Blog | Cooperative Games

A Cooperative Game for Valentine’s Day: Clap Happy

February 14, 2022 by Suzanne Lyons

Materials: None needed
Time Estimate: 10 minutes or more
Number of Players: 6 or more
Ages: 5 and above
Object of the Game: To help a volunteer guess a gesture
Skills: Cooperation; Large Motor Skills; Observation
Game Category: Classroom game; Party game

To Play: Ask for a volunteer to leave the group. Those remaining decide on a gesture that they will try to get the volunteer to perform when he returns to the group. For example, the group may decide that the volunteer should salute or touch her toes. When the volunteer returns to the group, she randomly strikes different poses. As she gets “warmer,” the group claps louder until chapping reaches a crescendo when the correct pose is reached.

Notes: This game imparts a true feeling of being part of a cooperative group. It’s fun to be part of the frantically clapping chorus with the benevolent goal of helping the volunteer make the secret gesture.

Ten Reasons to Homeschool with Cooperative Games…And Ten Ways to Do It

January 31, 2022 by Suzanne Lyons

Have you ever played a cooperative game? Cooperative games are based on cooperation rather than competition. Players work together to win. Thus, winning becomes a shared experience rather than an individualistic one. When players win, it’s joy for everyone. If they lose, no one bears the disappointment alone or gets labeled the “loser.”

As a former public-school science teacher as well as a former homeschool parent, I have seen great value of cooperative games in teaching. Cooperative play makes learning fun. It also teaches valuable social skills including, of course, cooperation. Cooperation is important for students to learn because it is essential to success in personal relationships as well as in the workplace. In a broader sense, cooperation is important to teach because students will need cooperative skills and an appreciation of cooperation to maintain a just, peaceful, and democratic society.

Cooperative games come in all formats including circle games, board games, party games, active physical games, digital games and more. Games exist for students of all ages too. You can find directions for cooperative games on the internet (for example, I have many free games posted on my site CooperativeGames.com). There are wonderful cooperative games manuals as well. The classic Cooperative Games and Sports by Terry Orlick (1978) is full of fun and easy games to play with school-age children.

There are some particular reasons why cooperative games are well-suited to homeschooling. In this short article, I give you the top ten reasons gathered from my research. Also, I have listed my top ten favorite ways to use them in the homeschooling setting. Enjoy!

Top Ten Reasons to Use Cooperative Games in Homeschool Settings for Students of Any Age

They can be used to teach specific subject area knowledge, including math, language arts, science, and the arts.
They teach cooperative behavior (Orlick, 1978).
They teach many social-emotional skills such as listening, encouraging others, and offering help (Goldstein, 1994).
They prevent the emotional meltdowns associated with losing competitive games.
They reduce aggression (Bay et al, 1994).
There are cooperative games for students of all ages and abilities.
They can teach problem-solving and other critical-thinking skills.
They provide a break from excess competition.
They foster dialogue, communication, and bonding between students or between teacher and student.
They are fun!

Top Ten Ways to Implement Cooperative Games in Homeschooling Settings

Have students play cooperative board games with educational themes. Pandemic, created by Matt Leacock, is one very timely example! The game I created with singer Raffi, called The Baby Beluga Game, teaches ocean science. The board game Auntie Ruth’s Apples from Family Pastimes is a fun board game for teaching math.
Use physically active cooperative games and sports for physical education. (Refer to the Internet or books on cooperative games for active games. Consider Cooperative Volleyball, No-elimination Simon Says, and Blob Tag.)
Engage students in the many classroom cooperative games that teach academic subjects. (Again, research books and websites for specific games. Examples include: Cooperative Storytelling and Cooperative Words and Pictures, which teach language arts. More examples can be found on CooperativeGames.com.)
Provide cooperative games that are designed specifically for social-emotional learning. (Again, there are many of these you can easily discover. Partner Walk and Trust Fall are classics.)
Gather homeschool students together for large-group cooperative games. Sports, social skills, and academic knowledge can all be learned through festive, cooperative games.
Have students make their own cooperative games to play with one another. If the students are to make board games, you will need to provide materials. But active cooperative games need nothing but imagination, an experimental attitude, and an understanding of what cooperation involves.
Change the rules of traditional competitive games to make them cooperative. For example, play Cooperative Musical Chairs—a classic.
To formalize learning, be sure to involve students in reflection after gameplay. For example, pose questions such as: “How did it feel to cooperate rather than compete while playing a game?”; “Why is cooperation important?”; “Could you change the rules of this game to make it more fun next time?”, etc.
Start the school day with a quick cooperative game as a welcoming practice, to invite the student into a participatory and nurturing version of schooling.
Parents, Teachers, and Parent-Teachers: Play with your students! In cooperative games, players help one another. Thus, it is very natural for you as the teacher to discuss ideas with students, teach bits of academic knowledge, and coach critical thinking and social skills in the course of a cooperative game. This is teaching through play and intimate encouragement. It is a win-win for students and teachers alike.

