I spend more time than I'd like to admit playing "Rock, Paper, Scissors" with my kids. This includes some of the variants like "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock" and other items that we've added to the mix (each with their own strength and weakness)
It can actually be a great way to kill some time when you have to wait with kids somewhere, like in line at an amusement park, or waiting to bail your significant other out of jail.
My claim is that the cooperative version is far more fun than the competitive version, and less prone to cause injury (seriously though, my kid is brutal to my poor "scissor" hand when he gets rock, and don't get my started on the aggressive lizard when it poisons my Spock)
Anyway, getting to the point here... Why limit yourself to rock, paper and scissors? In fact, why limit yourself in any way? Allow the thing you choose to be a random surprise. And then have a conversation about which one might "win", but allow for multiple possibilities and explanations.
For example, my son and I came up with "garlic" vs. "a siren". There's no obvious answer there.
There are some major upsides to this
a) It spurs creativity to come up with completely random stuff
b) It's can be very funny.
c) It kills time much more effectively than the other version, due to the conversation aspect
d) It (may) give some insight to your child about power dynamics & what makes something truly powerful
(OK, maybe that last one is a reach. And maybe makes me seem a smidge "new-agey".)
The main downside I can think of is fighting, if your kids are inclined to do so (which, as I understand, most of them are).
I mean, they have to be able to comprehend the idea that there doesn't have to be a winner to have fun. I make no judgments if your kids are quarrelsome. Well, except that surely this would never have happened if you were doing these cooperative games since they were small. (Please don't anyone take that last line seriously. I have that problem far too often.)
P.S. An "adult" version would also be quite fun, just sayin'.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Friday, January 15, 2016
High Net Value
Any game that involves a net in the middle (Tennis, Volleyball, Badminton or Ping-Pong) can be played in a way that's cooperative. The idea is to keep the ball in play as long as possible. It's a good low-stress way to improve basic skills, and can be a more relaxing pastime between friends. I can't really speak for wanting to watch these games, but you never know.
Some of this can also be done without a net - volleying a ball or balloon back and forth in the air to see how long you can keep it from falling.
While I'm on the topic of physical games, there's already a version of cooperative Dodgeball that I didn't make up. Players who get hit by a ball just join the other team. This continues until there is just one team. It works out pretty well.
[Cooperative Volleyball] [Cooperative Tennis] [Cooperative Badminton] [Cooperative Ping-Pong] [Cooperative Dodgeball]
Some of this can also be done without a net - volleying a ball or balloon back and forth in the air to see how long you can keep it from falling.
While I'm on the topic of physical games, there's already a version of cooperative Dodgeball that I didn't make up. Players who get hit by a ball just join the other team. This continues until there is just one team. It works out pretty well.
[Cooperative Volleyball] [Cooperative Tennis] [Cooperative Badminton] [Cooperative Ping-Pong] [Cooperative Dodgeball]
Battleship Buddies
There are a couple of ways to play battleship cooperatively.
Option 1:
Similar to "Less Stress Guess...Who". Instead of playing as opponents, simply place pieces on one side, and let one person guess while the other tells them "hit" or "miss" and try to get to the end in as few turns as possible. You could even re-frame in a way that lets the "informing" player be the "spy". It's really no less challenging.
Option 2:
A friend of mine* came up with an interesting "coopetition" version of this game, to be played 2-vs-2. On each side you have one "main" player, and one "spy" (or "scout"). The main player asks directly if a spot is a hit or a miss, but the next time it's the team's turn, the spy must play. The spy indicates a 3x3 grid, and asks if the ship lies within it. Regardless of a yes or no answer, and no hits are made. But of course, this can really help the main player the next time it comes back to them.
(* Gregory, an avid gamer)
[Cooperative Battleship]
Option 1:
Similar to "Less Stress Guess...Who". Instead of playing as opponents, simply place pieces on one side, and let one person guess while the other tells them "hit" or "miss" and try to get to the end in as few turns as possible. You could even re-frame in a way that lets the "informing" player be the "spy". It's really no less challenging.
