monkey in the middle
Three-player keepaway game
Monkey in the middle is a children's game where two players toss a ball back and forth while a third player in the center tries to intercept it.
By extension, it describes anyone caught between two opposing parties: I felt like the monkey in the middle during my parents' divorce.
Also called piggy in the middle.
- catchSeize or snag
- throwPropel by arm motion
- interceptSeize en route
- third wheelExtra person with couple
- odd man outOne not fitting in
left out · keep-away · middleman · fence-sitter · game · go-between · circle · no man's land · ball · dilemma · stalemate · playground · players · arbitration · pass · exclusion · cliques · isolation
- recess gamestag, hopscotch, jump rope, hide and seek, duck duck goose
- street gameshopscotch, kick the can, stickball, stoopball, four square
game structure
monkey in the middlecooperative games
Games with shared victory
team sports · organized sports · parachute games · soccer · circle games
monkey, middle, monkeys, monkeyed, monkeying, middles, middling