The old adage “May you live in interesting times.” seems to have come to pass. These times are interesting, alright. They are also a bit nerve wracking and scary. But if we keep calm and think outside the box a bit, we will make it through with humor and grace. We are very fortunate in that many of us have access to telephones, computers and video communication tools like Face time, SKYPE or Whats App. The Italians have been using their balconies to share songs and have meals together. We can, too, wherever possible. We don’t need to be isolated while practicing social distancing. But after the first few phone calls and Skype lunches are we going to run out of things to say? What about the kids? How do we avoid endless repetitions of Frozen? How do we keep the conversation going without dwelling on the negative?
Games are time honored ways to stay focused and involved. Although, The Gift of Gab does not come out until August 18th, I have quite a few games in my bag of tricks that I was not able to fit into the book. I will share them with everyone here, so stay tuned and get ready to have some fun. I will only share games and activities that use household objects or common toys. You shouldn’t need to buy anything to play. These games focus on language skills that cross generational boundaries. Everyone should find some diversion in person or online. So gather around the table, Whats App with Auntie or Grandpa and start playing..
Something In This Room
This was one of my family’s favorites when I was growing up. We could play it on the road, at home, in a store, anywhere there was stuff around to spell. This game was an after dinner tradition, while we all waited for coffee and dessert.
Target Skills: Spelling, asking and answering binary (yes/no) questions
Materials: A room with household objects and furniture.
Object of the Game: The Players guess which object Player One is thinking of. The first one to guess correctly wins the round.
Step One: All players sit around a table or on the floor in a circle. Player One is the first Player to scan the room for an object, in this example a bongo drum. Once Player One has identified the object in his mind, he looks at the other players and says “Something in this room that starts with B.” .
Step Two: The Players scan the room and start to call out the names of objects, people or things that start with the hint letter. “B”. (Books, Bobby, Brains etc…) No order is necessary. The chaos is part of the fun.
Step Three: The first Player to identify the object wins the round. That Player can choose the next object and play starts again at Step One.
Or, to ensure that everyone gets a turn you can agree before starting play that no matter who “wins” the round, Play then moves clockwise to the next Player in the circle.
If you have younger children in your group, or want to play with others on Skype, here is a variation that may prove more enjoyable.
If you could Read My Mind
Target Skills: Syllables, asking and answering Wh (Who, What, Where, When ) questions that can be answered yes or no, or give a choice between two possibilities.
Materials: A pile of small household objects and toys.
Object of the Game: The Players ask questions to determine which object Player One is thinking of. The first one to guess correctly wins the round.
Step One: Players are instructed to gather small objects to place in the center of the play circle or table. Toys, household objects like sponges, spoons, washcloths etc…anything that can be easily carried and placed in the circle. No fewer than 5 and no more than 20 objects should keep game play interesting. If you are playing with players not in the room, make sure that the pile of objects is on camera the whole time.
Step Two: Player One visually scans the group of objects and identifies one in her mind, in this case a red mitten. She then looks at the players in the circle and says “Ready”
Step Three: Proceeding clockwise around the circle the Players ask one Wh question .
“Is it something to eat with?” ………”No”
“Is it Green?”……… “No”
“Do you wear it?”…..”yes”
“Is it one word or two?……”.two”
Step Three: As questioning continues any Player can call out a guess as to which object Player One is thinking of. If Correct, that player has won the round and now becomes Player One. If incorrect , that Player is now out of the game for that round, and questioning continues.
Step Four: If no Player correctly identifies the object after every Player in the circle has had the opportunity to ask 2 questions , Player One tells the group which object she was thinking of.
Note: There will undoubtedly be some discussion as to why the item was not identified. As the adult it is your job to steer the conversation in a direction where everyone can learn to ask better questions or answer questions more accurately. It a game, not a war.
Step Five: If the object was not identified, play moves clockwise around the circle with Step Two, as Player Two identifies the next object to be guessed.
Try these games and have some fun! I’ll be posting more in the days ahead.