You came here for answers, so here they are: OuiSi is a game for all ages. It’s pronounced “we see.” OuiSi arrives as a sturdy box containing 210 square cards that feature various photographs and a matte finish. It also comes with a guide for play.
If you’re thinking, “...okay?” then breathe easy; there really isn’t anything to “get.” To play, you look for opportunities for Visual Connections between the photos (how do they match?), and beyond that, you make the rules!
Here are the details of why my family loves this game:
1. There’s a way for every age to enter in
Entry level participants like my preschooler (whose favorite play partner is her grandmother) can sift through the photos and place cards next to one another based on any attributes they like. Some examples of connections:
- Color: ”They’re both yellow!”
- Pattern: ”They both look bumpy!”
- Concepts: ”They’re all things found in the city!” or “I saw these three things on a walk yesterday!”
For older kids and adults, the booklet comes with a dozen competitive games you can try. One example is the Trainmaker, in which you match just one card to the previous one, rather than free-for-all-style.
While this isn’t a game for babies, my two-year-old sometimes occupies herself looking at the interesting photos, and I love that this activity engages her.
Another favorite way to use this game as a whole family is for storytelling prompts at the dinner table. Someone chooses a card at random, then tells us a true or fictional story inspired by the photo on the card.
2. It’s good, clean, screen-free fun
Our minds are so used to getting dopamine pings from moving screens and notifications, and it’s an ongoing personal goal of mine to light my brain up in more organic ways. This game gets those synapses firing from “aha!” moments every time your searching mind finds a connection, and has a story to share.
This is beneficial for adults and children alike, when playing alone, with a partner, or with a group.
To back up this claim, OuiSi has won awards from organizations like Tillywig Toys, Creative Child Magazine, and the National Parent Product Awards.
3. Opportunities to practice the “yes, and…”
Sibling arguments are exhausting for everyone, said siblings included. We have taught our kids the improv comedy golden rule of saying “yes, and” to your teammate, rather than shutting them down with a “no.” Because OuiSi is a game that’s inherently without wrong answers, it’s a stellar opportunity for a “yes,” and to build off of each other’s ideas.
As a parent, I love that this game creates a safe space where I can meet all my preschooler’s ideas with an affirmation, and where she can play with the confidence that she won’t be corrected or redirected. This scenario is fertile ground for trust and relationship-building.
OuiSi is where it’s at
Since OuiSi comes with hundreds of cards, you can shuffle them up and encounter fresh combinations each time you play. You can try new rules each time. You can explore different partners in play, or see where your mind goes when you sit with OuiSi solo.
Thanks to all the “how to play” variation and the opportunities for growth and bonding, OuiSi is a game my family recommends to anyone and everyone.
