Cooperative Games: Hoot Owl Hoot!

As part of our overall theme of friendship and community this month, I've been inviting the kids to join me in playing different kinds of games. Games are not only a fun way to reinforce many kinds of academic skills, but they provide a great context for practicing social skills like turn taking, self-regulation, and problem solving. This cooperative board game, Hoot Owl Hoot!, has become one of our favorites. Here is what I love about using this game in the classroom.

1. It's accessible, yet provides some challenge
The pieces of the game move according to a visual color cue/picture on the cards, so students of different reading/math levels can play together easily. However, there are different strategies that can be used to be more successful as a group, and it has been interesting to watch how my students have adapted and changed their strategies over time.

2. Players can join at any time
The cooperative nature of this game means that although everyone takes a turn to move, the pieces are shared by everyone. No one owns or controls a certain piece. So, the number of players in the game can easily vary, even while you are playing. This makes it so great for a choice during center time, because students can join in the game in the middle if they are suddenly interested in it, or if they decide to try a new activity they can leave and it doesn't change or stop the game at all.

3. Supports colors, counting, number sense, and more
Like many board games for young children, this game can be used to practice many different learning topics. But my favorite part of this game is the reinforcement of one-to-one correspondence and directional movement, skills that are important in both math and literacy. The sun moves along a line, one space at a time and the owls follow the spiral line, one color at a time. Following a certain direction and moving only one space at a time is great practice for those skills.

Of course, kids always find ways to use materials according to their interests. One time when we played, it turned into a pattern making session using the colored cards. :)

4. Kids are working together
While I do think it is still important for kids to develop the coping skills that come with playing games where there is a loser/winner, cooperative games provide a wonderful opportunity for kids to feel some camaraderie as they work together to achieve a common goal in the game. Everyone wins and loses together, like a team, and that is a great way to strengthen a feeling of community in the classroom.