outdoors with room for players to spread out.
2. Select one player to be Queenie first. This can be done by agreement, by the youngest player volunteering, or by a quick dip rhyme.
3. All remaining players stand together facing Queenie's back, roughly three to five metres behind her.
4. Queenie holds the ball and is ready to throw.

How to play

1. Queenie stands at the front of the playing area with her back to the other players. She holds the ball.
2. Queenie throws or tosses the ball over her shoulder, behind her, towards the group. She must not look back while doing so.
3. The other players scramble to catch or pick up the ball. Only one player ends up with the ball.
4. Once someone has the ball, all players including the one holding it put their hands behind their backs. Players without the ball make fists or cup their empty hands to conceal who has it.
5. All players call out together: 'Queenie, Queenie, who's got the ball? Is she big or is she small? Is she fat or is she thin? Or is she like a rolling pin?' (The traditional chant may vary by region; any agreed version is acceptable.)
6. Queenie turns around and looks at all the players.
7. Queenie has one guess to identify who is holding the ball.
8. If Queenie guesses correctly, she remains Queenie for the next round.
9. If Queenie guesses incorrectly, the player who was holding the ball becomes the new Queenie.
10. The round resets and a new round begins with the new or continuing Queenie.

Winning and scoring

There is no single winning condition in the traditional version; the game is open-ended and played for as long as the group wishes. The informal objective for Queenie is to keep her role as long as possible by guessing correctly. The informal objective for the other players is to become Queenie by successfully deceiving her. In organised or timed play, some groups award one point to Queenie for each correct guess and one point to the ball-holder each time Queenie guesses wrong, with the player holding the most points at the end of a set time declared the winner.

The fine points

The most common dispute is whether Queenie peeked while throwing. The standard ruling is that if any player other than Queenie clearly saw her look back, she must throw again. Similarly, if the ball lands well outside the group's reach or rolls far away and only one player retrieves it, many groups apply a retrow rule so concealment remains genuinely possible. Players should agree on this before starting.

A second frequent argument concerns players moving their hands or shuffling in a way that reveals the ball. The standard ruling is that deliberate pointing or loud shuffling counts as a forfeit: Queenie may name that player automatically without using her formal guess. However, accidental noise from the ball is not a forfeit; Queenie still has to make a guess. It is also worth agreeing in advance whether Queenie must name a single player or may ask everyone to reveal their hands one at a time. Most traditional play requires a single committed guess.

How to win more often

• As Queenie, watch where the ball lands and note which players move toward that spot first. The person who retrieves it often returns to position quickly, trying to look natural.
• As a ball-holder, match your posture to those around you. If most players are standing upright with hands relaxed behind their backs, do the same. Standing stiffly or leaning forward gives you away.
• As Queenie, look at faces last, not first. Check hand position and shoulder angle before you make eye contact. Players tense their shoulders slightly when gripping a ball.
• If you are not holding the ball, act as though you might be. Shuffle your feet slightly or adopt a neutral expression. Making Queenie uncertain about multiple players protects the real holder.
• As Queenie, if you genuinely cannot tell, choose a player who is looking away or avoiding your gaze rather than one who is making confident eye contact. Experienced holders often overcompensate with a steady stare.

Variations

Queenie with Elimination

In this version, if Queenie guesses correctly, the player who held the ball is eliminated from that round rather than becoming Queenie. Rounds continue until only one player is left, who wins the round. A new round then starts with the original Queenie or the winner taking the role.

Silent Queenie

The traditional chant is dropped entirely. After the ball is hidden, Queenie simply turns around and guesses without any verbal prompt. This version moves faster and suits older players who find the chant tedious. It also removes the audio cue Queenie might use to listen for where the ball is.

Queenie with Multiple Balls

Two balls are thrown over Queenie's shoulder instead of one. Two separate players end up holding balls and Queenie must correctly identify both to retain her position. Guessing only one correctly counts as a miss and the first unidentified ball-holder becomes the new Queenie. This variant works best with eight or more players.

Team Queenie

Players divide into two equal teams. One team nominates a Queenie and the other team are the hiders. The hiders score a point each time Queenie guesses wrong; Queenie's team scores a point for each correct guess. Teams swap roles after a set number of rounds, typically five, and the team with the higher score wins. This format suits larger groups of ten or more and adds a cooperative element to what is usually an individual game.

Queenie Queenie: frequently asked questions