Bounce Back – a fun game exploring resilience with children

Introducing ‘Bounce Back’ – a brand new, original card game developed by the RAISE (Mental Health Promotion) team at Merseyside Youth Association.  “Bounce Back’ enables you to explore Resilience with children and young people in a fun and interactive way.  Based on the Resilience Framework, it has been developed using evidence-based research conducted by Professor Angie Hart and her parent, practitioner and young people collaborators.

‘Bounce Back’ stars Resilient Ralph and his friends, the ResiliANTS.  Resilient Ralph was designed by King David Primary School pupil Scarlett Goulding, and was chosen by young people as the winner of a city-wide competition to design a character for resilience.  Scarlett gave Ralph springs so that he can bounce back from his problems and keep going even when things are hard.  His friends, the ResiliANTS, are based on the five columns of the Resilience Framework, and were designed by a small group of children from Smithdown Primary School.

The game also features Anguish Ant, representing the problems that we can all face.  However, with help from Ralph and his friends, Anguish Ant can be controlled.

Each colourful card in the deck represents a different component of resilience, and can be used to discuss resilience with children and young people in an interactive and accessible way.

Each pack of cards provides instructions for the ‘Chase the Anguish Ant’ game, which is a fun way of introducing the concept of risk and resilience to children and young people.  However, the cards can be used in a variety of ways and the possibilities are endless!

The cards will be available to purchase from Merseyside Youth Association from September for just £6 per pack.