References

Bay-Hinitz, A.K., Peterson, R.F., & Quiltch. (1994). Cooperative Games: A Way to Modify Aggressive and Cooperative Behaviors in Young Children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27(3), 435-446. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1994.27-435

Goldstein, A.P. (2002). The Psychology of Group Aggression. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Orlick, T. D. (1981). Positive socialization via cooperative games. Developmental Psychology, 17(4), 426–429. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.17.4.426

The Baby Beluga Game Wins Dr. Toy Awards

November 30, 2018 by Suzanne Lyons

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Suzanne Lyons, 800-328-1050, [email protected]

The Baby Beluga Game Wins Dr. Toy Awards:
Ten Best Educational Products and Best Picks for Children’s Products 2018

Nevada City, CA (November 25, 2018) – The Baby Beluga Game, a new board game from CooperativeGames.com, has been honored with the Dr. Toy Ten Best Educational Products Award and the Best Picks for Children’s Products Award-2018.

The Dr. Toy Award Program was developed by noted play and child development authority, Stevanne Auerbach, PhD, (a.k.a. Dr. Toy) in 1992 as a service to consumers who desire safe, affordable, educationally oriented, stimulating toys and play products for children. The program began in 1992 by Dr. Toy in cooperation with the national publication, Early Childhood News. So what is The Baby Beluga Game and why did it win these prestigious Dr. Toy awards?

The Baby Beluga Game is a new cooperative board game for children ages 3-10. It presents players with a challenge: Can Baby Beluga and his Friends complete the Arctic journey to swim wild and free? To win, players must work together, use their smarts—and their hearts. The game features three levels of play for readers and non-readers alike. Designed to be used by families and friends and in the classroom too. Green, fair-trade, and made in the USA by a small, independent company, CooperativeGames.com.

Famed children’s entertainer Raffi teamed up with Suzanne Lyons, educator and founder of CooperativeGames.com, to produce the game. Lyons specializes in science as well as social-emotional learning, which comes through in the final product. Explains Lyons: “I wanted to create a game that supports the loving, pro-social nature of children. Cooperative games show it’s natural to work and play together and enjoy one another. Whales, like Baby Beluga, are intelligent animals with happy social lives based on cooperation. Learning about whales is a great way to learn science and social skills at the same time.”

Besides teaching social skills and science, the game fosters music, art and imaginative play, too. Music gets in the act via a free download of Raffi singing “Baby Beluga”. The extraordinary design and illustration stimulate visual art appreciation. The box interior, as well as the 32-page game guidebook, game board, and wooden game tokens feature original paintings by artist Ashley Wolff, who illustrated the classic Baby Beluga children’s book. The box design is innovative, beautiful and functional—tray and lid snap together to make an illustrated diorama useful for optional creative free play.

Three levels of play means that the youngest players can engage with very simple strategy and science ideas while older players can partake of more complex strategy and Earth science content. Truly, The Baby Beluga Game is positively packed with play and educational value—which is why it has earned the two celebrated Dr. Toy Awards.

What does Raffi think, 38 years after he first introduced the now-famous little whale? “I feel like a proud papa,” he admitted. “A lot of care went into developing this game.”

