Values Card Games
Congratulations on getting your set of Values Cards! If you don’t yet have the cards, be sure to order them here. As you are getting familiar with the cards we have a series of games that you can play. Some of the games can be played as an individual or with one other person, but most of them are best when played in groups. The games are designed to be played multiple times with the same group or with different people. The more you play with the cards the deeper your relationship with your values will get. See game instructions below. And have fun!
Values Celebrity
Type of Game: interactive/competitive Number of Players: 3 - 8
Description: In this game the player's objective is to create the set of three values that best represents the chosen celebrity, fictional character, or historic figure.
Additional Materials: Pens/pencils and slips of paper; a container (hat, bowl, cup, etc.)
Instructions:
Choosing the “celebrities”
Each player writes down 3-5 names (historic figures, celebrities, or fictional characters) on separate slips of paper (one name per paper).
The slips of paper are collected and placed in the container.
Playing rounds
One player starts as the dealer. The dealer begins the round by picking a slip of paper from the container and reading the name outloud. The dealer then deals 3 value cards to each of the other players (but not to themself), and turns one value card over to start the discard pile.
The player to the left of the dealer looks at their cards and can either:
offer a trade (ie. say “Does anyone have integrity? I am willing to trade creativity”) or;
draw a card from the deck or discard pile and then return a card to the discard pile.
The players continue taking turns in order until someone has a set they think best fits name the dealer called out at the beginning of the round
When someone has a set that they think best fits this “celebrity” they can “knock” and then each other player can take one more turn.
Starting with the person who “knocked” each player explains why their values set best applies to the person (historic figure, celebrity, or fictional character)
The dealer then decides which player has the best values set (or makes the best argument) and the winning player gets a point.
The player who went first in the previous round becomes the dealer. The new dealer picks another name, deals out the cards, and the next round is played.
The first player to five points wins.
Values Guess Who
Type of Game: interactive/competitive Number of Players: 2 - 8
Description: In this game players will compete to see how many values they can guess in thirty seconds. There are multiple ways to play this game. Choose your version from the options below.
Additional Materials: A timer
Instructions for individual competition:
Determine a playing order
The first player hold the deck of values cards and faces the group
One at a time, the player turns a card over and holds it against their forehead so that the value is visible to the group but not to themself.
The group calls out words or phrases describing the value, but not saying the name of the value while the player tries to guess the value they are holding up.
When the player guesses the value they are holding, they turn another card.
Repeat until 30 seconds are up.
The next player in the playing order takes the deck of values cards and has their turn
Repeat until each player has had a turn or until the values cards are all finished
The player with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
Instructions for group competition:
Organize all players into two teams.
Determining which team will go first.
Determine a playing order within the teams.
The first player on the first team takes the deck of values cards and faces their team
One at a time, the player turns a card over so that they can see it but the rest of their team cannot.
The player then gives clues (words, phrases, or physical movements) while their teammates try to guess the value. The player cannot say the name of the value
When a team member guesses the value, the player turns another card.
Repeat until 30 seconds are up. A member of the second team can keep time.
At the end of the turn the player keeps the value cards that their team guessed correctly.
Pass the rest of the deck to the first player on the second team for them to take their turn.
Continue passing the deck between teams until all of the value cards have been claimed.
Each team counts their cards and the team with the most wins.
Alternate instructions for group competition:
In this version, play 3 rounds with the same teams, following instructions for group competition.
In round 1 the player giving clues uses any words or phrases (aside from the value itself).
In round 2 the player giving clues can only use one word (not the value itself) as their clue
In round 3 the player giving clues can only use physical movement as their clue
Values Tableaus
Type of Game: facilitated; interactive/non-competitive/reflective Number of Players: 4 - 16
Description: In this activity, group participants will have an opportunity to physically embody different values and reflect on what the values feel like in their bodies. The goal of this activity is to learn the values more deeply by reflecting on how they feel.
Instructions:
Activity 1: Frozen Image
Have participants stand in a circle with arms length spacing between them and close their eyes.
The facilitator or group leader turns over a value card, reads it out loud, and has participants individually shape their body into an image of that value.
Ask participants to share what it felt like to take the shape of the value
Repeat a few times with different value cards.
Activity 2: Paired Images
In the circle, have participants pair up.
Participants decide who will be partner “A” and who will be partner “B”.
In the first found partner “A” will be the sculptor and partner “B” will be the clay.
The facilitator turns over a value card and reads it outloud. The sculptor will then sculpt the clay into an image of that value.
Take time for the sculptors to walk around and see other images.
Repeat with the partners switching who is the sculptor and who is the clay.
Reflection: Bring the group all together and ask
What did it feel like to embody these values?
Were you surprised at how you found yourself moving?
What was it like to shape someone into an image?
What was it like to be shaped into an image?
Values Truth or Dare
Type of Game: interactive/deepening Number of Players: 3 - 8
Description: In this game the players’ objective is to deepen their relationships with the values and with each other by either answering revealing questions related to the values (truth), or fulfilling challenges related to the values (dare).
Instructions:
Everyone picks one value card
Go around the circle and each person in turn gets to choose truth or dare
If truth: reveal your value card and someone in the group asks you a question about your relationship with that value. You must answer truthfully!
If dare: reveal your value card and someone in the group gives to a challenge that is related to that value. You must fulfill the challenge!
Continue around the circle until everyone has had a turn
To play another round everyone picks another value card. As the rounds continue the truths and dares should become deeper.
Values Divination
Type of Game: interactive/competitive Number of Players: 1 - 4
Description: In this activity the values deck becomes a contributor to a conversation you are having with friends or with yourself. The purpose of this activity is to use the values cards to help you think through a question you are wrestling with or a dilemma you are facing.
Instructions:
Take a few minutes to think of a question or dilemma (personal, professional, etc.) that can be expressed in up to three minutes.
Ask the question or present the dilemma to your partner(s) and/or the cards
Lay out the deck and turn over one value card that calls to you.
Restate the question or dilemma while thinking about this value
Ask: what does this value have to say about the question or dilemma?
Take some time to discuss with your partner(s) or reflect on your own how the value that showed up can help you re-think your question or dilemma.
Ask: would it be helpful to hear from another value card?
If yes: turn over another value card and repeat
If no: continue thinking about the dilemma through the lens of this value
Ask a new question/dilemma or have someone else ask a question/dilemma.
Values Quest
Type of Game: interactive/competitive Number of Players: 1 - 12
Description: In this activity, players will have an opportunity to build a deeper relationship with one of the values, to listen to it, to learn from it, and to understand it better.
Instructions:
Lay out the deck and, one at a time, each player turns over a value card that they will hold onto for a set time period (ie. an hour, a day, the duration of a workshop, etc.)
During that time period the player will keep this value on the front of their mind. Their mission is to understand this value more deeply. They will think about this value, use this value as a lens through which to reflect on their experiences. They are also encouraged to have conversations about this value with people in and out of the group.
After the agreed upon time period, players reconvene and share what they learned.