Down in room 99, we like to have fun as much as possible when learning. And it should be fun, if it is something we expect kids to want to do for the years to come. One way to do this is by playing games. These games, from the outsider’s perspective, might not look like learning, when in fact they are the best way to learn. One game the students love to play in room 99 is called Oops.
Oops is a game where students practice reading words, but it can be used with pretty much any type of flashcard. In order to play, students take turns rolling a dice. The number on the dice indicates how many cards they choose from the pile. They must read the word correctly on each card in order to keep it for their own pile. However, throughout the deck there are a certain number of oops cards. If a student draws an oops card, they must put back all the cards from that turn. In the end, the team or individual with the most cards wins. It sounds very simple, and it is, but the kids LOVE to play this game.
Despite its’ simplicity, students look forward to this game within our lessons each week. And honestly, it usually results in the best learning and opportunity to practice. Students are having fun and practicing, rather than focusing on how hard something might be or how much they dislike the certain skill we are working on. As the teacher, I am able to focus on providing feedback and encouragement rather than motivation to simply participate in the learning. Overall, games are a great way to make learning fun and encourage students to enjoy the process of practicing and becoming proficient with difficult or non-preferred topics.
Below are links to websites that explain various learning games that can be incorporated into a child’s life at home and could be great alternatives to asking your child to complete worksheets or workbooks.
http://www.ellenjmchenry.com/homeschool-freedownloads/math-games/index.php
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