Wild Unicorn: A Fun and Inclusive Game for Every learner

Returning back to school after holiday break can be tough and students and teachers alike may need a little extra spark to re-engage in learning. Enter Wild Unicorn, a game I created to inject some fun, energy, and learning into my classroom. It’s inspired by the board game Cranium but tailored for the classroom and it’s a surefire way to ease back into routines while fostering creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking and supporting the diverse array of learners and personalities in my classroom.

Wild Unicorn Game

Object of Game:
Teams work together to guess words correctly through sculpting, drawing, or charades. The team with the most points before the time runs out wins the game.

Game Set-up:
​The beauty of Wild Unicorn is it is simple to set up, and can adapt to any subject area and learning environment. Here’s what you need:

• A deck of playing cards
• A stack of word cards written on index cards (use vocabulary words from your units of study) Or, level up with Koogel Blank Cards
• A sand timer (or the timer on your phone)
• A classroom whiteboard
• Play-Doh

Game Play:

1. Divide the class into two teams.
2. Decide who goes first by rolling a dice or with a quick round of rock-paper-scissors.
3. The first team picks a player to come to the front. They draw a playing card and a word card.
4. The playing card suit determines the action (as shown below) and the number on the card determines how many points can be earned if the word is guessed correctly. Numbers 2-10 are face value, Jack, Queen, and Queen are worth 10. Ace is worth "11" and jokers are worth 20. You can make challenging words worth double points to add excitement. ​

Diamonds: Draw the word on the whiteboard.
Spades: Sculpt the word with Play-Doh.
Clubs: Act out the word using charades.
Hearts: “Wild Unicorn” allows players to choose any action (draw, sculpt, or act)

   5. Players have one minute to get their team to guess the word on the word card drawn. If their team doesn’t guess, the opposing team gets one chance to steal the points.

Game End:
The team with the highest score, wins the game. You can play until a set time or until one team reaches a predetermined score.

How Wild Unicorn benefits ALL learners

My culinary arts classroom is full of an eclectic mix of personalities and learning needs. I love the diversity and have become increasingly aware of the importance of creating a safe and inclusive classroom that meets the needs of all of my learners. I have found the Wild Unicorn game to be an inclusive game that benefits a wide array of learners:

Supporting Neurodivergent Learners

Multiple Modalities for Expression:
This game allows learners multiple modalities for expression through drawing, acting, sculpting, and choice. This allows neurodivergent learners to play to their strengths and provides students that may struggle with verbal communication alternative ways to express understanding.
​Safe and Predictable Structure:
The game rules are clear, the sequence is consistent, and students know what to expect. This predictability can help reduce anxiety. You can also build in rules that allow students to “draw again”, if they don’t feel comfortable with their knowledge of a term.
​Opportunities for Team Collaboration:
If you play this game at the beginning of a school year when students haven’t yet established relationships with their peers yet, you may have students work in pairs to ease anxiety and further establish collaboration. You can also build in rules that allow students to “draw again”, if they don’t feel comfortable with their knowledge of a term.
​Focus on Strengths:
Activities that draw on creative or tactile strengths can build confidence, especially for students who shine in non-traditional ways.

Supporting English Language Learners (ELLs)

Multisensory Vocabulary Practice:
​ELLs benefit from seeing words visualized through drawings and sculptures, as well as from hearing them in context during team discussions. This reinforces vocabulary in a dynamic, memorable way.
Scaffolded Participation:
Since the focus is on nonverbal communication for certain actions (like charades or sculpting), ELLs can actively contribute without relying solely on verbal skills.
Opportunity for Repetition:
Vocabulary is revisited naturally during gameplay, helping ELLs reinforce their understanding in an engaging context.
Peer Learning:
Working in teams allows ELLs to learn from their peers in an authentic, supportive setting. They can observe, listen, and contribute at their comfort level.

