Do you have what it takes to be the chief of your clan? Gather up your tribe members for a few rounds of this challenging, prehistoric game and see for yourself. Oooga Booga consists of 54 game cards, each with a primeval word or tribal action and an accompanying picture as a visual cue. Start the game by placing a card on the table, saying the word and finish with “Ha!” Players then alternate adding and reciting their cards covering the written word so only the image can be seen. Soon we found ourselves reciting ANI, IGA, GLOO, IGA, HA! with the string of nonsense words growing , taxing our memory with each turn. The object of the game is to be the first person to use all of his cards and shout “Ooga booga!” Be wary as mistakes may cost you 3 penalty cards. Although the words themselves have no meaning in the English language, Ooga Booga can help strengthen certain language skills for the young members of the tribe. Not only does it entail a strong visual and auditory memory component, but reading and pronouncing nonsense words helps build literacy and decoding skills. Players gain an advantage if they are good listeners during players’ prior turns, hearing the sequence recited. My toy testers and I had a great time taking turns reciting crazy chains of words like “PAYA,” “POOKA” and “KIKI” as the list gradually grew longer. Silly and engaging, this game, unlike any you have ever played, allows you to let loose and act like a cave man!
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Julie Fracker contributed to this review. Julie is passionate about working with kids and pursuing a degree in speech pathology at University of Connecticut.
