What kindergartener doesn’t love games? Games in the kindergarten classroom are a fun and effective way to learn and reinforce academic skills. Do you need more games and ideas for you classroom? Here is some versatile learning games that your kindergarteners will love!!
Tumbling Towers Jenga Activities
Have you ever played “Jenga”? If you have, you know it is a fun and exciting game for both single and multiple players. Jenga can be played with an academic twist that the students will love. I started using these versatile block game sets during my small group time for literacy and math.
Start with Regular Jenga, mini-Jenga, or Tumbling Tower blocks from the Dollar Tree. Then write the skill you want on each block using a sharpie. Use the recording sheets that are easy to download and print from product below while playing with the jenga blocks. Having several sets on hand are optimal for your classroom. Need a How-to and recording sheets? Click on picture below.
Check out blog post “Tumbling Towers Jenga Games for the Classroom” for more ideas.
Heads Up
Heads up is a fun and easy DIY game for your literacy centers. Just pick up supplies at your local dollar store. Make headbands out of sentence strips. Use alphabet or sight word flash cards to play the game. This can be a partner or group game activity.
See blog post “Easy Sight Word Game For Partners” for complete supply list and directions.
Plinko Game
Who doesn’t like a good carnival type game? This Plinko/Disc drop game is perfect for the kindergarten classroom. Your students will love to play with this game! I created labels and their corresponding pieces for these games: letters for Alphabet Plinko, numbers for Number Plinko, and sight words for Sight Word Plinko. The ideas are endless: alphabet letters, numbers, sight words, addition, subtraction, vocab words, shapes, etc.
How to play PLINKO: There are labels at the bottom of the Plinko board. The student will drop one of the 6 playing discs into the specific slot labeled with a letter, number, sight word, etc. The student will now record on the recording sheet using a dry erase marker.
This game can be played independently, with a partner, or as a small group activity. Endless possibilities!!!
See blog post “Plinko Games for the Classroom” for more ideas and directions.
Game Spinner
KIds love to use spinners. The anticipation of what the arrow will land on is sooo much fun. Using this item with academics in your classroom turns this into a fun and exciting yet purposeful activity. Spinners can be used in whole group, small group, centers, as well as, for individual use. Simply use an editable spinner and write in sight words, numbers, letters, colors or shapes for some added fun. Here is a transparent editable spinner on Amazon that I love!! But, if you are a DIY and have extra cd cases hanging around, you can make your own. I made a custom game spinner with numbers 1-4, for a spin and color math game and it worked like a charm.
See blog post “Make Your Own Interchangeable Game Spinner” for how-to and more ideas.
Subtraction Bowling
Have you ever heard of “Subtraction Bowling”? No? This is such a fun and effective math game, your students will ask to play it over and over!!
Kindergarteners struggle with the concept of “take-away” so I found that using the game bowling helps teach and reinforce this skill. Students simply play with these bowling sets and subtract how many pins get knocked down with the ball. Perfect!! Right?!? They have so much fun while learning subtraction. Use this in small group, math centers, or for individual work.
I also created **freebie** recording sheets so they can play 8 different games and record their answers.
See blog post “Subtraction Bowling FREEBIE” for more information and ideas.
Beat the Clock
Since kids love a good challenge, I created the “Beat the Clock” game. This is a very versatile game and can be used with a variety of skills. Number ID, letter ID, upper/lowercase letters, beginning sounds, number order, addition sentences, CVC words, sight words, simple sentences, etc. This list can go on and on. Not only do we want our students to master these skills, but also increase the speed and fluency. That is where this game comes in.
You can use any timer or sand timer, but I love this large one for little learners. Not only is it easy to see, it is easy to handle.
This game is so versatile and can be used is whole group, small group, partners and individual work. Your students will love learning and practicing academic skills with this game. Not only is it a challenge, exciting, high energy, and engaging but also fun and quick learning.
Check out blog post “Beat The Clock Game For Kindergarten” for more ideas and supplies.
Sight Word Soup
Need a fun and effective game to teach and reinforce sight words? This game is easy to make and great for individual practice, partners or group activities. You can make this game for many different academic skills you are teaching. Such as number ID. letter ID, sight words, and many others skills. The options are limitless!!
Go to blog post “Sight Word Soup Game” for directions and ideas.
Roll A Monster Game
I have had a lot of request for butcher paper activities. This game is perfect for that. However you can use other paper or dry erase boards as well. It was created to be a whole or small group activity, but you can use it with partners, individual or center activity. The students not only learn about dice and counting, they learn to take turns. MULTI-PURPOSEFUL!!!
Click below for your **freebie** printable ROLL A MONSTER game board.
See blog post “Printable Roll A Monster Game FREEBIE“for complete description and ideas.
Phonics Review Games
This game has everything you need for small group, center or to send home. Game board and cards are printable and are designed to be simple and not too lengthy. The focus of this game is phonics, but it has an editable page for you to add you own desired skills. Students place cards face down. They draw a card, complete the required skill, then move their game piece ahead. Simple, fun, and purposeful. Also, very low prep. Great for substitute teacher activity.
Not only are these games versatile and engaging, they are easy to prep and purposeful. I hope they gave you ideas to make your kindergarten school year fun and successful.
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