Play-2-Learn Dominoes® Building Character is an
educational game developed to teach young people
how to learn to differentiate between actions that
demonstrate good character and actions that
demonstrate bad character. Players also learn to
identify five important dimensions of good character:
respect, caring, fairness, honesty, and responsibility.
Each card contains a short scenario. Players mustdecide if the actions in the scenario represent good or bad character. If they decide it is bad
character, players say what the person should have done instead. The game, through its use of one
hundred concrete examples, takes the concept of character from an abstract concept to practical
guidelines for living by the code of good character. At the facilitator’s discretion, players can also try
to identify the relevant dimension of character.
Most people display bad character not because they are bad people, but because they have made bad
choices. The boy who doesn't clean his room because he wants to go out and play with friends is a typical
example. Many of the cards that show bad character contain rationalizations, helping students see that
these rationalizations do not excuse bad character.
The game comes with a set of dominoes and four decks of cards. The rules parallel those of a standard
domino game with one exception: Players must answer a question about character before placing a domino.
There are two shades of each color card. For example, half the School Cards are a darker shade of blue, and
half are lighter. The darker cards are for younger players, and the lighter cards are for older players. You
can use all the cards or just one shade based on the age and social awareness of the players.
Playing time: Flexible from 30 minutes–45 minutes Players: 2–5
Learning Objectives–Players will:
- 1. understand the concept of character and five important and desirable character traits.
- 2. gain experience making decisions about choices that involve good and bad character.
- 3. practice developing alternatives to behaviors that demonstrate bad character.
- 4. learn that character is judged by a person's actions, not by the person's claims of good character.
- 5. develop an understanding of why parents, school officials, and other adults can be expected to hold
students responsible for dishonesty and other examples of bad character.
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