Qualities
Qualities
2-7 players • 25 min • 12 & up
Focus: Communication
Find out more about yourself and those around you by guessing how others think you will rank various activities, values and traits in this game that helps build social relationships.
Skills: Social Relationships, Probability
Game Includes
Game Includes
- 1 Preference Board
- 100 Trait Cards
- 100 Value Cards
- 60 Activity Cards
- 49 Voting Cards
- 27 Question Cards
- 7 Voting Instruction Cards
- 7 Player Number Pawns
- 7 Plastic Holders
- 24 Plastic Tokens
- 1 Token Tray
- 1 Rules Booklet
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How to Play
Educational Standards
Core Standard*: None
Skills
Explore
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players explore the Values, Traits and Activity preferences of other players.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
Parents can support children by making sure to use positive reinforcement and celebrating when children share their preferences, values and traits.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Qualities provides a emotionally safe space for children to explore and learn about the Values and Preferences of other players. It also allows them to share what they think about themselves (e.g. their Traits), as well as their preferred Activities and Values.
Determine
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players determine how to vote by playing a number card.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
Parents may want to remove cards that are not relevant to children.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Educators may want to remove cards that are not relevant to children.
Compare
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Player compare their votes with each other and the Active Player.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
While no special parent support is required, encourage children to discuss the votes and why some people matched and others did not. This will help children learn how to use language to understand and share personal information with others in a safe environment.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
While no special educator support is required, encourage children to discuss the votes and why some people matched and others did not. This will help children learn how to use language to understand and share personal information with others in a safe environment.
Remember
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
This game is primarily about remembering what they know about the Active Player.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
Qualities involves a range of memory skills such as emotional, visual and narrative memories.Allow children to ask one or two questions if they have no idea how to vote. After that, encourage them to make their best guess. Making informed guesses is equivalent to hypothesizing, which is important to mathematics and scientific examination.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Qualities involves a range of memory skills such as emotional, visual and narrative memories. These skills are encompasses in explicit autobiographical, explicit semantic and explicit episodic memory categories.Allow children to ask one or two questions if they have no idea how to vote. After that, encourage them to make their best guess. Making informed guesses is equivalent to hypothesizing, which is important to mathematics and scientific examination.
Predict
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players will try to guess what the Active Player will select.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
If children are having difficulty making a choice (for example, would the Active Player prefer Yoga, Reading or Shopping), give them clues to help them understand or remember what they know about the Active Player. The more they know about the Active Player, the better they will be able to predict what the Active Player will choose.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Qualities involves a range of memory types, including explicit autobiographical, explicit semantic and explicit episodic memory.If children are having difficulty making a choice (for example, would the Active Player prefer Yoga, Reading or Shopping), give them clues to help them understand or remember what they know about the Active Player. The more they know about the Active Player, the better they will be able to predict what the Active Player will choose.
Solve
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players solve the game by having the most successful voting matches, and using tokens to obtain Qualities cards that they need.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
No special parent support required. However, if you notice that a child has more than 2 of a card, suggest that they think about options for obtaining purple coins.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
No special educator support required. However, if you notice that a child has more than 2 of a card, suggest that they think about options for obtaining purple coins.
Review
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players may review if encouraged. See How Parents Can Assist Learning.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
Children will not need support to review. However, reviewing the voting can be great way to enhance learning. For example, prompt children to talk about the votes that surprised them.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Children will not need support to review. However, reviewing the voting can be great way to enhance learning. For example, prompt children to talk about the votes that surprised them.
Demonstrate
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players may demonstrate if encouraged. See How Parents Can Assist Learning.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
After the game is over, ask children to share something new they learned and talk about what interested them about it.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
After the game is over, ask children to share something new they learned and talk about what interested them about it.
*Data compiled from CCSSI ELA Standards, WA Science Standards, and Washington Social Studies Standards
Special Needs
Cognitive
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
A simplification for children with cognitive delays is to make the goal to gather six tokens, not cards. This eliminates the need for getting two of each quality card. Also, allow players win tokens if 3-5 players match each other, not just the active player.
