Many educational games seek to give you extra knowledge about a specific subject, even more simply test your knowledge on that subject, but don't really teach players anything (Trivial Pursuit is a prime example). Some of the better educational games help players not just learn a subject, but also learn a skill.
In Funny Feeling we've invented a game which we believe is quite different, in that it helps develop player's emotional intelligence and is great fun to play, so the players' focus will be on laughing and playing the game, rather than trying to learn anything, with the learning happening unconsciously.
Funny Feeling is aimed at teenagers and young at heart adults, though we have played it with slightly younger children and indeed one of the co-inventors was 12 at the time we invented it together as a family.
In the game players spin a spinner, then take on of three different types of card:
- DO CARDS e.g. "Riding an elephant"
- SAY/SING CARDS e.g. "You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel"
- ASK CARDS e.g. "How I feel about my New Year's Resolution in February"
The game also includes Feeling Cards and Role Cards, which are a range of whacky jobs, animals, etc.
The Do and Say/Sing cards include a sort of 'map' which shows the performer which Feeling or Role to perform without revealing it to the other players. They then act the action or say/sing the phrase in that style while other players in their team call out suggestions, until the Chief (the next player in their team) decides which Feeling or Role they're acting. If the spinner lands on a Combo, you perform both a Role AND a Feeling, which is where things get interesting!
Ask cards work differently as instead of performing, the player has to choose which of 9 face-up Feelings answers the question. They then write it down in secret and other players guess which Feeling they've chosen.
When we've play tested the game with teenagers and adults it's been hilarious. It's fascinating to see how people interpret different emotions, particularly when chance decides that 2 or 3 of the emotions are quite similar. The Ask cards also give you an insight into how other players feel about things (mostly random, whacky things, as the focus is very much on fun).
You can read more about Funny Feeling on http://www.funnyfeelinggame.com.