POLSON, Mont. – After taking his toys away for a punishment, Leslie Hamerberg noticed that her 5-year-old foster son invented and drew a new game on paper to play with to occupy his time.

The game implied that he if made good choices, he’d have a safe place to live – and his toys – as a positive result.

”When I realized the affects of a child actually having to live out their consequences, the idea for Rez Got Game was born,” Hamerburg said.

The American Indian-owned and operated company located on Montana’s Flathead Indian Reservation manufactures and produces the colorful, silk screened tipi canvassed Rez Got Game board game, with naturally polished rocks as game pieces.

Hamerberg said that the name is derived from the fact that she likes the movie starring Denzel Washington, ”He Got Game,” and for the affinity that American Indians have for basketball.

The game itself is subdivided into three age appropriate age groups: 5 – 7, 8 – 12 and teenagers.

The game is played by having a player draw a card. Then they’re asked to think, feel and act out potential real life scenarios.

”The child knows that there will be a consequence to their actions,” Hamerburg said. ”On a lighter note, when a child makes a poor choice, they will be asked to act out his choice, thus adding humor to the game.”

The game can bring sensitive issues to the table. For example, teen players would be encouraged to discuss teen pregnancy, suicide and alcohol abuse. For the 8 – 12 bracket, they might go over issues that deal with smoking, divorce or family relations. For kids in the 5 – 7 category, they might talk about bullying or cheating.

”When they’re in a situation they can’t handle, kids can actually talk about those issues that instill fear, anxiety and low self-esteem, and they’ll finally have the courage to talk about these without pressure and judgment,” Hamerberg said.

”With repeated playing, kids are encouraged to become healthy human beings. To instill good values in children, we have to first teach them to think about the situation, to feel empathy for those involved or themselves if they are involved, and then act,” she said. ”The end result: Lines of communication are opened among children and adults.”

The game has garnered positive feedback from mental health experts, teen church groups, treatment facilities, as well as organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club.

”I felt that the game had clear advantages over many games that are available on the market,” said Lou Stone, a licensed clinical psychologist of AltaCare of Montana. AltaCare works with the district to provide school-based mental health services. ”Our students were more receptive to feedback from peers than they have been with us. They were also able to gain empathy for others who may be impacted by their choices,” Stone added.

Dr. John Schnase, the executive director of the Flathead Reservation Boys and Girls Club, has had a lot of time observing the influence of the game.

”The kids that played the game were between 8 and 14 years old,” he said. ”They were quite taken with the experience and began learning the immediate benefits of open discussion about often hard to talk about issues. The games certainly give the kids an element of comfort.”

Because the game can be played by all ages that include adults and parents, people have told Hamerburg that it has helped them open up and ”come to grips” with some of their own choices. As a result, they were able to gain more empathy and add insight to discussions as taken from their own related life experiences.

”In the generation of computer and video games and reality TV that are designed to provide entertainment, I truly believe that the family has suffered,” Hamerberg said. ”Now there’s an imbalance – we no longer communicate with our children. We must get back to old fashion family conversations that are open and serve to direct children in toward a healthy style of life.”

Hamerberg said that although the name implies it, Rez Got Game shouldn’t be relegated only to people living on a reservation. The game can adapt to the concerns of more urban areas, cultures or different regions.

”Our target markets for 2008 will be schools, churches with teen youth groups, psychologists, therapists, mental health departments, civic organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Clubs, and residential treatment homes,” she said. ”In 2009, we are aiming at family-friendly department stores like Wal-Mart.”

To purchase the game or view it, visit www.rezgotgame.com.