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?