PUMPKIN, PUMPKIN!

Note!  I was looking through some old blogs and found this idea. It's so simple and could be adapted to any holiday or any skills.  You'll also find an idea for a MAGIC PUMPKIN that Carolyn Kisloski shared a few years ago.  

Here’s a game that you can make with a pumpkin, gift bag, or other seasonal container. It’s great for practicing skills, listening, and following directions. Keep it on your desk and you can use it whenever you have a few extra minutes.

Take index cards and write simple one or two step directions on them. For example: “Touch the flag and then walk to the trash can.” “Go under the teacher’s desk and then knock on the door.” “Balance on one foot and say a nursery rhyme.” “Go to the front of the room and tell a joke.” Place the cards in a plastic pumpkin. Let children take turns selecting cards and following the directions.

Hint! You will have to read the directions to younger students.

*Let older students write their own directions to use for the game.

Just think about skills your students need to master and an action and you're ready to get going. For example:

Clap and count by ten’s to 100.

Touch your nose and spell the word SHE.

Point to the word ‘THE’ in the room and then jump two times.

Touch something that is a sphere and then tiptoe and touch something that is a circle.

Turn around and count backwards from 10.

Walk to the front of the room and act out an adjective.

March and touch a noun.

Walk to the back of the room and tell the day of the week, the month and the year.

Gallop as you count by 5's to 100.

Skip around the room as you say the months in the year.