Foreign Language Vocabulary Games
Fun Activities to Help Children Practice New Words and Expressions
Encourage kids to play their way to strong vocabulary skills in Spanish, French, German, ESL, or any other language.
Vocabulary is the most basic element of language learning. Instead of drill, drill, drill, play a game to reinforce new words and expressions. Kids benefit from the fun and motivation of a great vocabulary game.
Fly Swatters
When reinforcing the listening comprehension of new vocabulary, pull out a couple of clean fly swatters and get ready to have some fun. Place 8 to 15 picture flashcards on the floor and give two competitors a fly swatter. Say a vocabulary word, either alone or in a sentence, and see who can be the first to swat the correct picture.
For more advanced language learners, describe the picture in the target language; the first to swat it must be able to identify the new vocabulary term in order to win the point. Wacky variations include placing small plastic bugs on the pictures, or requiring competitors to race to the flashcards from across the room or spin in a circle before a swat. Keep score to determine the champion fly swatter.
"Pump Up the Volume" Hide-and-Seek
Want a tricky way to drill vocabulary with lots of repetition? Send one student out of the room to be the "Seeker" while you hide an object. When the student returns, all of the children in the room say the name of the object over an over again as the Seeker tries to find it. The children must speak softer and quieter as the Seeker moves further away from the hidden object. As he moves closer, the class pumps up the volume by repeating the word louder and louder until the object is found.
Memory Matching Game
Play this classic matching game with partners, small groups, or teams. Take pairs of picture flashcards, turn them over and mix them up. One player flips two cards and orally identifies or describes each picture. If the cards do not match, they are returned to their upside down position and the next player takes a turn. If the cards are a match, the student keeps them and takes another turn. The player with the greatest number of cards wins.
Clapping Concentration
Establish a clapping rhythm such as one tap to the knees, one clap, and two snaps. The teacher names a category such as "Animals" or "Foods". Children take turns naming vocabulary from that category in rhythm. Players are eliminated if they hesitate and miss the beat, or cannot think of a response. The last remaining player to say a word wins.
Sculpt-a-Word
Divide the children into teams of 4 to 6 students and give each group some play dough. Every group sends a "Sculptor" to the teacher who whispers a vocabulary word to them. The children return to their groups and sculpt the object. The first group to correctly identify it in the target language wins a point. Continue playing with new Sculptors for each round until a group reaches a predetermined number of points. This activity is an effective way to encourage multi-sensory learning.
Vocabulary Charades
Form two teams and prepare a stack of cards with a vocabulary word written on each. The teams take turns sending a representative to the front of the class to act out the words with gestures. Set a timer for 60 seconds and see how many words each team can identify. If the student passes on a word, it is deducted from the total points for that round. Continue playing until you reach a predetermined amount of time or points.
Other Classic Games
Don't forget about the tried-and-true elementary school classics like Bingo, Tic-Tac-Toe, Around the World and Go Fish. Foreign language adaptations are surefire hits with young learners.
Enjoy the fun and competition of games as you develop strong foreign language vocabulary skills in kids.
