How to Make a Cooperative Game

Games that put a player in physical danger are risky.

Every game needs an objective. The objective, or object of the game, is the "why." For example, the object of a game may be to smack a partner's hand and stay in the circle or to guess the riddle to win a grab bag. A cooperative game is one that requires cooperation amongst the players to win. So, keep the objective simple enough for a whole team of people to easily commit to it.

Instructions

1. Choose the object of the game. The simpler the objective, the better.

2. Make the rules. The rules create the challenge of the game. A children's game may have a simple set of rules, such as get tagged and you're out. Adult games will need more complexity to hold interest, such as requiring a team to solve a piece of trivia before moving on in the game.

3. Write down instructions for your game. This will help you filter through inconsistencies in the rules and simplify the explanation before you present it to the teams.

4. Choose prizes or outcomes. An outcome for a children's cooperative game, for example, might be all teams cooperating to solve the last problem; this also teaches children the importance of teamwork.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are stuck on creating your first rule, look at the rules for other cooperative games to get a basic idea about what works and what doesn't .

• Stick to the party's theme, if you are creating a game as part of the party festivities.

References

• Kids Health: Group Games for School-Age Kids
• Group-games.com