Winter Game

I usually do this game after the snowman lessons (see snowman one and snowman two), as some of the vocabulary is already known. A full hour is enough time to learn the rest and play the game, or this can be split into two sessions with time fillers as necessary.

Making the game and vocabulary cards:

• Choose which words you want to incorporate. I use snowman, snow, snowflake, hat, scarf, mittens, skiing, ice skating, and sledding.
• Make vocabulary cards. I use clip art, print, and laminate. If you draw better than I do (which is not a difficult feat) you could do your own.
• Using the same images, create LOTS of little squares (I made about 20 of each). These are used as the playing cards and to make the board.
• Glue squares in a spiral path on a piece of cardboard or posterboard in a spiral leading to a blank spot in the middle. You could just draw something at the end. I cut off the bottom of a Styrofoam ball and used that to make the front of the igloo, then covered the whole thing with duct tape to keep it from shedding and painted it white. Then cover the board with transparent film (book film) to protect it.
• The small cards with the pictures will of course last longer if you laminate them. Before laminating, put questions marks on some of them. This will be explained below. Also make about 10 cards with “Switch” written on them.
  
• You could really use any playing pieces. I made snowmen using craft balls I found at a local store. These are held together with toothpicks and hot glue. I drew faces on them and crocheted different color hats and scarves. Then I used a big glob of hot glue to attach them to a plastic sheet. This can be peeled off and the snowman has a flat base.

Learning the vocabulary:

I begin with the words the kids already know. I often add a motion to words they know but we did not do a motion for yet, like “snow” and “snowman”. I add words and motions, having the kids do the appropriate motion when I say the words. All the words are posted around the room. The kids stand up and need to point as a group to the word I say. If there is enough room, I send kids around the room to stand at different pictures, then move them with sentences like “Hat, go to skiing. Sledding, go to mittens.” Another option is to have kids give the cards to each other. When I feel like the vocabulary is fairly established, I will do the motions and have them say the words.

Playing the game:

Divide into teams. On each team, the children take turns coming to the front. They take the card off the top of the pile. If they or another member of their team knows the word in English, they can move forward to the next field with that picture. If they do not know, they remain where they are, unless the card has a question mark. Then they are allowed to ask me what it is called. I tell them, they say the word and they can move forward.

If the child draws a “Switch” card they can trade places with a team ahead of them if they know the word for the picture that team is on. If they are the team in front they say “No Switch!” and it is the next teams turn. Lots of switch cards encourage the kids to pay attention to what the other teams say so that they also know the word.

The team that arrives at the center first wins.