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This is one of my favorite social skills games! I found it at the Chicago Toy and Game Fair. As soon as I saw it, I wanted to play with my clients to see how they reacted. And it was a resounding positive response.
Q’s Race to the Top is super simple to learn. The game has three types of cards:
-Blue YOU Cards
-Green Q Cards
-Orange DO Cards
You roll the dice and move your piece to that spot. The color you land on is the color card you pick up.
Blue YOU cards are a great way to start conversations and learn more about one another.
For example: Talk about something that made you happy today.
Green Q Cards are more related to social skills. They start with Q the monkey having an issue, and then asking what you (the player) would do or should do in these scenarios.
For example: Q gets bored and impatient when his mom is waiting in line at a store. What do you think he should do to pass the time?
Orange DO Cards are my favorite - they get kids moving and doing physical things that are fun and a little challenging. It’s perfect for a child who may have a hard time sitting still for a whole game. And the beauty is it makes children stay invested and involved with the game. Having the physical component is the perfect way to balance out the talking parts of the game.
For example: Touch your ear with one hand and your foot with the other hand while balancing on your other foot.
The kids I’ve showed it to have loved the look of the board game itself. It’s got the coolest tree house! There’s also a version of the game where you don’t use a board, but just have the cards. That makes it portable and perfect!
The board game comes with a book, Q’s Wild Ride. Q is a super smart monkey but doesn’t always have the greatest social awareness and doesn’t always think about others. It’s a fun little story, but obviously Q’s social skills issues are not solved within a few pages, which I appreciate. It takes time to learn these skills, and the best way to learn is through play.
This truly is a fun way for children to work on social skills. Happy playing!!
