The Transformative Power of Games

Dec 20

During the conference when programming finished for the day, there was time in the evenings to play games with conference attendees and new friends. A slew of board and card games were strewn across the banquet table. There were more games to choose from than one could have found time to play.

A favorite of mine was Sparkle Kitty, a game like Uno where silly word strings help you to unlock your princess from the tower.

Another game, called The Mind, has a deck with 100 numbered cards labeled one through one hundred. Players must get their scrambled hands in ascending order. The catch? There’s no talking. There were also many student developed games that were open to testing. From remote control to virtual reality, there was really something for everyone to play at this conference.

So, what did I learn about the transformative power of games? Games bring people together and help them connect with a new, common language [or a new understanding of body language]. Learning a game with someone new is a fantastic ice breaker. As you play together, you come to understand the flow of the game better together. You help and support one another as game play continues. During our game play at the Conference, we all shared laughs and groans. We got on the same wavelength through play, networked, and made memories that none of us will soon forget.

To continue the conversation around how games transform us, here are some resources about gaming and play that resonated with me after attending this conference: