When I discovered the game, OuiSi®, I just knew it was going to be one of my favorites! OuiSi® is a game about making connections. It’s perfect for long-distance grandparenting because that’s what we do! It can also be played in a variety of ways, which is a real plus for adapting to our video chats.
What is OuiSi®?
OuiSi® (pronounced, “wee-see,” meaning “Yes”, in French and Spanish, of course) is a box game with 210 beautifully photographed cards. Most are easily visible on a video chat. Each one is carefully composed with a fresh view of common objects. Moreover, these intriguing photos seem to invite you take a closer look, as if you’re using a magnifying glass.
With that in mind, check these out. Although you can probably recognize what these objects are, shift your focus to their inner shapes, patterns and arrangements. Now you’ve discovered the magic of OuiSi®!
In the game, you’ll look for any kind of connection between the photos. Teaching your grands how to find these inner patterns will open all kinds of possibilities! And that’s the goal: to think creatively, and just have fun together.
How do you play?
Along with the photo cards, you’ll find a booklet describing a wide variety of ways to play OuiSi®. Instructions are clear and easy to follow. Some games are similar to dominoes, and others are more like a scavenger hunt. Also, the games cover a wide range of ages. There are simple games for younger children. For older children, games can be made more complex by doing things like using abstract concepts to make connections.
I texted with one of OuiSi®’s originators, Paul Brillinger, asking if they’ve explored which games might be best for video chats. He explained that they hadn’t, but we talked about some ideas that might work best. I’ve included them here along with some of my own.
Hints for Using OuiSi@ Virtually
Video chats are obviously different than playing face-to-face so I thought some suggestions might be helpful:
- Use a flexible arm mount with your phone to view the photo cards when you play.
- Depending on the game, select the photo cards ahead of time.
- Consider the amount of time you’ll have to play. This may help determine which game is best.
A Game for Long-DIstance Grandparents: Ouisi®
Here are ideas to get you started. You can even make up some of your own!
What do you see?
Begin by showing your grand a photo card. Ask your grand to guess what it is. Then, ask them to describe it. Follow up with questions like, “Where can you find the object?” or “How you can use it?”
What’s the same?
Lay out two or more photo cards. Have your grand tell you how they might be the same. Encourage them to look beyond the object to see things like color, pattern or how items are constructed.
Take a look at the photos below. They’re all things you eat. But look closer. Are there other connections? Spoiler alert: some possible answers are below.
Each edible is
- sprinkled or spread with something
- a shade of brown on the bottom
- made with flour (or something gluten-free)
- baked or fried
What doesn’t belong?
This is the opposite of the game above. Lay out cards in a line or a grid in which one is card is different. Ask your grand to guess which card is different and why. Note: I found that the largest grid you can see with my flexible arm mount is 9 cards.
Challenge you older grands! Have them find a card that’s less obviously different.
Here’s a sample grid:
Pick a Pile
For this game, pick one or more things to search for like: color, shape, what the object’s made of, or how it’s used. From a pile of photo cards, turn the top one over. Have your grand direct you to the appropriate category to put it in. Continue as long as your grand is interested. My young grands just love this one!
For older grands, you can ask them what types of categories they would suggest to set up. Then you can go back and forth being the player.
OuiSi® Play Ideas: Beyond the Cards
Game play can extend beyond the cards themselves. Check out these two ideas:
Going on a Scavenger Hunt
Put the cards in a pile. Choose one. Using the card as inspiration, ask your grand to find something in the room that’s similar to the card. Have them bring it to the camera or point it out. For example, “Is there object in the room that’s green like this leaf?” or “What can you find that’s colorful like this photo?” Adjust the challenge level for your grand’s needs.
Tell a Story
OuiSi’s® photo cards are so vivid they can easily become the inspiration for a story. Just pick a card and ask your grand to tell you a story about it. Encourage them with some leading questions like, “Where’s the bench?” “What time of year is it?” “Who was sitting on it?” Another thing to try is laying out random cards and having them create a story with them.
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
OuiSi® encourages players to look beyond the surface of what we see in the world to find deeper meaning. When we teach our grands that you can’t always tell a book by it’s cover, it’s truly a wonderful thing. And if we also inspire them to think creatively and have fun doing it, then I’m thinking we’ve found a pretty perfect game for Smiles Beyond the Miles.