My 7-year-old has no trouble expressing herself. When she’s not particularly fond of my meatloaf, she tells me so (and in no uncertain terms, mind you). And when she’s just learned that she won a raffle at school, she does nothing short of shouting it from the rooftop (thank goodness she’s still too young for Facebook). But for those kids who need an extra nudge when it comes to social networking the old-fashioned way, comes a board game that makes self-discovery less of a challenge. Call it a modern day charades, Social (e) Motion
helps kids age 5 and up better interpret their own thoughts and feelings by making the guesswork feel less like a chore. As each player draws a Face Card, they have the option of either drawing or acting out the specified emotion. (No worries about drawing abilities; amateur artwork gets the message across just fine!). However, the more skilled you are at conveying what’s on the cards, the more chips you acquire and the greater your chance to win. To spice up the game play, Wildcards double your earnings and the fun, prompting players to make unexpected moves with suggestions like trying to make the player on your right laugh (easier said than done!). We like the personal touch of this game: Face Cards are taken from family photo albums and Wildcards ideas are submitted by real kids. As the saying goes, if you play your cards right, you just might win–and not just at this game…
In a Nutshell: Your kid isn’t one to bare his soul? This game may offer him the chance to feel a bit more comfortable sharing his thoughts.
**Stay tuned all next week, as The Talking Walnut goes to Toy Fair and tells you what your kids will be bugging you…eh, we mean asking you to buy them next!**
