The VirtueGame brings out the best in kids!

Price: $25, free shipping
Promotion: 2 or more, receive 20% off
Ages: 8+
Play Time: 20 minutes
3-6 Players
Made in U.S.A.

To win the game, kids have to earn five out of the ten virtues by completing the tasks described on each card they draw. For example, to mark cooperation, kids are asked to name an imaginary soccer team together, or to invent a secret handshake with another player. A "Thankfulness" card asks the player to hold their breath for as long as they can. When they are finished, the card asks; "aren't you thankful to breathe again?" and reminds the player to be thankful for things that we sometimes take for granted.

In addition to the Virtue Cards, there are Trading Cards that players can use to trade for cards they need. Since some Virtue Cards take more than one person to complete, there is also a Helper Card. This is a great card to have because, if you help someone complete a task, you can mark you chart as well!

I don't think M.C. Hammer was talking about virtues, but the idea is the same. Virtues are intangible, which makes them hard for kids to understand. The VirtueGame makes virtues concrete by giving players tasks that let them use the virtue. When kids read the name of the virtue and then experience it through play, they can internalize what the virtue means. The word "play" is important - the game is social, interactive, and silly. It teaches by surprise.

I originally developed this game for my son's 2nd grade class. Our school was implementing methods from the Virtues Project (check it out at www.virtuesproject.com) I had volunteered to be the "Virtue Mom" for the class and I was supposed to teach a lesson on virtues a few times a month. I thought a game would be a fun way to engage the kids, and figured I could whip one out in a couple weeks. Ha! The process of developing and refining the game took about 2 years! With every change, I'd bring it back to school to test it out, and soon other teachers wanted to use it in their classes. I ended up taking it to schools all over the Seattle area. Seeing the kids play it was a huge inspiration. They LOVED it. I had kids pulling my arms, asking if they could bring it home! The best part was that they were learning from the game. In some schools, the kids hadn't heard of virtues and had no idea what the word "integrity" meant. After playing the game, they were able to explain it in their own words. I was so motivated by the fantastic reaction of the kids that I decided to publish it.

What I learned through this process is that family projects are a fantastic learning tool! Working on this game together as a family got us all thinking about virtues. My kids were involved at every step. They helped create cards (they are very proud of their cards), they voted on which graphics I should use, and they tested every little change. They loved bringing the game into their classes for everyone to play. It has been a huge part of our lives for the last two years, and as a result, the language of virtues is very well practiced here. My kids are quick to tell me that today at school they showed determination, or that they were generous with their friut snacks.
I think the nature of this project was interesting to the kids, but doing it together is what they loved. I imagine they would show the same passion for pasta making if that was our project of choice and we all did it together.