Sedentary Games for Young Learners ages 4 to 6

(TESOL Ideas--Any Grammar Point, Any Vocabulary Set)
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[Background: A teacher in my group was having trouble with a class of 4 to 6 year olds.  The parents were complaining that there were too many running games, and that the children might get injured.  I asked a colleague of mine, who had more experience with very young learners, if she had any more sedentary games.  She described several games for me, and I wrote down the descriptions as she talked.  Below are the games she gave me--in case they are of interest to anyone else.]

Matching Games
--With the vocabulary, making print out cards.  Demo it once with the whole class.  Nominate students to come and choose 2 cards.  Or 2 students, they each choose one card, and have to get a match.  You could do it receptive or productive.  If receptive, you ask them, “Is it a truck?” they have to say yes or no.  If productive, they have to say the sentence when they turn it over (“It is a truck”, or whatever.)  Then they break off and play it in small groups.

Spin the Bottle
--Using the bowling pins.  Same kind of idea.  You have the flashcards on the floor in the circle.  Each student gets a turn at spinning the bottle, and saying word when it lands.  You can do it as a group productive, or individual productive (the student who spins the bottle gets to say it.)  Or one student spins the bottle, students raise their hand to say the flashcard, and then the student who says it correctly gets to spin the bottle next time.
Same as above, demo it with the whole class, then break into smaller groups.

Word Grab or Picture Grab
--Recycle the same cards from the matching game (small cards with words or pictures on it).  Students sit in pairs with their hands up.  Teacher says the word.  They grab it.  At the end, whoever has the most cards wins.  It can be played in small groups with students saying the words, but this can also get out of hand easily with YL, so to keep control, better to have the teacher say it.

What’s Missing
--Students are all sitting on the mat.  Flashcards are out face down.  Flip one over, students tell you what it is.  Keep going, until you get to the last flashcard.  Students have to guess what it is.
Or, you can do it with the cards face-up.  Students all close their eyes.  Remove one of the cards, students have to tell you what is missing.

Hot Potato
--Students sit on the ground.  Pass flashcard around.  (or pass a ball around, because the flashcards can be destroyed easily).  Whoever is holding the item when the music stops has to say the word.  Or, have 2 items (a ball and a flashcard, say).  And when the music stops, one person has to ask the question, the other person has to answer.
As with all of these games, you can also use the teaching assistant, break into two smaller circles, so it doesn’t get too crazy.