The Baby Beluga Game is available now for holiday gift giving in the United States and Canada. To find out more details and order a copy go to the game website: BabyBelugaGame.com

Baby Beluga Game Delivers Cooperative, Chlorine-Free FUN In CO-OP with Singer RAFFI

September 26, 2018 by Suzanne Lyons

CONTACT: KidStuff Public Relations
Lisa Orman • 608-767-1102
[email protected]

Discover How Social Skills Go Up, Aggression Goes Down as Kids
Play “Nice” And Feel Good with Cooperative Board Games

Nevada City, CA (September 19, 2018) — Most children have lots of opportunity to play competitive games where someone wins and naturally, someone loses. Whether it’s a soccer match, video game or racing to be first, competitive games are quite the norm. CooperativeGames.com, a California-based company, offers another option—cooperative play. Kids get together for fun collaboration, sharing and kindness to “win” as a group while playing these games. Their newest offering is The Baby Beluga Game ($34.95). If it sounds familiar, then you must be a fan of Raffi’s signature song of the same name.

The catchy sing-along tune was introduced in 1980. Now four decades later, the lovable whale is back, but in a board game. The Baby Beluga Game was created, cooperatively, by Raffi and fair-trade, indie game developer Suzanne Lyons of CooperativeGames.com. It features paintings by Ashley Wolff, who illustrated Raffi’s Baby Beluga book, and comes with a free download of the Baby Beluga song and a 32-page illustrated booklet.

Why a whale and why now? “I designed The Baby Beluga Game,” explains Lyons, “to support the loving, pro-social nature of children. I’m concerned that competitive games send the message that winning only happens when we out-do others. Cooperative games show we can play together so we all win at the same time. Whales, like Baby Beluga, are intelligent animals that have happy social lives based on cooperation. There’s no better role model for cooperative play than Baby Beluga in my opinion.”

Marine biologists agree! Not just cooperative but compassionate best describes the real-life belugas says Canadian scientists who do whale research. They have been following a narwhal – a medium-sized whale that possesses a large “tusk” – swimming with a school of young belugas. The fact that they are two different species doesn’t seem to interfere with their three-year-old friendship!

“I think it shows … the compassion and the openness of other species,” concludes Harvard researcher Martin Nweeia to CBC Television, “to welcome another member that may not look or act the same. And maybe that’s a good lesson for everyone.”

See the belugas and narwhal at play in Canada’s St. Lawrence River on this YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=73&v=LdusjFmgn-w

The Baby Beluga Game
The board game’s goal is simple — players win by helping Baby Beluga and Friends swim wild and free. As they ponder the next move, children from ages 3 to 10 do a little STEM learning, finding out about whales and ocean science in a fun way. Plenty of thought went into every aspect of the game and its contents. There’s even a little canoe to hold game pieces and keep them organized between play times!

“A new, engaging cooperative board game that parents and teachers should know about and introduce to children,” shouted out toy industry guru Dr. Toy (aka Stevanne Auerbach). “Like the best cooperative games, I believe The Baby Beluga Game can positively influence teamwork, respect, compassion, and help build confidence. It also encourages children’s love of nature, which makes this game extra special.”

Just in time for back-to-school and holiday gift giving or for Family Game Night, the game is available in the United States and in Canada. U.S. shoppers can purchase the game at www.CooperativeGames.com. Canadian parents can buy it on amazon.ca.

The reviews from parents who have ordered the game online have been five stars:

Two of my grandchildren aged 2 and 5 love playing this game when they visit. Their father grew up with Raffi and now they are too. What fun!!!

The Baby Beluga game has been loved by my 6 and 4 year old. The 4 year old loves all the pieces and brilliant art work. My 6 year old loves to get “trouble” and work her way through the trouble cards. My girls love the idea of working together to get Baby Beluga into the wild and free space while finding friends along the way. This game has been great entertainment for just the girls or as a family game night experience. We love it and highly recommend this cooperative game!

The Baby Beluga Game • Ages 3+ • $34.95
Can players help Baby Beluga and his Friends complete the journey to swim wild and free? There could be trouble along the way. But players can win if they work together. This fun cooperative board game teaches children all about Baby Beluga and his Arctic friends as well as the ocean environment and the joys of playing together. The game is lovingly made with fair-trade practices and Earth-friendly materials in California.

What does Raffi think, 38 years after he first introduced the now-famous little whale? “I feel like a proud papa,” he admitted. “A lot of care went into developing this game.”

ABOUT COOPERATIVE GAMES AND THE INVENTOR
CooperativeGames.com is a small independent business, a part of Child and Nature LLC, supplying the public with cooperative board games, as well as books and resources for cooperative play. CooperativeGames.com is owned and operated by Suzanne Lyons, designer of The Baby Beluga Game.

