Oodles of Doodles

Oodles of Doodles

Work on identifying facial expressions and emotions, using a writing tool, socialization skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

If you have clients that love to doodle, Oodles of Doodles can be a fun game all around. The game comes with a dry erase board divided into 8 sections, dry erase markers, dry erase eraser, a sand timer, a score keeper for two players or two teams, a box of cards and a card stand.

Each card has a category on the front and then a list of eight items on the back. Your goal will be to draw those pictures on the board so that the other player(s) can identify them. For instance, one category is 'things that smell good'. The items listed are flowers, perfume, coffee, Christmas tree, shampoo, oranges, fresh bread, baby powder. The board is divided into eight spaces and you will draw these items, each in a different space. 

When I am playing a game like this, I always allow the individual to choose the category that he wants to draw to ensure that he feels he can draw the necessary items and understands what they are. Playing a game is the method I choose to teach them something that is outlined in their goals. If I have to change the rules of a game, modify it, stack the deck, etc., to achieve that, so be it. 

I have primarily used this game when working on reading body language because there are several cards that can lead to a discussion in that area. I usually start by letting the individual choose any card or two he wants to draw, and I do the same. Now I introduce the cards that will be the core of our teaching: Wear it on Your Face, Parts of the Face, and Emotions. Wear it on your face has a list of things like a clown nose, eye patch, and sunglasses, and can lead to a discussion about how the expressions people wear on their faces can tell a lot about what they are thinking or feeling. Parts of the face include things like eyebrows, mouth, and forehead, and can lead to a discussion about parts of the face that are expressive and how they can also give you clues as to what someone may be thinking or feeling. Emotions include things like happy, scared, sad, and can lead to a discussion about reading the whole face and body. 

Object:
Choose a number of rounds to play. Be the person with the highest score at the end of the rounds. Decide beforehand whether the points for a game will go to the person who is drawing or the person who is guessing.

Set up:

Shuffle the cards. Place the drawing board between the players. Set the timer, score keeper, markers and eraser nearby.

Play:

Players take turns. Choose a category card. Set it in the stand so that the items on the back of the card are facing you and the category is facing them. Flip the timer and start drawing. Draw the first item in box one. After the player(s) guesses what it is, place a check mark in the small box at the top to show it was guessed correctly. Move to box two and start drawing item two. If the player(s) is having trouble and you feel they won't guess it and you have used too much time, start drawing the next item and don't put a check in the box at the top. Don't wait to finish an item if the person guesses it, just move on. Draw quickly and see how many you can complete before the timer runs out. After each player has had a chance to draw, that is one round.

When the time runs out, count the number of checked boxes and push the score keeper arrow forward that many to increase your score. Play the number of rounds you decided on at the beginning and the person with the highest score is the winner.

If you would like to read more about games that require writing or drawing in some form, check out my post Games That Require a Writing Tool.   

If you are interested in purchasing this game or just want more information, click on the image below to go to Amazon.com.