TOWER TOPPLE
Every child will need one block from the block center for this game. The first child places the block on the floor. The second child places his or her block on top of the first block. The game continues as each child adds a block to the tower. When the "tower topples," children get a block and the game begins all over again.
Give each child a scrap piece of paper. Ask children to write one of the words from the word wall on their paper and then wad it up into a "snowball." Next, divide the class into two teams and have them face each other (about 10 feet apart). Explain that when you say, "Let it snow!" they should throw their snowballs at each other. When a snowball lands near them, they must pick it up, open it, and read their word. (It's O.K. to ask a friend to help you if you don't know!) Then they can wad their snowball back up and toss it at the other team. The game continues as children open snowballs, read their words, and then toss them back and forth.
MUSICAL PLATES
You will need paper plates and a marker to make this indoor game. Write high frequency words on the paper plates. You will need one less plate than there are children in your classroom. Put the plates on the floor in a circle. One child is chosen to be "it." "It" stands in the middle of the circle while the rest of the class forms a circle around the plates. Put on some energetic music and have the children march around the plates. When the music stops, each child picks up the plate closest to them and silently reads their word. "It" points to different friends. If they can read their word, they stay in the circle. If they can't read their word, they switch places with "it" and the game continues. (There are no winners or losers ~ just a clever way to focus children's interest on learning words!)
FOUR CORNERS
Number each of the corners in the room ~ 1, 2, 3, 4. Choose one person to be "it." "It" hides his or her eyes and slowly counts from one to ten as the rest of the class tiptoes to a corner in the room. When "it" says "freeze," everyone must be in a corner. "It" then calls out a number (1, 2, 3, or 4) and the children in that corner are out of the game. They sit down in the "stew pot" in the middle of the room. "It" covers his or her eyes counts to ten again as everyone moves to a new corner. The game continues until there is one person left. That person becomes the new "it."
More