Play the game in stages to learn the various parts. Start with the easiest cards first, namely, the Intensity cards. Then add the Players Choice cards, and, finally, add in the Group vote.
Line up the dominoes in sequential order from 2 to 14, then back down to 3. Then knock them down to make a domino run. This give children with cognitive delays practice in identifying the numbers in sequence as well as counting backwards
Communication
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
After each turn, ask players why they voted the way they did. This will encourage a deeper discussion of actions, feelings, and so on that are perceived by players and led to their conclusions.
It is important that all players have a similar understanding of the meaning of the terms. If a player doesn't understand a word, ask the other players for a definition. If there is no consensus, look up the word. This is a good way for children to learn new vocabulary.
Sensorimotor
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Assist children who have difficulty manipulating the cards.
Social Emotional/Behavioral
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
This game is all about social and emotional traits. Care should be taken with children who are emotionally fragile so they do not feel they are being judged critically. What may be perceived by some children as a positive comment may be perceived by others as negative. Make sure to frame discussions of traits associated with each player in an affirmative way to build self esteem.
Vision
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Read the trait, value, and activity cards to children with low vision.
Hearing
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
All players would need to use sign or the hearing impaired person's communication system for discussion. No modification should be needed for taking turns, as the cards in the game are used for voting.
*Data compiled from CCSSI ELA Standards, WA Science Standards, and Washington Social Studies Standards
Autism
Autism Special Considerations
Appears to ignore other's communication and/or has difficulty giving eye contact to a communication partner
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Although eye contact is not technically required, the game does required players to pay attention to each others comments.
Sit at an angle to the child, so direct eye contact is not needed.
Look at the game instead of each other.
Has difficulty understanding complex verbal directions
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? No
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification?
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Qualities is inappropriate for children who have difficulty understanding complex directions.
Uses vocabulary inaccurately or demonstrates echolalia (repeating another's speech)
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? No
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification?
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Children need to be able to read the cards and discuss their thinking compared to others'. For this reason may be difficult for children with special needs who have difficulty producing accurate communication.
Gets stuck repeating a verbal topic or physical actions and/or has difficulty attending to others' actions or topic.
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? No
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification?
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Children need to pay attention to other player's thoughts and understand their reasoning. For this reason Qualities is not recommended for children who have difficulty listening to and understanding others' thinking.
Has difficulty producing speech/communication
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? No
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification?
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Communication during play is required in some form. If augmentative communication is not possible, the game is not appropriate.
Has difficulty sequencing multi-step actions and/or doing complex abstract tasks
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? No
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification?
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Qualities is not appropriate for children who have difficulty comprehending abstract ideas. Many of the topics, such as Values, are abstract in nature.
Demonstrates difficulty initiating and maintaining social interactions
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? No
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification?
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Qualities is a social game requiring understanding of others thoughts and feelings, turn taking, and communication. For this reason, the game is not appropriate for children with these concerns.
Acts out or demonstrates avoidance behaviors when frustrated, overwhelmed, or needs more sensory input.
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Reduce extraneous noise.
A weighted vest worn during the game may provide additional pressure input and thus reduce fidgeting due to sensory needs. Pressure can be calming when used for no more than 20 minutes at a time. Practice a phrase to ask for help and role play situations in the game where it is needed.
Provide techniques for self-calming, such as holding a special toy. Allow time for movement. For example, a child who needs to move frequently can be given an opportunity to 'celebrate' their turn by running around the table or jumping up and down 10 times.
Has short attention span for non-preferred activities
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? No
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification?
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Not recommended for children who have a short attention span with regard to abstract conversations.
Needs sameness or consistent routines and/or has difficulty with transitions from one activity to another
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Play games at the same time every day, so the child anticipates the game routine.
Change the location of the game, so the child may play in different rooms, at the table, or on the floor. This will build tolerance for variation.
Prepare the child ahead time for the introduction of a new game. Talk about aspects that will be motivating for the child, and let them explore the parts of the game before setting out the whole game.
Provide choices for how the child can be involved in set up or clean up. For example, you might ask, "Do you want to set up the board or set out the game cards?"
