STUFFIE JEOPARDY FEVER

My children developed an affinity for watching “Jeopardy” alongside my parents whenever they are in town. Ari has asked us to play Jeopardy with his stuffies for MONTHS at night. I explained we’d need to write the questions and keep score. I staved off playing Jeopardy with him and his stuffies before bedtime for a few months. 

But the dam broke last week. Somehow, I caved. (It must’ve been the two FIDs and the delayed opening that reduced my ability to say no.) 

I discovered many pre-written (and often, as you’ll see in the video below, incorrect) Jeopardy games online. I printed off one about U.S. Geography and another about the Solar System, which Ari and I played in his room at bedtime.

This afternoon, Ari yelled at Marc when Marc told him he needed to help Isabelle prepare for a math test instead of doing a home improvement project with Ari. “It’s always about Isabelle!” I heard him moan.

“That’s not true,” Marc said. “I’ll help her with Math, and then we’ll put the new hamper together.”

While I agreed with Marc, I realized Ari would continue badgering him. I was making a chickpea salad and called up Ari. “C’mon downstairs, buddy. I’m available.”

Ari arrived a minute later. When I asked him what he wanted to do once I finished preparing my lunch, he had a one-track mind. “STUFFIE JEOPARDY!”

Again!?!?! 

And because I made myself available and he had a reasonable request, I agreed on one condition.

“Let’s try to use my iPad instead of printing the questions/answers so we can keep track of the score easily.”

While I ate lunch, Ari gathered the returning champion, Siku, and two other animals, Quincy and Tucker, for a round of questions about New York City. Here’s a peek at our first round of “Jeopardy” today:

I’ll be honest: I was lying on the couch, snuggled up with three stuffed animals, and all I could think of was that I needed a nap after we finished the first round. I took a brief one when Marc and Ari put the hamper together but was awoken soon after that for another round with more stuffies.

We played again; this time, we kept the iPad between us for Jeopardy questions for kids his age. Ari’s stuffies rocked it. After a few more rounds, I grew drowsier and told Ari that I needed to close my eyes again.

Taking a nap is a rare occurrence for me when I’m feeling healthy. Taking two naps?! UNHEARD OF. But that’s what I did. While I completely treasured how adorable “STUFFIE JEOPARDY” was, “Jeopardy” has a soporific quality that affects me.

Published by Stacey Shubitz

I am a literacy consultant who focuses on writing workshop. I’ve been working with K-6 teachers and students since 2009. Prior to that, I was a fourth and fifth-grade teacher in New York City and Rhode Island.

I’m the author of Craft Moves (Stenhouse Publishers, 2016) and the co-author of Jump Into Writing (Zaner-Bloser, 2021), Welcome to Writing Workshop (Stenhouse Publishers, 2019), and Day By Day (Stenhouse, 2010).

I live in Central Pennsylvania with my husband and children. In my free time, I enjoy swimming, doing Pilates, cooking, baking, making ice cream, and reading novels.
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