Obstacles

Obstacles - A game of imaginative solutions and cooperative problem solving.

The goal of Obstacles is to encourage imaginative solutions and cooperative problem solving. Time to think outside the box!

You've been out and about, but it's time to head home. As you make your way toward home, you'll encounter several obstacles and will need to find ways to get past them by using the random tool cards that you're dealt. There are 100 tool cards included (see image above), so you can play this game over and over without ever repeating a solution. Some of the tool cards seem quite promising, such as a bridge, lever, trampoline and cement mixer. Others seem less so, such as a pile of leaves, jack-in-the-box, shower curtain and butter. But what seems promising in one situation may be absolutely useless in another. As you brainstorm solutions together, it will be these odd combinations that will make the game challenging, fun, and even funny. I loved this game and so did the kids.

Three of the 25 obstacle cards that may block your path are shown above - a herd of sheep, an ogre and a swamp. Others include a cliff, swarm of bees, traffic jam, thicket of poison ivy, and blizzard.

The instructions are on the back of the lid. It will be hard to misplace them :)

Object:
Get home safely by working together to overcome obstacles in your way.

Set up:
Deal tool cards to the players (how many cards will depend on how many people are playing). Players place their tool cards face-up in front of them. Mix the obstacle cards and lay a path of several with the home card at the end.

Play:
Start with the first obstacle in the path. One by one, the players will choose one of their tools and tell how it will help overcome the obstacle. Once everyone has had a chance, open it for discussion. Players can suggest using any combination of tools from any of the face-up cards. Use the rules for brainstorming and don't be judgmental as everyone throws out ideas. When brainstorming is over, the players choose one solution, by consensus or majority vote, that they feel is the best. Best may mean different things to different people. Best could be the most inventive, the funniest, the most clever, the most efficient or the most novel solution. Sometimes the hardest part may just be getting everyone to agree on a solution. Once a decision has been made, place all the tool cards at the bottom of the deck and deal new ones to each player to face the next challenge (remember, there are several that will block your path home). Play as long as time and/or interest allows. When you get to the home card, congratulate each other on a job well done. 

Try this:

• Work on problem solving, cooperation, brainstorming,  compromise, thinking outside the box, imagination.
• Use the opportunity to talk about the dynamics of coming to a group decision, when to compromise, how to apply group priorities to solutions, how to respond if your ideas are rejected, etc.  
• Review the rules of brainstorming before you start. They are not included go you will have to Google them if you don't know them. Write them on a marker board if you think the individuals will need to refer to it during the session.Then enforce the rules as you play. Good skills to learn here.
• Place one obstacle card in the middle of the group. Place three random tool cards next to it. Each person writes their solution on a piece of paper. When everyone is done, mix them face-down on the table so you don't know whose is whose and one person reads them all out loud. The person who reads chooses their favorite. The person who wrote it gets the obstacle card. Play until someone has three obstacles cards and wins the game.
• Place one obstacle card on the table. Put the deck of tool cards face-down next to it. The first player turns over the top card and states how that tool can be used to help overcome the obstacle (one card alone may not be able to completely solve the problem, but how could it help). If the answer wins support, the person gets the card. If not, then the next person gets a chance to turn a card and offer a solution. Play through a predetermined number of obstacle cards. The person with the most at the end is the winner.
• Scatter the tool cards face-up on the table. Set a time limit of two or three minutes. Present an obstacle card. Together, see how many tool cards you can use in one solution. 
• Randomly turn the tool cards face-up on the table. Flip over one obstacle. Playing simultaneously, the players choose three cards that they feel make a plausible solution. After each person states his solution, vote on the best. 

In the box: 25 path cards, 100 tool cards

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