Involve the child verbally and with actions for the transition to the game table or at the end of game play. For example, you might say, "Here's a game card. Let's find where it goes?"
Has difficulty understanding others' feelings, intentions, and the reasons for others' actions.
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? No
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification?
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Qualities is not recommended for children who have difficulty understanding others' feelings, intentions, and reasoning. Children need to anticipate other players' thinking and respond by voting accordingly.
*Data compiled from CCSSI ELA Standards, WA Science Standards, and Washington Social Studies Standards
Extended Play
Extra Ways to Play the Game
Don't use the board. Player One draws a card and shows all the other players the card, but doesn't look at it. The other players, in turn, have 30 seconds to try to get Player One to guess what is on the card. The player can use gestures, act it out, or use words (but not the word on the card). If Player One guesses the word or words, both Player One and the person who prompted the guess get a token.
A similar version would be to do the same game, but in a collaborative version, where all players work together to get the active player to guess the card. No tokens are given, it's just for fun!
Materials Needed
No additional materials needed.
Developmental Benefits
The benefit of this modification is that actions add another element to the game. Players have to try to communicate abstract concepts in concrete ways. Adding movement and gestures also contributes a silliness factor that can lighten up any serious topics.
Extra Ways to Play the Game
Add a die. On your turn, after selecting the question card, roll a die. If an odd number comes up, do the opposite . For example, "To which player does this trait apply the most?" You would change it to "To which player does this trait apply the least?"
Materials Needed
Add one die.
Developmental Benefits
This modification makes players do reverse thinking.
*Data compiled from CCSSI ELA Standards, WA Science Standards, and Washington Social Studies Standards
Collapsible content
How to Play Video & Transcript
To win the game of Qualities, you must collect two of each type of card: 2 Traits, 2 Values and 2 Activities. This game supports a large group: up to 7 players, and is intended for those aged 12 and up.
Inside the box is a game board, seven numbered player pawns, seven sets of voting cards and voting instruction cards.
The three decks of Quality Cards offer a large variety of Traits, Values and Activities, and the Question deck lets you ask several kinds of questions related to these cards.
There's also a tray full of purple plastic chips. Three chips can be traded in for a card of your choice. More on that later...
Qualities allows players to learn about each other, while sharing preferences and values. It can be surprising to learn what others think, and you'll often discover something you didn't know before you started playing. This can be a fun way to engage your teens who are curious about you, as well as interested in how others view them. Sharing and connecting is a great way to bond together through play!
Each player picks a numbered pawn and places it on the table in front of them. They also should take the corresponding voting deck.
Place the game board in the center of the table, with the three Qualities decks nearby. Place the Question cards deck in the space provided. Turn over the top two question cards. We're ready to play.
Use one of the voting decks to randomly draw a number from 1-7 to determine a starting player. This player chooses which of the two Question cards they want to use this turn and reads it aloud. Turn over the corresponding Quality card or cards that match this question type and also read them for everyone.
One kind of question has the group trying to predict which of three choices the reader will prefer. Everyone who votes correctly receives one of the purple tokens. And as long as one or more players voted correctly, the active player receives this Quality card.
Here's another type of question. This time, there's only one quality, so instead of voting for 1 to 3, players guess how strongly the active player feels about this quality, from 1 to 5. As before, everyone who is correct gets a purple token, and the reader receives the card - as long as they match at least one person.
Finally, here's one last type of question. This time, everyone vote for which player best matches this trait. Whoever gets the most votes receives the card, and everyone who voted in the majority gets one of the purple chips. The active player gets a bonus chip if they voted in the majority, even if they don't win the card.
Remember that the goal is to get two of each card. If you get a third card of a kind you already have, trade it for two more chips.
Purple chips can be exchanged for a card you do need. Trade in three purple chips to draw a card off any of the three qualities decks.
The first player to acquire two of each card type is the winner of the game!
Qualities is a great game for groups of all sizes, and can be played in teams for groups larger than 7. Try this game as an icebreaker at your next social, community or corporate event! Better yet, enjoy qualities at your own SimplyFun party...