Option 2:
A friend of mine* came up with an interesting "coopetition" version of this game, to be played 2-vs-2. On each side you have one "main" player, and one "spy" (or "scout"). The main player asks directly if a spot is a hit or a miss, but the next time it's the team's turn, the spy must play. The spy indicates a 3x3 grid, and asks if the ship lies within it. Regardless of a yes or no answer, and no hits are made. But of course, this can really help the main player the next time it comes back to them.
(* Gregory, an avid gamer)
[Cooperative Battleship]
Perfect Perfection
This game is already geared toward cooperation, since it's player(s) vs timer. The competitive aspect is practically an afterthought.
Here, simply work together to get the pieces in their spaces before the time runs out. I wouldn't be surprised if many people already play it this way sometimes. The main point of even mentioning it is that it can be a helpful suggestion to squabbling kids.
[Cooperative Perfection]
Here, simply work together to get the pieces in their spaces before the time runs out. I wouldn't be surprised if many people already play it this way sometimes. The main point of even mentioning it is that it can be a helpful suggestion to squabbling kids.
[Cooperative Perfection]
Joint Jenga
This is pretty much the same idea as "Nice Don't Break the Ice". You want to take away as many total blocks as possible without knocking down the structure, and (important!) not removing any blocks from the top layer.
This can also be fun as "coopetition", using teams to see which towers can stay standing with the fewest overall blocks.
For more challenge, players should not be allowed to talk among themselves.
[Cooperative Jenga]
This can also be fun as "coopetition", using teams to see which towers can stay standing with the fewest overall blocks.
For more challenge, players should not be allowed to talk among themselves.
[Cooperative Jenga]
Nice Don't Break the Ice
A big part of the fun of this game is tapping the blocks, and the suspense at the possibility that they will fall.
Game Play:
Each player takes a turn removing blocks one at a time, just like in the normal game. But instead of collecting the highest number of blocks, you want to end up with the fewest blocks possible in play that still hold up the man/bear/thing in the middle.
I totally admit - the competitive version of this game is better. There's a whole new level of complexity when you have to think of a strategy to thwart the other players. But this version is still fun, especially for teaching beginners.
[Cooperative Don't Break the Ice]
Game Play:
Each player takes a turn removing blocks one at a time, just like in the normal game. But instead of collecting the highest number of blocks, you want to end up with the fewest blocks possible in play that still hold up the man/bear/thing in the middle.
I totally admit - the competitive version of this game is better. There's a whole new level of complexity when you have to think of a strategy to thwart the other players. But this version is still fun, especially for teaching beginners.
[Cooperative Don't Break the Ice]
Hi-Ho Cheery-O
Little kids like this game because it's fun to move the cherries from the bucket to the tree and back. In the process they learn fine motor control and counting skills. Why add any other drama to it?
When a player spins the spinner, together you can decide which player it should apply to. The goal is to fill all the buckets with cherries as quickly as you can. If cherries have to be spilled, you'll want to strategically apply this to the bucket that already has the fewest cherries.
If you're feeling politically distressed about the message this game sends (i.e. "Let's cooperate so we can more efficiently strip these trees of their vital natural resources!"), feel free to reverse the game and put the cherries ON the tree from the bucket. It's also a nice idea if your kid wants to play again immediately and you don't feel like re-setting the board. (I may be speaking from experience.)
[Cooperative Hi-Ho Cherry-O]
When a player spins the spinner, together you can decide which player it should apply to. The goal is to fill all the buckets with cherries as quickly as you can. If cherries have to be spilled, you'll want to strategically apply this to the bucket that already has the fewest cherries.
If you're feeling politically distressed about the message this game sends (i.e. "Let's cooperate so we can more efficiently strip these trees of their vital natural resources!"), feel free to reverse the game and put the cherries ON the tree from the bucket. It's also a nice idea if your kid wants to play again immediately and you don't feel like re-setting the board. (I may be speaking from experience.)
[Cooperative Hi-Ho Cherry-O]
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