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Children learn through play. As an occupational therapist who works with children and youth, I use games and toys almost every day to help develop important cognitive, visual perceptual, motor, sensory, social, play and leisure skills. While many different types of activities can be used in therapy, this blog focuses on off-the-shelf games and toys that are accessible to most. Whether you are a therapist, parent, teacher, or a game lover like me, I hope you discover something useful while you are here. Learn a different way to play a game you already own or discover a new game for your next family game night. Either way, just go play. It's good for you!

The OT Magazine named The Playful Otter one of the Top 5 Pediatric OT Blogs.


Nov 13, 2019

Watch Ya' Mouth

Watch Ya' Mouth - Yup, you're gonna look this ridiculous.
It's interesting that I should run into Watch Ya' Mouth today since I just ordered a mouth guard (at the dentist) yesterday. Big difference in price though - Dental mouth guard: $365 with insurance. Watch Ya' Mouth guard: $2 second hand. Watching your friends struggle to read without moving their lips: Priceless. Some things money can't buy.

So just for the record, I won't be using this one in therapy. I wouldn't pressure anybody to wear this mouth guard or play this game if they didn't want to, because there is no way to look dignified wearing this thing. As a matter of fact, most people I know would flat out refuse to play. But let's take a look at it anyway.

The mouth guards are made of clear plastic. Does one size fit all? I wouldn't even know how to judge. You can actually buy them separately on Amazon, I suppose for sanitary purposes (you will definitely want to disinfect them between uses). They call them dental retractor mouth openers. Yeah right. I've been to the dentist a time or two and I’ve never worn anything that looked like this:


The game includes 143 cards with a saying on each card. Put the mouth guard in your mouth and then read the saying on a card. Have you ever been to the dentist and while there is a wedge, drill, water, air, etc. all going on at the same time the dentist asks you if you did anything fun over the weekend? Yeah, it's gonna sound like that. Dentists could clean up on Watch Ya' Mouth because somehow they always understand what you say. 

This particular game is the version1 family-friendly game, so hopefully all the sayings are G rated (that doesn't necessarily guarantee good taste). However, after looking for a video on You Tube to see this game in action, I inadvertently found that there is definitely an adult only version. Here are a few examples from this game:
  • Frogs frolic in the farm pond
  • Diapers full of poop
  • Pluto has five moons
  • A pickle jar full of barf
  • Bring me a spork

It is my habit with any game that has word cards to read over them before therapy and take out any that I feel are inappropriate for the individual I am working with. I don't like those kind of surprises.

Object:
Be the person or team with the most points after four rounds.

Set up:
Give each player their own mouth guard. Shuffle the cards and put them in the middle of the players, face-down. Place the 1 minute timer near by. Divide up into teams of two if you are playing by teams.

Play:
One team will play at a time. One person will be the reader and the other person the interpreter. Flip the timer over and the team will have 1 minute to guess as many cards as they can. There are two ways this can be played, which should be determined before the game begins:
  • Open Season - Besides speaking, the reader can also use general gestures, sounds and other references, but no writing or drawing.
  • Legit - No other clues are allowed, just read the card.
Each round score 1 point for each correct interpretation. After four rounds, the team with the most points wins.

OR

Players take turns being the reader and everyone else shouts out guesses. First player to guess correctly gets the card. First player to collect five cards wins the game.

In the box: 6 mouth guards, 143 cards

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



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