Feelings in the Wild Matching Game

By Bright Spots
Price $28.00
Age 5-11 yrs.

The real stars of this matching game are the lovingly conceived animal-character illustrations that appear on the tiles, each of which conveys a specific feeling (relaxed, hurt, brave, exhausted, caring, peaceful . . .). There are 100 tiles in all (50 feeling pairs), but players can start with any sized pool they wish depending on the level of challenge desired. While the competitive aspect of game play is about flipping any two face-down tiles and using focus and memory to help locate matches, it is the game's use of visuals to reinforce and expand children's emotional vocabulary that makes it special. It's amazing how much these simple but vivid illustrations communicate at a glance, and kids take pleasure in naming those feelings or talking about a time they experienced something similar in their own lives. This is a wonderful mix of mental and emotional skill-building fun for two or more players.