Introducing: Tariff Trouble!
A game for kids, adults, and anyone who’s tired of paying invisible taxes while billionaires hoard the future.
Have you ever tried explaining to a 10-year-old why the price of eggs went from $1.89 to $7.49 and now back to $3.85… and none of it makes sense?
Have you tried explaining it to yourself?
Welcome to Tariff Trouble!, a new game I’ve created to help kids—and adults—understand the rigged reality we’re living in.
It’s fun. It’s infuriating. And it’s real.
What Is Tariff Trouble!?
Tariff Trouble! is a fast-paced, printable (or soon-to-be web-based) board game that lets players experience what it’s like to:
Try to survive economic “strategies” that punish the people they’re supposed to protect,
Watch prices rise thanks to something called a tariff (which is just a sneaky tax), and
Navigate a game where the rules change constantly—unless you’re the Shadow Player hoarding Bitcoin behind the scenes.
Sound familiar?
Why I Made This Game
Because people are confused on purpose.
And that confusion is costing them everything.
You’re being told tariffs are “strong” policy. That uncertainty is “good strategy.” That instability is patriotic.
But the truth is: tariffs are taxes, and uncertainty is a tool for control. It’s how the powerful keep people too exhausted, too anxious, and too distracted to fight back—while they quietly buy up the future.
This game teaches you how that works—using groceries, rent, gas, and laughter as your guide.
Who It’s For
Teachers looking to bring civics and economics to life.
Parents who want to empower their kids with truth and humor.
Adults who suspect they’re being scammed, but need a simple way to explain how.
What’s Next
In the next post, I’ll drop the full Tariff Trouble! prototype:
Game board
Character cards
Tariff & Uncertainty cards
Full rules (simple, clear, and rigged—just like the real system)
All free to print or play online.
The Real Endgame
This isn’t just a game.
It’s a lesson.
It’s a warning.
And it’s a tool to help you teach the people you love how the world really works.
Because if kids can figure it out by third grade, so can we.
And once you see the rigging—you’ll never unsee it.
Stay tuned.
—Joyce
License & Permissions
© 2025 Joyce Strong.
Tariff Trouble! by Joyce Strong is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
Share — copy and redistribute the game in any medium or format
Under the following terms:
Attribution — Give appropriate credit and link to the original.
NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
NoDerivatives — You may not remix or alter the materials.
For commercial licensing or derivative use, contact @joycemstrong