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What are the Photo Cards like? They are 3” by 3” and on a thicker stock than normal playing cards. The Photo Cards will feel like a stack of durable matte polaroids more than a deck of regular playing cards. They are easier to pick up than normal playing cards.

Who took the photos? All photos in OuiSi Original are...original! We took the photos over a two-year period, admiring the small details in our everyday lives. Sometimes we specifically looked for patterns, shapes and colors for matches to photos we had already selected. Sometimes, it was serendipity. The photos in OuiSi Nature are a collaboration with 16 nature and wildlife photographers from around the world. Learn more about them here: https://go.ouisi.co/photographers/

Where are the games made? They are manufactured in China. We looked hard for a domestic partner, but the technical ability and quality found with our overseas partner were second to none globally. They've done a great job and we are proud to work with them.

What's in the Guidebook? You'll find 12 games and activities in the OuiSi Original Guidebook. In the OuiSi Nature Guidebook, you'll find 14 games and activities, and 7 in the OuiSi Getty Guidebook (much of this Guidebook provides information about the artwork depicted).

Does the OuiSi Guidebook come in languages other than English? The printed instructions for OuiSi are in English only. However, we have published some online guides at https://go.ouisi.co/guidebooks/, not to mention the games are simple to learn and visually intuitive.

What do you mean by "visual language?" In some ways, it goes back to hieroglyphics. To this day we still communicate visually, like texting emojis. With OuiSi, when someone makes a Visual Connection between Photo Cards and they share that with another player, they are demonstrating something that often needs no explanation. That said, the spark of a Visual Connection can then be the basis of a real conversation.

My relative doesn't speak English. Can they play? YES! Our dream games involve players from across backgrounds and generations. Try out the uncompetitive version of OuiSi and your relative is likely to catch on quick by example. You can also visit https://go.ouisi.co/guidebooks/ for a virtual Guidebook in other languages.

Do you test OuiSi for safety? Yes! We've done extensive testing on OuiSi Original and OuiSi Nature to ensure they comply with the most up-to-date global standards for safety. In particular OuiSi was tested for and passed tests for ASTM and EN-71 in addition to tests for phthalates and heavy metals.

What are your environmental practices? The paper products in OuiSi are sourced from an FSC®/™ certified supplier. We make OuiSi durable to last for many years with classrooms and families, reducing waste and recycling in favor of reuse. On that note, we ask that you donate your copy of OuiSi to a local public school should you ever decide you are done with your copy. Note that we donate our returns to schools, rather than trying to recycle them prematurely.

Additional comments from our manufacturer (Panda Games): At Panda, we have a commitment not only to produce the best quality games in the industry, but to operate in a sustainable and ethical manner. We believe in producing the highest quality games in the industry, so you, your friends, and your family can play them for years to come. We also believe in reducing the environmental impact of producing games. Some steps we’ve taken in that direction include using eco-friendly inks, glues, varnishes, and wraps, as well as sourcing wood from providers who use responsible forestry practices. We also feel strongly about recycling. Our standard cardboard components are made from 30% recycled material, our shipping cartons are crafted from 100% recycled paper pulp, and we take great care to recycle all excess plastic and paper materials instead of simply discarding them.

What is the right age for a OuiSi player? OuiSi games are multigenerational. Visual connections are simple and accessible, yet insightful and clever. They aren't something that gets easier with age. In fact, kids often see things that adults don't. That's why we say that OuiSi is for kids age 4 to 104.

Can a 3-year-old play? We officially recommend children ages 4 and up. That said, the concepts of OuiSI – noticing patterns, matching, making connections – are often understandable by kids as young as 3.

How can adults enjoy a game made for kids? Well, that's just the thing...it wasn't made for kids. It was made with kids and adults both in mind. The mechanism of "this looks like that" is just so ageless, we've never come across a brain activity like it. Want to introduce complexity to the game? Look for more esoteric and less obvious Visual Connections. Want to simplify things to start? Begin with color or basic-shape matches.

In the OuiSi Original and Nature guides you will find two competitive games (ages 10+) that demand visual acuity and strategic thinking.

Competitive OuiSinoes (we-see-nose): Make photo-card connections in this engaging take on visual dominoes! Convince a rotating judge that the visual connection you've made on a growing dominoes board is the best in a given round! Accumulate points for each favored connection, and the first to five wins!

OuiSi Capture: All players work together against a common opponent represented by a penalty pile. Players take turns giving a one-word clue that visually describes five Photo Cards on a 5x5 board. The remaining players earn the whole team points for successfully guessing the clued Photo Cards, and are penalized for incorrect choices. Make the game easier or harder using the variations in the guidebook.

The rules for creative and collaborative activities in this section are not set in stone by design. Make them your own by finding new ways of playing, or use them as building blocks for unconstrained play. While these activities are built for kids as young as 4, they are great creative pursuits for people of all ages!

OuiSinoes (we-see-nose): Make Photo Card connections in this engaging take on dominoes! Like a great conversation, everyone wins as each person adds something thoughtful to the board. Find a competitive version of OuiSinoes in the Guide to Competitive Games.

