Many social and educational values ill prepare a child for later life. Instead of teaching children how to work together, to help each other, to consider the good of the other person or the group as well as oneself, they often foster only competition and winning. This is a pernicious habit. In the home, or in the classroom, cooperative games helps to lay this groundwork. In other games we find that competitive play often stifles unity.
Most competitive games cause players to feel isolated or left out.
The action is secretive and the results can be hurt feelings or arguments. In cooperative games, children and adults feel good about each other because they enjoy sharing, helping each other, and making joint decisions. In short, the challenge shifts from defeating each other to helping each other. After a group of children or a family learns to play cooperative games, it becomes easy to change the rules of any other game to make it less competitive. We consider this real 'socialization' and preparation for positive interaction throughout life.