Supporting a Variety of Personality Types

Adaptable Engagement Strategies:
Extroverted students may gravitate toward performing charades, while introverted or shy students might prefer sculpting or drawing, giving everyone a way to shine. You can choose to change up the rules by having a student turn over the playing card first indicating the action, and then determine the team member that would like to create in that modality. Once decided, the word card is flipped.
Flexibility for Hesitant Participants:
Pairing a hesitant student with a teammate helps alleviate pressure and ensures participation without forcing them outside their comfort zone.
Engagement Across Interests:
With creative, tactile, and active elements, the game appeals to a wide range of interests, ensuring most students find something they enjoy.
Encouragement of Team Dynamics:
The collaborative nature of the game fosters a sense of belonging, which can help quieter students feel more comfortable participating in class activities over time.

Supporting Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Wild Unicorn supports and aligns with UDL principles by offering:
Multiple means of engagement: It’s fun, collaborative, and adaptable, drawing students into the learning process.
Multiple means of representation: Students interact with vocabulary through visual, auditory, and tactile modalities.
​Multiple means of action and expression: Students demonstrate their understanding in creative and diverse ways.

How Wild Unicorn Boosts Student Engagement

Wild unicorn is a wonderful way to boost student engagement in your classroom. The game naturally reinforces key concepts while making learning fun. I'm amazed at how engaged my students are throughout game play.  Beyond academics, Wild Unicorn fosters teamwork and creativity, and it’s a great way to build classroom culture. Here are several other ways Wild Unicorn supports student engagement: 

Intrinsic Motivation through Play:
The game incorporates elements of fun and friendly competition, which naturally draw students in. By using creative and interactive challenges, Wild Unicorn makes learning feel like play rather than work. Students are more likely to participate when they see the activity as enjoyable.
Active Participation:
Students are not passive observers; they are directly involved as players, guessers, and teammates. Whether they are sculpting with Play-Doh, acting out clues, or strategizing with their team, every role requires active engagement.
Variety of Challenges:
The mix of drawing, sculpting, acting, and choosing keeps the game dynamic and exciting. This variety caters to different interests and learning preferences, ensuring that all students find aspects of the game that resonate with them.
Team Collaboration:
The team-based structure encourages students to work together, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. Peer support can be especially motivating, as students want to contribute to their team's success.
Low-Pressure Environment:
Because students have options (e.g., choosing actions with the Wild Unicorn card, working in pairs, or using a redraw), the game reduces pressure and creates a safe space for taking risks. This approach helps even hesitant or shy students feel comfortable participating.
Relevance to Learning Goals:
By incorporating vocabulary or content from units of study, the game ties directly into the curriculum. This relevance reinforces the importance of the material while making it engaging and accessible.
Opportunities for Creativity:
Wild Unicorn challenges students to think creatively, whether they’re sketching a concept, crafting a sculpture, or acting out a word. This taps into higher-order thinking skills and makes the learning process memorable.
Immediate Feedback and Positive Reinforcement:
As teams guess and score points, students receive immediate feedback on their efforts. The positive reinforcement of correct answers and the fun atmosphere of the game keep students motivated to continue.
Adaptability for All Learners:
The game is flexible and can be tailored to fit different class sizes, learning levels, and subject areas. Its adaptability ensures that all students can engage meaningfully, regardless of their individual needs or abilities.

Tips for Success

Here are some tips for success I've learned as I've brought this game into classroom learning:

• Use your document camera for sculpting challenges so everyone can see.
• Allow students one redraw if they feel stuck with a word.
• Offer encouragement and guidance for students who are unsure about the vocabulary.
• Continuously add new vocabulary as the semester progresses, revisiting past units while introducing fresh terms.

Give Wild Unicorn a try!

If you’re looking for a creative, low-prep activity to kick off the new year, give Wild Unicorn a try. Wild Unicorn is a perfect way to revisit vocabulary and re-establish our collaborative classroom environment. You’ll find students energized, engaged, and smiling…something every teacher hopes for after a long break. You’ll ease back into the groove, inspire your students, and maybe even spark a little magic in your classroom. Let me know if you give it a go or adapt it to fit your teaching style...I’d love to hear about your Wild Unicorn adventures!

Game rules for smaller team play:

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