Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Oodles Of Doodles

The wee ones always entertain me with the games they come up with. I remember playing games growing up, but I don't remember them having so many rules. The one I played that I'm sure the majority of you are familiar with is "Slug Bug."

You know. The one where you hit the person closest to you if they aren't wearing the color of the Volkswagen Beetle you just saw -- provided you see if first and yell "Slug Bug!" while uhh slugging them. And yes, I am aware that there are regional differences (I'd love to hear them), but this is how I played it growing up.

The wee ones have a slightly similar game that at least involves Volkswagen Beetles, but the whole intent is different.

It started out that you simply had to spot a Beetle and yell "Doodle." It quickly progressed however to involve many more rules.

1) Everyone gets a point so long as you see the Beetle.
2) Strike rule one. Now only the first person to see it gets a point.
3) Addendum to rule two. If "enough" time has passed, a second person can claim the Beetle as his own Doodle.
4) PT Cruisers also count as Beetles (this came about due to an inability in my children -- since rectified -- to accurately identify the Beetles).
5) Amendment to Rule 4. PT Cruisers have their own subset, and you now shout PT Cruiser, but they still count in the same grouping.
6) The first person to get three points wins.
7) Amendment to Rule 6. When you have three points, you have to also shout "Oodles of Doodles" for your win to count.
8) When someone has won the game, you start all over.
9) Amendment to Rule 5. PT Cruisers now have their own category, so points are tracked separately for Beetles and PT Cruisers. You still need three of one or the other two win.
10) If you are the first to get three PT Cruisers, you have to shout "PT Winner."
11) If someone else enters the car in the midst of the game, everyone has to start over.

I like this game. Partly because there's no hitting involved. Partly because each of the wee ones is really supportive no matter who gets a point or who wins. Partly because I tend to win since I'm watching the road and the cars around me more intently and regularly than the wee ones who often get distracted.

However, Little Miss will periodically surprise me by seeing a PT Cruiser or a Beetle and correctly identifying it. Mister Man will also sometimes identify one, but if I don't immediately confirm the sighting, he'll decide that he didn't see it after all -- even if I do later spot it and tell him that yes, he was right. So interesting to see the differences in children.

I'm sure the game will have amended rules the next time we play, which makes it all the more challenging for me. I'm sure Mister Man doesn't change them on purpose to make it more difficult for me to win... he'd never be so devious. Or would he?

What games do you play with your children or have fun making up?

13 comments:

Cookie November 17, 2009 at 10:55 PM  

These kinds of games drive me crazy! Too many rules to keep track of. But your kids sound cute. With mine it's mostly the older one who makes up rules and then changes them as necessary to ensure he wins.

WeaselMomma November 18, 2009 at 4:33 AM  

With all those rules and addendums, I would swear that your kids have been sitting close during those PTO meetings you attend.

Tara R. November 18, 2009 at 5:10 AM  

I'm impressed you were able to keep all the rules and addendums straight.

Karen November 18, 2009 at 7:21 AM  

Ah, I forgot about the PT Cruiser. In our family it's called a Cruiser Bruiser, which makes the slug from the Bug pale in comparison.

Truly, I need to introduce my kids to the white version of thier black-and-blue game.

Pat November 18, 2009 at 9:59 AM  

The constantly evolving rules is hilarious! Our slug bug rule didn't involve the color of the car or the color someone is wearing; it was just "slug bug!" and you hit the person nearest you. I had 4 very left-brain concrete males, and one of their rules was always, "You can't change the rules."

Heather November 18, 2009 at 10:14 AM  

We call it Punch Buggie, and only my husband and I play. One punch (not very hard) for declaring "Punch buggie-whatever color it is." If it's an old original bug, you get two punches and say "Punch buggie-color-old school." And you can't use a bug that someone else has called. I know some of my friends only play with the old school bugs.

septembermom November 19, 2009 at 8:25 AM  

Those are a lot of rules to remember! Sometimes I tell my boys to stop making a game so complicated. By the time they get to play, there is usually one of them storming off annoyed. I think I have to start brainstorming game ideas with them. Time for a woman's influence :) Maybe too much testosterone.

Steph at Problem Solvin' Mom November 19, 2009 at 10:03 AM  

LOL - sounds like a good way to entertain them in the car. I love it, especially all the amendments :)

Michelle November 19, 2009 at 8:40 PM  

Cookie - Yeah... we had a discussion this afternoon about how games become no fun if there are too many rules or it's too complicated or the rules keep changing. Here's hoping that chat sticks.

WeaselMomma - MY PTO meetings? Seriously? I'm so laid back in my meetings. No mention of rules or addenda there!

Tara - Practice. Lots and lots of practice. And the ability to forget all the important things to keep drivel like this in.

Karen - Oh I am SO not mentioning that to the wee ones. Yikes! Good luck switching your game over.

Pat - It is amazing how different personalities really adhere to rules (or don't) so differently.

Heather - Wow, I haven't seen one of the old school Bugs in YEARS. We're still working on the "you can't use one someone else already called" rule, as the adherence to that rule varies greatly.

Kelly - Fortunately, no one in the car can storm off mad ;) It does take some of Mommy intervening to keep things on an even keel sometimes.

Steph - It does keep them entertained. I prefer this one to some of the alternatives there could be, I'll admit!

MaBunny November 20, 2009 at 2:25 PM  

hehe we play slug bug too, but along with that , when we see a PT Cruiser, its BRUISER CRUISER! and sorry, but when I'm driving someone better not punch me in the arm, lol

Michelle November 20, 2009 at 8:45 PM  

MaBunny - Ooo this appears to be a popular one. Fingers crossed it doesn't make its way to us!

Angela November 24, 2009 at 11:56 AM  

Wow, that is a LOT of rules! I'm impressed you could remember all that!

We called it Punch Buggy like Heather. And I distinctly remember learning about it the hard way, LOL!

Michelle March 12, 2010 at 10:28 PM  

Angela - Oh c'mon, that's not bad at all. I like rules, and there have been more invented since. I don't follow most of them on principle though ;)

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