Future Andy, it's me, Past Andy. If you're reading this then that means it's the summer and you're doing camp and you've been tasked with coming up with some sort of activity for the kids. This is it. I've got the activity. I'm currently sitting at my table drinking coffee and looking out the window. It's March 8th, 12:11 pm. I've just come up with this idea in the time it took to open this blog post and go get another cup of coffee.
The Numbers Game
Load up a random number generator that contains the numbers of people in camp--campers and counselors. Ritualistically assign everyone in camp a random number. Their job is to know their number and its properties and discover the numbers of others and their relationship to that person based on their respective numbers relationships to each other.
Strings of consecutive numbers: This is your tribe. Your clan. Your wolfpack. Your crew. Your entourage. So, 13-14-15-16...etc that's a group and a team. The numbers must be consecutive though. If you've got a group that's 24 through 30, you can't let 32 join until you've found 31. The highest number is nominally the leader of the group. Whatever that means
Evens and Odds: Even and Odd numbers generally dislike each other until they are part of the same number string. At the risk of stereotype:
even numbers tend to like things like jello, haikus, dismantling existing power structures, listening to music, looking at moving water, and wheels
odd numbers tend to be a little more idiosyncratic and like chlorophyll, iridescence, logic puzzles, pungent aromas, reform, what St. John of the Cross referred to as the Dark Night of the Soul, looking at cloth, bread, butter, and monster truck shows
Prime Numbers: prime numbers are notoriously elitist. They really don't like to talk to other people who aren't prime numbers. Even in the same consecutive number string they will really only want to hang out with other prime numbers.
Perfect Double/ Perfect Half: If someone's number is the perfect double of your number then they are your parental unit. If someone's number is the perfect half of your number they are your child unit. Odd numbers have parents but don't have children. Do with this what you may.
Same Number/Evil Twin: Assuming the random number generator allows repeats, if someone gets the same number as you, you are considered evil twins.
Soul Linked: If you and another set of numbers are able to form a sum together, that means you are soul linked. So if you are 5 and you find 13 and 18 then the three of you are soul linked because 5+13=18. You can make the equation as large as you want as long as every number is used and part of the equation. So you could 6+11+25=whatever that equals, 42? Whatever. If you're soul linked with someone that means you all share a special soul link secret of your choosing and you say hi to each other and you give high fives and good jobs.
Destiny Bonded: If you are in the same consecutive number string together AND soul linked then you form a destiny bond with one another. This is like a super important group. So, for example if there was a string of numbers like 4 through 11 then 4,7 and 11 AND 5,6 and 11 would each have a destiny bond with 11 being part of both destiny bonds. If you are in a destiny bond then you do the macarena AND say the pledge of allegiance AND sing the national anthem. Also you have a secret token that you all share AND an additional destiny bond secret AND you give double high fives and double say hi's. With like three i's. hiii.
The Freedom of Information Act aka FOIA aka FOIA request: If you are a two digit number then two single digit numbers OR two two digit numbers that each contain one of your digits can form together to file a FOIA request and ask you one (appropriate) question that you must answer truthfully. So if 3 and 7 join up then they can ask a one-time question of 37. Or, if 64 and 51 team up then they can ask a question of 56, 41, 65, etc...
Products: This is like soul-linked but with multiplication instead of addition. So if you are in a group that forms a product then you are um... A SECRET CABAL. So like 3 and 7 and 21 could all be in a secret cabal and they would form a secret plot that they try to enact secretly. do with that what you will.
Digit Brethren: If you and another number share exactly the same digits, just either rearranged like 63 and 36 or doubled like 5 and 55 then you are digit brethren to each other. This means you do that gladiator handshake with each other and say "BRETHREN!"
That's all I can think of right now. The idea is to make it ridiculously elaborate and whatever other number relationships you can think of you can make up another name for. And then the goal is to give people a reason to interact with each other and have a connection based on a completely arbitrary distinction. You know, that feels nice. When people have a reason to talk to you and say hi and give high fives and all that.
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