Lyons is a science educator by training who combines science teaching with social-emotional learning, art, and fun. She writes books and makes games including Conceptual Integrated Science, a science textbook now in its third edition, published by Pearson.

In 2009 Lyons started her own publishing company, Child and Nature. It has a special division for cooperative play: CooperativeGames.com so Lyons can teach teachers and the public about the power of cooperative play. In 2015, she wrote the research-based book, The Cooperative Games Bullying Prevention Program, which Raffi endorsed and wanted to help promote.

Suzanne’s educational background includes degrees in physics (UC Berkeley), Earth Science (Sacramento State University), and Education (Stanford University), plus she holds a California teaching credential. She lives in Northern California and has two college-age children.

Discover the benefits of cooperative play at CooperativeGames.com.

Benefits of Cooperative Games for Young Children

August 9, 2018 by Suzanne Lyons

Cooperative Games reduce aggression in young children. See the study “Cooperative Games in Young Children: A Way to Modify Aggression” by April Bay Hinitz et al; 1994; University of Nevada, Reno.
Cooperative Games increase pro-social skills including sharing and kindness. See studies by Terry Orlick and others.
Though cooperative games have not been studied extensively, as they are not widely known about, they are both a form of cooperative learning and of course a form of play. There’s an enormous amount of scholarship and research documenting the benefits of both cooperative learning (see for example the brothers Johnson at the University of Minnesota) and the benefits of play (see for example the work of Peter Gray or Stuart Brown.) Benefits of cooperative learning include increased mastery of content and reduced classroom management and discipline problems while play is known to be essential for mental health and intellectual development. Cooperative play has all of the benefits of cooperative learning as well as play, since it is a form of both!
Cooperative games have been shown to be useful in therapy situations to enhance communication skills of autistic and socially withdrawn children.
Cooperative games are inclusive so they promote a “sense of belonging”. The importance of a sense of belonging in academic achievement has been documented by Jeffrey Cohen at Stanford and others.
Cooperative games are fun as documented by Terry Orlick and others. Fun and happiness are beginning to be appreciated as important in their own right on humanitarian grounds. Consider for example the UN declaration on the right of children to play. Also positive psychology is beginning to document the value of happiness in human health.
Cooperative games build empathy because the underlying ethic is mutual care and concern as opposed to the dog-eat-dog, “nice guys finish last” ethos that characterizes hypercompetitive society.
Cooperative games help develop problem-solving skills.
Cooperative play gives children practice working together which prepares them for cooperative learning and collaborative learning teaching strategies.
Cooperative games provide a break from excess competition. (As documented in No Contest, The Case Against Competition, competition has many downsides including that it increases anxiety in children and reduces equity. Yet most schooling is competitively structured. For this reason it is important to give children a break from the destructive effects of excess competition.)
Cooperative games can promote group cohesion and group identity.
They are inclusive so no one wastes valuable class time sitting idly on the sidelines.
Many cooperative games are physically active games so they help children stay physically fit.
They allow kids practice taking turns and being courteous, which is a valuable life skill.
They prepare kids for working life where team-playing is the norm.
They prevent emotional meltdowns/embarrassment/meanness that commonly occur in competitive situations.
Cooperative games build healthy relationships because they allow children to interact respectfully with one another and enjoy one another’s company.
When adults give children cooperative play opportunities, they communicate to children that cooperation is a valued social norm. Thus cooperative games help build a positive social climate, which feels safe and enjoyable for children.
Cooperative games open the heart because they activate mutual appreciation, and feelings of love and kindness. Thus they are a form of holistic learning (which can be summarized as learning that involves hand, heart, and mind.)
Because children learn through play, children learn to cooperate through cooperative play. Cooperation is an essential social and emotional skill with a thousand benefits including that it is necessary for social relationships, success in the workplace, and for peaceful living in the larger society.
Cooperative games teach kindness and fairness and demonstrate the increased productivity that comes from working with one’s fellow humans. Thus they model the kind of social interaction that is needed in the 21^st century global community with its many intertwined social and environmental challenges. Thus, playing cooperative games help children become the kinds of citizens who can create and enjoy a sustainable and equitable society. In other words, cooperative games help build a better world, and this is their ultimate benefit for everyone—children and grown-ups alike.