OuiSi Imaginate: Using a little imagination, each card in the deck looks like something else. It’s kind of like finding things when staring at clouds (“that cloud looks like an elephant!”). Check out the three examples below. Find a competitive version of Imaginate in the Guide to Competitive Games.

OuiSi Trainmaker: Players build a “train” of images one at a time, with each image visually connecting/matching to the one prior. Have fun with the shapes you might make, from circles to spirals to one long line. There are so many connection possibilities that we bet you’ll never make the same train twice.

OuiSi Storybuilder: Choose cards as prompts to craft your next written or verbal adventure. Use the Imaginate activity to come up with ideas from each card. Stories can be created on your own or with friends.

OuiSi Scavenger: Explore your world for OuiSi connections using the Photo Cards as prompts. Scavenger is great for mindfulness, photographers and curious kids!

OuiSi Eye Spy: A fun take on the game I Spy (“with my little eye”) and a great alternative on a road trip.

OuiSi Draw: This activity turns the spark of a Photo Card into a full-blown drawing. This activity can be played in a number of ways, with others or on your own.

OuiSense: A five-minute break that will bring you back to a state of presence, noticing and imagination. While OuiSi is primarily visual, OuiSense is an activity that engages all senses. 

OuiFeel: Build awareness and gratitude using these basic prompts and the Photo Cards.

OuiSi Megamal (OuiSi Nature only): Make your own imaginary creature (a “Megamal!”) using different features, shapes and colors found on the Photo Cards. Each Megamal will have it's own abilities and characteristics based on what you add.

OuiSystems: This activity is more open-ended than most activities in this guidebook (we think that’s a good thing!). OuiSystems is a blend of sorting and imagining. You can group the Photo Cards based on similarities based on a visual, imaginative or scientific basis!

OuiSi’s unique images and visual connections make excellent ingredients for unconstrained play. Due to its very nature, we don’t want to add too many specifics that could limit experimentation. Instead, in our guidebook we offer suggestions to spark imagination and play.

How much is shipping? Standard shipping is now free. When we are able to, we provide the option of faster shipping for a small fee.

How long does it take for packages to arrive in Canada? For shipments to Canada, the additional time at the border could mean that shipments take 10 days to arrive.

Can I send items from a single order to multiple locations? Unfortunately, no. For every destination you must place a separate order.

Where will you ship? We currently ship to the US and Canada at shop.ouisi.co (the site you are now on). For the UK, please visit shop.ouisi.co.uk. Except for Canada, we have warehouses directly in each region, so customers won't need to deal with additional duties.

When will OuiSi get here? US orders usually take 3-7 business days with Standard Shipping. We will ship your package from the contiguous US within one business day of the order.

Shipping to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and Military addresses? We do ship to all of these places. Our own fulfillment fees are incredibly expensive, but we subsidize these costs to give everyone a similar cost structure. Note that shipping to these places can take a lot longer, often from 7-14 days.

Where do you ship from for the UK? We have a warehouse in the UK. Please visit shop.ouisi.co.uk to make a purchase.

Will I pay any duties? It's possible that packages coming from the US to Canada could have duties assessed (this has been rare for single sets in our experience).

What are my payment options? You can select your preferred payment method at checkout. We accept secure payments for both local & international customers via Credit Cards, Debit Cards, ApplePay, PayPal, etc. Email us if you have a payment method you don't see here, we want to make sure you feel safe and that you pay the lowest fees possible.

Why is my credit card getting rejected? The short answer is "we have no idea." The longer answer is that we verify credit cards based on the CVC (the 3-4 digit security code on cards). And, sometimes credit cards are simply finicky. We can all agree that the payment "should" work, but sadly if a card is rejected then you may need to try another one. We're sorry in advance if the systems cause you any hassles.

What is the exchange and refund policy? Your 100% satisfaction is important to us. If you aren't satisfied with your purchase, the best thing to do is email us. Here is our 30-day Return & Exchange Policy:

• If a product gets damaged or was faulty upon a delivery - we offer 100% refund (including shipping fees). Otherwise, to be eligible for a return, the games must be returned to us undamaged and accompanied by proof of purchase. In this case, customers are eligible for a full refund, net of shipping fees.
• For returns, please email info@ouisi.co with the subject 'Returns' and include your order number, name and the reason for the return.
• We will provide the customer with instructions where to send returned goods.
• Please note that customers are responsible for the shipping costs of returned items.
• When the returned item is received and inspected, the customer receives a confirmation email, notifying about the status of the refund.

How do orders work? Simply add as many items as you wish to your shopping cart while browsing our store. Once you want to proceed with the order - do so by going to the cart and clicking "checkout". Follow the instructions by providing us with delivery information and select the payment method for the goods - we will ship your package within 2 business days.

Why won't the system let me buy more than one copy? Unfortunately, the Buy It Now, Buy With ApplePay and GooglePay buttons only fast-track purchases of a single copy. For multiple copies, select "Add To Cart" and then proceed to the cart by either clicking on the pop-out drawer or selecting the icon in the upper right corner that looks like a bag (it will likely have a "1" or "2" inside it). From the cart, you can adjust the quantity and then checkout.

