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Free belonging game guide · TABLE Method™
Wingspan
Being present without performing presence · Stage 1
What the Game Is
A competitive engine-building game about attracting birds to your wildlife preserve. Each player builds a personal tableau with little direct interaction, which lets people share a table without having to perform socially.
Why It Works at a Table
Wingspan lets people sit together with a clear, absorbing task and very little required interaction. That is useful when proximity, not conversation, is today's goal. Small, optional moments of sharing (a favorite bird, a funny power) can happen without anyone being put on the spot.
Try One Variation
Bird of the round (BGT house rule, not an official rule). At the end of each round, anyone may show one bird and read one line from its card. Passing is normal.
- Targets: Optional conversation and low-pressure shared attention
- Suits: Groups where a little talk would help
- Watch for: Going around the circle in order, which makes it feel required. Keep it popcorn style.
- Debrief prompt: “Was there a bird fact, illustration, or ability you enjoyed hearing about?”
The TABLE Method™, Applied
A short excerpt from the full guide's TABLE plan. Anyone can pass, pause, or stop at any time.
Target
Notice comfort with shared space, and any small moments of voluntary interaction, without pushing for more.
Assess
Check the player count, the time, and whether the game serves today's goal.
- Is a 70-minute game realistic for this group today? If not, shorten it (see variations).
Build
- Set up before people arrive; setup takes time.
- Teach with the quick-reference guide. Offer open-hand play during teaching; the rules also permit private hands, so each player chooses the visibility that feels comfortable, and advice is given only when invited.
Lead
- Play alongside the group. Model small, optional sharing (“this bird's power made me laugh”).
- Do not fill silences. Quiet play is the point.
Extract and Extend
Debrief in order: Board, Self, Us, Life or Work, Extension. Ask what participants make of the game. Do not tell them.
Game not included; play by the rulebook in your box. In the BGT book: Chapter 5 (The Loneliness Map) anchor game, Appendix B (Stage 1 example), Appendix C (Stage 1, scope: all), and Appendix F (six-week and twelve-week shapes). Independent companion. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Stonemaier Games. Wingspan may be a trademark of its owner and is named only to identify the game. Board Game Therapy is not inherently psychotherapy. Copyright 2026 Solid State Strategies, LLC.