From the time when I was a little girl games have always been a huge part of my life and it’s carried on through the years I #Homeschooled Suzzane and watched my nephew David M. To #homeschooling Charlie with Board Games to my nieces and nephews.
When we homeschooled, we used board games as part of our learning. We enjoyed family game nights, played games on date nights, and found so many other ways to bring a little fun into our home. Some of our favorite memories have come from sitting around together, laughing, sharing ideas, and enjoying a little friendly competition.
So, when I found out about The Great Debate Game by Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D., and learned how it brings two teams together to debate different topics, I couldn’t wait to play it with David and Charlie, along with Bradley and Joseph. We all had a lot of fun! I wish you could have been here to play with us.
What I enjoyed about the idea behind this game is that it gives everyone an opportunity to speak up, share their thoughts, and look at a subject from a different point of view. You don’t always have to agree with someone to enjoy a conversation with them. Sometimes, the fun comes from hearing how someone else sees things and discovering that you might have more to talk about than you realized.
Today, I want to introduce you to the woman behind the game and share the thoughts she was kind enough to send us. I hope you’ll enjoy getting to know her and discover whether The Great Debate Game might be a good fit for your own family so I can let Santa know to bring you a game.
Meet Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D., Creator of The Great Debate Game– Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D., is an award-winning author, publisher, speaker, consultant, and filmmaker based in California. She has written more than 50 books published by major publishers and released more than 200 additional titles through her company, Changemakers Publishing and Writing.
Her work covers subjects ranging from business and psychology to social trends, self-development, and current events. She has also developed games throughout her career, including games published by major companies such as Hasbro and Parker Brothers. With The Great Debate Game, Gini brings her experience with writing, communication, and game development together to create an activity that encourages players ages 12 and older to think on their feet, share their opinions, and listen to other perspectives.
The game is currently available as a printable PDF rather than a physical boxed game. That means families can download and print the materials instead of waiting for a package to arrive. You can learn more about Gini through her official website and explore her games at ALB Games.
Gini Graham Scott Shares Her Thoughts About The Great Debate Game
What inspired you to create The Great Debate Game, and what did you hope players would gain from playing it?
Gini explained that she had already been creating communication games centered on discussion, conversation, and generating ideas. Some of her earlier games included debate topics, but none focused specifically on having players debate one another.
She wanted to try a different way of playing that would let people share their opinions and sometimes defend a position they might not personally agree with. She also drew on her own experiences participating in debates during high school, college, and law school.
Her goal was to create a spirited challenge that would be both fun and thought-provoking.
How did you choose the topics, and how do you keep the discussions engaging for people with different viewpoints?
Gini selected 11 categories covering everyday life, family and relationships, education, money and finance, law and government, society and crime, technology and artificial intelligence, the environment, sports and entertainment, work and business, and humorous or silly subjects.
She created 10 questions for each category, using suggestions from AI as a starting point and then deciding which questions to keep, revise, or add to the game herself.
She believes the game can be engaging because players have to think through their responses, even when they’re assigned a side they don’t personally support. That challenge can help players consider arguments they might not have thought about otherwise.
How can parents use the game to help teenagers express their opinions and learn to disagree respectfully?
Gini believes parents can use the game to help teenagers understand that they will meet people with different ideas throughout their lives. Learning to listen respectfully is important, even when they disagree.
She encourages players to express their own opinions in a reasonable, neutral way rather than becoming aggressive or threatening. The game offers an opportunity to practice sharing ideas calmly and thoughtfully.
What advice would you give families who want to play together, especially when some family members are shy about speaking up?
Gini recommends reassuring everyone that their thoughts are valuable and encouraging quieter players to participate without making them feel judged.
Giving someone extra time to think about a topic can help them feel more comfortable sharing their ideas. She also suggests encouraging more outspoken players to support quieter family members and help them feel welcome in the conversation.
I think that is an important reminder for family game nights. Not everyone thinks at the same speed or feels comfortable jumping into a conversation right away. Sometimes, a little patience can make all the difference.
How has your experience as an author, publisher, speaker, and consultant influenced the development of this game?
Gini shared that her experience creating games goes back many years. She previously designed approximately two dozen games published by major companies, including Hasbro and Parker Brothers.
More recently, her game development began with the idea of promoting a documentary about scams in the digital age. That project inspired Scamalot and The Scam Game, which led her to develop games covering other subjects, including travel, advice, relationships, nature, and the environment.
Her background in writing and game development helped shape The Great Debate Game into another way for people to learn, communicate, and exchange ideas.
How can players keep debates enjoyable when a topic brings out strong opinions?
Gini explained that families can choose everyday topics that are less likely to create tension, remove questions they don’t want to discuss, and establish ground rules before starting.
Those rules might include listening respectfully, speaking calmly, and remembering that the goal is to enjoy the experience rather than win an argument at any cost.
She also recommends that players help calm things down if someone becomes too excited or aggressive.
What do you hope players take away from the game beyond winning?
Gini hopes players will learn about different subjects and discover the many viewpoints people can have about them. She also hopes they will gain experience arguing for a particular position and perhaps even be inspired to create their own debate topics.
Where can readers find The Great Debate Game and your other books and projects?
Gini recommends visiting ALB Games, where readers can explore her discussion, conversation, and party games and find links to purchase them through Amazon.
Readers can also find the game on Amazon and learn more about Gini’s work at ginigrahamscott.com.
She also mentioned her book Play Life as a Game, which offers exercises for thinking about life in terms of goals, objectives, and experiences.
Thank you to Gini Graham Scott for taking the time to answer our questions and tell us more about The Great Debate Game!
Now, before I go, I have one more thought about this game. Christmas is coming, and Santa has a lot of houses to visit! Every year, there’s a gift list to work through, and all those physical presents take up room in that sleigh. But this year, I think The Great Debate Game might help Santa lighten his load!
Since the game is available as a printable PDF, Santa doesn’t have to bring a physical boxed game to everyone on his gift-giving list. He can create a thoughtful little card, tuck it into someone’s Christmas stocking, and move on to the next house. And that might make things a little easier for David and me when we’re helping Santa with all those Christmas preparations, too!
Of course, the real gift isn’t just a game. It’s the chance to spend time together, share a few laughs, hear different opinions, and make memories around the table. That’s the kind of gift that can keep giving long after Christmas morning. So, if you’re looking for something different for a family member, a teenager, or someone who enjoys a lively conversation, take a look at The Great Debate Game. You might discover that the best gift doesn’t always need a big box or a giant bow. Sometimes, all it needs is a good question and a few people willing to join the conversation.
As always, I’m grateful for the little things that bring us together. Here’s to family, laughter, and making memories!
About the Game:
In The Great Debate Game, players on two teams discuss different debate topics, and the object of the game is for each team to win the most debates, as decided by the judge or judges. It can also be played as a discussion game only. It’s a game for three or more players, age 12 to adult. Just cut out the cards to play. It’s one of a series of games in a book by ALB Games at www.albgames.net.
GINI GRAHAM SCOTT, PhD, is a nationally known writer, consultant, speaker, and seminar leader, specializing in business and work relationships, professional and personal development, social trends, popular culture, science, and crime. She has published over 50 books with major publishers. She is the founder of Changemakers Publishing, featuring 250+ books on work, business, psychology, self-help, and social trends. She has worked with dozens of clients on self-help, business books, memoirs, and film scripts.
Inside this post is my affiliate links if you click on the links and make a purchase I will make a small percentage from the products you purchase.
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.
GreatfulMoments.com
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
