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Friday, September 30, 2011

GAME ON!


GAME ON!

It’s almost October lst and that means there will be lots of new activities up on my website.  One thing I wanted to focus on was how to use traditional children’s games to reinforce skills.  Here’s a snippet of what you’ll find this month at drjean.org.

MUSICAL CHAIRS

Do you remember the old game where you placed chairs in a circle and walked around until the music stopped?  If you didn’t find a chair you were OUT!  This is a similar game that can reinforce letters, words, colors, math facts. etc. Write letters, words, math facts, etc. on paper plates.  Scatter them on the floor.  Play some catchy music for the children to dance to.   When the music stops each child finds a paper plate and picks it up.  The teacher randomly points to various children to identify the information on their plates. 
*If the child is unsure about what is on their plate invite them to “ask the audience.”

HEADS UP - SEVEN UP

Seven children come to the front of the room and are given a flash card with a word or whatever on it.  The rest of the class places their heads down.  The seven tiptoe around and place a flash card by a friend before returning to the front of the room.  The seven join in and say, “Heads up!  Seven up!”  Children who received a flash card stand up and read their word.  They then guess who gave them the card and switch places.

RED ROVER, RED ROVER

Divide the class into two teams and have them stand on opposite sides of the room facing each other.  Give each player a flash card to hold in front of them.  The teacher goes to one team and asks, “Who do you want to call over?”  The children select someone from the opposite side and say, “Red rover, red rover, send word right over.”  The child holding that word walks, hops, tiptoes or jumps to the opposite side.  The game continues as sides take turns calling words over.

HOPSCOTCH

Draw a hopscotch frame on a paved surface.   Write letters, words, numerals, or anything you want to reinforce in the sections.  Children take turns hopping as they identify the information in the squares.
Hint!  You can make an indoor hopscotch on a shower curtain liner.  Use an erasable marker so you can change the information in the squares throughout the school year.

CATCH AND TELL

You will need a bean bag or small sponge ball to play this game.  The teacher says a letter and then tosses the ball to a child.  That child must name something that begins with that sound before tossing the ball back to the teacher. 
*This game can be adapted for rhyming words, colors, math, social studies, and other skills.
  
TIC TAC TOE

Divide the class into two teams.  One team is “X” and one team is “O.”  One child at a time from each team comes forward.  The teacher asks players to answer a question, identify a word, etc.  If the player gets the correct answer they get to make an “X” or an “O” on the board for their team.