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The Period Game: A ‘fun’ and ‘comfortable’ way to learn about menstruation

Sadly, we're still very much living in a world where, for many, words like ‘tampon’ are taboo, and our vocab is devoid of ‘vulvas’ and the like. A new game is encouraging us all to ‘go with the flow’, aiming to change the way we teach kids about periods.

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The Period Game board layout with a red and pink circular playing surface, white player pieces with round heads, and cards arranged around the edges on a white background

Succinctly entitled The Period Game, the project is the brainchild of Daniela Gilsanz, who was inspired to create it when learning that a 2014 study found that 76% of women aged 16-24 felt embarrassed when they learned about periods in school.

"In 2019 we need to do better," she says. "The Period Game is a fun, positive, learning experience that teaches participants about what is happening within menstruating bodies... "It’s pretty much impossible to play the game without saying words like 'period' and 'tampon,' making it a lot easier to talk about both in real life, and empowering the next generation to stop hiding tampons in their sleeves." We've all been there ladies, right? Heck, I've even discreetly tucked a non-applicator in my bra at times, and I'm no shrinking violet.

So how does the game work? Well, as with traditional board games, you move across the board—unlike traditional board games, this takes you through four delicious stages of the cycle; encountering different PMS symptoms (hopefully bloating, ravenous hunger and vials of tears/anger aren't included in the box) and different flows. Naturally, the players' pieces are shaped like knickers, pads, tampons and menstrual cups.

The game is currently being funded on Kickstarter and has already picked up some rave reviews.

“The kids engaged quickly and all spoke easily of things they may not have in other settings," says middle school health teacher Suzan Steinberg. A 6th grader kid (that's Year 7 to us in England) added: "This game was really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really fun."

Four children and an adult gathered around a pink table playing The Period Game, a board game designed to teach young people about menstruation
Flat lay of The Period Game cards in red and pink, featuring illustrations of pads, tampons and menstrual cups, alongside small white and coloured beads scattered across a grey surface.
Hand holding an "Extra Undies" card from The Period Game against a pink background with game board and player pieces visible behind it
Three people sitting on the floor playing The Period Game, a board game designed to teach about menstruation in a fun and comfortable way
The Period Game board displayed flat with playing pieces shaped like period products arranged around a central red figure against a pink background
The Period Game board game laid out in a circle, showing coloured cards with menstrual cycle stages, symptoms and product information arranged around a central white circle on a pink background.
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