Ante Up: Is It Appropriate??

I adapted the game "Ante Up" to play when we talked about boundaries.  Here's what I came up with...

Size of Group: Small to Large

Equipment: Jar of pennies (about 25 per person, plus 100 more for the “pot”), scenarios written on index cards

Objective: Increase socialization, practice distinguishing between appropriate and inappropriate social skills/boundaries

Description: Pts. sit around a table.  Each has 25 pennies placed in front of him/her.  The “pot” of pennies is placed in the middle.  Each resident takes turns reading a card and following the directions on it.  Each card tells the reader to either give or take a penny.  The resident with the most pennies at the end “wins” but this is also just a fun socializing game and is good for icebreakers too. 

via

Questions:

IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN TO HAWAII, TAKE A PENNY FROM THE POT.

IF YOU ARE WEARING EYEGLASSES, GIVE A PENNY TO THE PERSON ON YOUR RIGHT.

IF YOU LIKE ICE CREAM, GIVE A PENNY TO EACH PERSON SITTING AT THE TABLE.

IF YOUR FAVORITE COLOR IS BLUE, GIVE A PENNY TO THE POT.

IF YOU KNOW HOW TO TYPE, TAKE A PENNY FROM THE PERSON ACROSS FROM YOU AT THE TABLE.

IF YOU CAN SAY HELLO IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE, DO SO, THEN TAKE A PENNY FROM THE POT.

SHAKE HANDS WITH THE PERSON ON YOUR RIGHT, AND GIVE HIM/HER A PENNY.

IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN ON A BOAT, TAKE A PENNY FROM THE POT.

TAKE ONE PENNY FROM THE POT FOR EACH COUNTRY YOU HAVE VISITED (USA DOES NOT COUNT!)

IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN TAKE ONE PENNY FROM THE POT.  IF YOU HAVE GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, TAKE A PENNY FROM THE PERSON TO YOUR LEFT.

IF YOU WENT DOWN TO BREAKFAST THIS MORNING, TAKE ONE PENNY FROM THE POT.

IF YOU KNOW THE ACTIVITY THERAPIST’S NAME, TAKE A PENNY FROM THE POT.

IF YOU THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE TO SHAKE HANDS WITH STRANGERS, TAKE A PENNY FROM THE POT.

IF YOU THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE TO HUG A STRANGER ON THE STREET, GIVE THE PERSON TO YOUR LEFT A PENNY.

IF YOU THINK IT IS INAPPROPRIATE TO INVADE SOMEONE’S PERSONAL SPACE WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION, TAKE A PENNY FROM THE POT.

IF YOU THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE TO YELL ACROSS THE ROOM TO GET SOMEONE’S ATTENTION, GIVE THE PERSON TO YOUR RIGHT A PENNY.

TRUE = TAKE A PENNY; FALSE = PUT A PENNY IN THE POT.  LISTENING IS AN IMPORTANT SOCIAL SKILL TO DEVELOP.

TRUE = TAKE A PENNY; FALSE = PUT A PENNY IN THE POT.  DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS OF PERSONAL SPACE

TRUE = TAKE A PENNY; FALSE = PUT A PENNY IN THE POT.  BOUNDARIES ARE IMPORTANT FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

TRUE = TAKE A PENNY; FALSE = PUT A PENNY IN THE POT.  BOUNDARIES CAN BE PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL.

TRUE = TAKE A PENNY; FALSE = PUT A PENNY IN THE POT.  NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF INTERACTING WITH OTHERS

TRUE = TAKE A PENNY; FALSE = PUT A PENNY IN THE POT.  BOUNDARIES ARE A WAY OF TELLING OTHER PEOPLE WHAT WE ARE AND ARE NOT OKAY WITH IN A RELATIONSHIP

THINK OF ONE BOUNDARY YOU CAN ESTABLISH IN YOUR LIFE.  SHARE WITH THE GROUP, AND TAKE A PENNY FROM EACH PLAYER.

IF THIS IS A HEALTHY BOUNDARY, TAKE A PENNY FROM THE POT.  IF IT IS AN UNHEALTHY BOUNDARY, GIVE THE PERSON TO YOUR LEFT A PENNY:  TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACTIONS OF OTHERS.

IF THIS IS A HEALTHY BOUNDARY, TAKE A PENNY FROM THE POT.  IF IT IS AN UNHEALTHY BOUNDARY, GIVE THE PERSON TO YOUR RIGHT A PENNY: BEING UNABLE TO SAY NO, EVEN WHEN IT IS THE RIGHT THING.

IF THIS IS A HEALTHY BOUNDARY, TAKE A PENNY FROM THE POT.  IF IT IS AN UNHEALHTY BOUNDARY, GIVE THE PERSON TO YOUR LEFT A PENNY: GOING THROUGH SOMEONE’S STUFF WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION.

IF THIS IS A HEALTHY BOUNDARY, TAKE A PENNY FROM THE POT.  IF IT IS AN UNHEALHTY BOUNDARY, GIVE THE PERSON TO YOUR RIGHT A PENNY: RESPECTFULLY MAKING YOUR NEEDS KNOWN.

IF YOU HAVE A PET, GIVE THE PERSON ACROSS FROM YOU A PENNY.

IF YOU HAD FRUIT TODAY, TAKE A PENNY FROM THE PERSON TO YOUR LEFT.

IF THIS IS A HEALTHY BOUNDARY, TAKE A PENNY FROM THE POT.  IF IT IS AN UNHEALTHY BOUNDARY, GIVE THE PERSON TO YOUR LEFT A PENNY: DISRESPECTING SOMEONE BECAUSE THEY ARE DIFFERENT THAN YOU.

IF THIS IS A HEALTHY BOUNDARY, TAKE A PENNY FROM THE POT.  IF IT IS AN UNHEALTHY BOUNDARY, GIVE THE PERSON ACROSS FROM YOU A PENNY: GOING AGAINST YOUR PERSONAL VALUES AND BELIEFS TO PLEASE SOMEONE ELSE.

TRUE = TAKE A PENNY; FALSE = PUT A PENNY IN THE POT.  BOUNDARIES CAN BE HEALTHY OR UNHEALTHY.

TELL THE GROUP ABOUT A TIME WHEN YOU HELD AN APPROPRIATE SOCIAL BOUNDARY. TAKE TWO PENNIES FROM THE POT.