The Skittles Game

While earning my Masters Degree in Education, I had many great learning opportunities. One experience that particularly stands out was when I played a game meant to simulate the inequities that exist in the world. The purpose of the game was to help participants be more sympathetic to those who are in need. I’m pretty competitive and wanted to win. But the game was rigged against me and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get on top. When the purpose of the game was explained, I had a huge “a ha” moment that has stuck with me ever since. Some people really are at a disadvantage and the Lord wants me to help them.

The scriptures consistently teach and emphasize the importance of helping those who are in need. But how can we give students an experience that relates to the importance of serving the financially poor?

Several years ago I stumbled across a simple game that teachers can use to give their students an experience similar to the one I received. The game revolves around collecting Skittles. You gain or lose Skittles based on cards you select. The game is rigged so that eventually there will be a few people who have lots of Skittles, while others have none. There is a surprise at the end that helps students see that what they thought was the goal of the game, wasn’t actually the real goal.

This folder contains the instructions, game cards, and PowerPoint needed to play the game (the Skittles sadly are not included). The PowerPoint includes post-game discussion questions as well as relevant scriptures to explore. I hope you enjoy it; feel free to modify it to suit the needs of your students/family members.

Contact me to let me know how the game goes and if you have any suggested modifications.