Why don't you have ApplePay or PayPal? We do! Unfortunately, ApplePay can be finicky on different devices and software. There isn't much we can do on our end as we check our payment systems regularly. We suggest:

• Try a different payment method (e.g. credit card)
• Use the regular checkout and select ApplePay or PayPal there
• Try updating your device's software (if it isn't already!)
• Try using a different device (e.g. tablet)
• Make sure your credit card is up to date in the Apple Wallet
• Email us and vent!

Why isn't my order working? There are so many potential reasons that it's best to reach out to us. Find us at info@ouisi.co

Do you have teacher discounts? Yes! Email us at info@ouisi.co and tell us briefly about your school/classroom (we love to hear about where OuiSi lands next). Then we'll send you a code. We also take POs, and we have custom pricing for district purchases.

How do I order? Please email us at wholesale@ouisi.co and introduce yourself! We'd love to hear about your store and are grateful that you would consider OuiSi on your shelves.

Freight Fees? We charge a subsidized rate of $1.50/unit. That said, new customers enjoy Free Shipping on their first order.

Are you on Faire? Yes, please use this link – https://faire.com/direct/ouisi – which will enable Free Shipping on your first order (we may have to apply the Free Shipping manually depending on your order size). Please use this specific link so that we don't get extra charges from Faire on our end.

Can we get a sample copy for a store display? Yes, we can send a copy of your preferred game with your initial order.

Do you wholesell to Hawaii and Alaska? Shipping charges are absurd, so we ask that you are a Faire Insider Plus member so that we can pass the shipping charges off to Faire. Otherwise, we need to charge higher (but subsidized) rates for this. Please reach out and we can discuss this on a case-by-case basis.

Can I add a gift note to the package? While this is a reasonable request(!), we sadly don't have the ability to add gift notes at this time. We are working hard to add this for 2024. We are sorry we can't be of more help in this instance.

This is a gift. Is a price tag attached? No, the recipient will not see the price of the item as we don't include a physical receipt in the package.

OuiSi has proven to be a valuable tool for individuals navigating dementia and/or mild cognitive impairments, offering an engaging and non-competitive experience that facilitates connection, expression, and fun!

Beyond its application in dementia, OuiSi is uniquely designed to stimulate and captivate individuals with AND without dementia, making it an enjoyable experience for family members and caregivers alike.

OuiSi's inclusive design fosters a low-stress environment, encouraging understanding and creativity while bridging generations and sparking meaningful conversations (with or without words).

Foster mindfulness: Our cards capture small marvels of the "everyday," from the beautiful lines of a crushed pop can to the pattern of shadows created from construction fencing. OuiSi games and activities encourage players to explore the small marvels in their own world. On our blog, we write about this topic in-depth, like this post.

I struggle with meditation. Ideas? Yes! We have struggled with meditation too, though we fully believe in how powerful it can be. Sometimes, we need a stepping stone and encouragement, however. Noticing is bitesized mindfulness, and our cards are a nudge in that direction. With OuiSi it doesn't require a ton of discipline to get a mindfulness practice going. Check out this post we wrote about OuiSi and mindfulness.

What is the right age for a OuiSi player? OuiSi games are multigenerational. Visual connections are simple and accessible, yet insightful and clever. They aren't something that gets easier with age. In fact, kids often see things that adults don't. That's why we say that OuiSi is for kids age 4 to 104.

Can a 3-year-old play? We officially recommend children ages 4 and up. That said, the concepts of OuiSI – noticing patterns, matching, making connections – are often understandable by kids as young as 3.

How can adults enjoy a game made for kids? Well, that's just the thing...it wasn't made for kids. It was made with kids and adults both in mind. The mechanism of "this looks like that" is just so ageless, we've never come across a brain activity like it. Want to introduce complexity to the game? Look for more esoteric and less obvious Visual Connections. Want to simplify things to start? Begin with color or basic-shape matches.

My relative doesn't speak English. Can they play? YES! Our dream games involve players from across backgrounds and generations. Try out the uncompetitive version of OuiSi and your relative is likely to catch on quick by example. You can also visit https://go.ouisi.co/guidebooks/ for a virtual Guidebook in other languages.

What about language-learning? OuiSi is a terrific aid in learning new languages, especially the collaborative activities. For example, in activities that require players to explain how Photo Cards Visually Connect, they can make that explanation in a language being learned. If a French Immersion student trying to explain that two Photo Cards Visually Connect because they are both yellow and have an oval, they might say "jaune et ovale." We've also learned that the visual references for translated words (like "ovale") help make the words more memorable.

What do you mean by "visual language?" In some ways, it goes back to hieroglyphics. To this day we still communicate visually, like texting emojis. With OuiSi, when someone makes a Visual Connection between Photo Cards and they share that with another player, they are demonstrating something that often needs no explanation. That said, the spark of a Visual Connection can then be the basis of a real conversation.