Association
PREMISE
Associations is an unpredictable and creative game that challenges players to think quickly and nimbly to find a narrative thread or common links between four images. Let your imagination flow!
👥 3 to 6 players ⏱️ 20-30 minutes
GAME MATERIAL:
70 cards
A 15-second hourglass
DOWNLOAD RULES
RULES
At the start of the first round, and each round after, each player takes three cards and looks at them without showing them to the other players. These three cards constitute his hand.
The first judge is the player whose middle name is first in alphabetical order (if a player does not have a middle name, they may use the second letter of their first name).
The judge takes the top three cards from the deck and turns them over in the middle of the table.
All players (except the judge) have a maximum of fifteen seconds to choose a card with which they can find an association or create a story with the four cards at their disposal (one of theirs and the three community cards). This association/story can be based on a theme, a subject, or an idea: let your imagination run wild!
After 15 seconds, each player reveals their card at the same time.
Starting with the player to the judge's left, each player explains the connection between the four cards or tells their story. This process will continue around the table in a clockwise direction until all players have spoken.
After hearing each player's explanation, the judge selects the explanation he or she liked the most. The player who won keeps the card he played and places it in front of him (he thus scores 1 point). All other cards will be discarded.
Each player takes a card to make a hand of three cards.
If the draw pile is empty, the discarded cards are shuffled to form a new draw pile.
The judge will be the player to the left of the previous judge, and the process repeats.
The round ends when each player has judged twice.
After two rounds, the player with the most cards wins!
GAME SETUP
Sit around the table.
Shuffle the cards and place the deck face down in the middle of the table.
Pedagogical Guide
For educators
If you are a French educator, you can use this game to teach the language! The conversational aspect of this game makes it a great way to practice grammar and vocabulary in a fun and relaxed environment. To make the game more focused on practicing French, you can ask that the students share their story with the correct tenses, words, and sentences; However, we urge all educators to maintain the fun atmosphere of the game by gently correcting errors.
A good way to focus on language learning is to have students write down their association with notes or phrases, then review this writing after the game. Another idea would be to complete the deck of cards, or create a new one, with cards based on your current unit (certain objects, certain actions, etc.). You could even ask students to help prepare these cards, which would be a great creation and conversation exercise.
It would be best for students to feel comfortable giving examples ahead of time, playing more slowly, and offering help to students who are having difficulty with a word or phrase.
For learners
As you speak French, remember that it's a game. Play with the language, take risks, be confident in your knowledge, and ask questions!
Creators: Louis Plottel, Deborah Blank, Rachael Johnson