Learning Through Fun

by Amy Mezni | Nov 16, 2021 | Educational Resources, Teaching Strategies | 0 comments

Do you take time to play in your classroom?

Over the last month, we have taken a good look at games in the classroom.

We’ve discussed why games are important for your students. We’ve looked at what games are the best to use in your classroom. And we’ve even talked about the most appropriate times to use games.

If you missed our earlier posts on games in the classroom, you can find them right here!

Today we are going to discuss tips for finding time to play in your classroom.

Don’t Forget: Play = Practice

I thought it was important to clarify that the type of play we are referring to are games and activities that reinforce concepts and help students practice the content they have mastered.

We don’t want to spend precious classroom time playing games that have no academic benefit.

Why Bother Finding Time For Play In The Classroom?

As we’ve discussed in previous posts, games are highly beneficial to your students. Here are just a few of the reasons why you should find time to play in your classroom:

Increased communication skills
Increased problem-solving skills
Teamwork skills
An opportunity to show students have mastered a skill or concept

Tips On Finding Time For Play

I know what many of you may be thinking right now (I’ve thought it myself, so no judgment here!)

“You really expect me to find time in my day to let my students play? I don’t even have time to cover my standards!”

Believe me, I’ve been there.

There are times when it feels like the content you have to cover is more than enough to fill up your class period – and then some.

How are you going to find time to play?

There are little chunks of time you can pull from that are already built into your day. If you are strategic, these times can be your time to play. Then your teaching time is left completely alone!

Here are some ideas for working games into your classroom:

Warm-Up/Bell Ringer

Do you start your day with a warm-up?

Turn it into a quick game!

This is the perfect time to play a quick game that reviews concepts learned earlier in the week or introduces the content of the day.

Early Finisher

We all had those sweet students who finished way before others. Instead of letting them doodle or read a book, encourage them to play a quiet game (like my Boom Cards) until the rest of the class is finished.

Those Last Few Minutes Of Class

I’m not saying this happened often (I often ran out of time), but sometimes your lesson wraps up a few minutes early. We all know that dead space is a breeding ground for problems if you don’t have something structured, but you don’t want to do anything too intense.

Play a quick game!

Centers

If you have centers built into your class period, then you have time for games! All you have to do is prep your games beforehand, then set them out during centers.

Review

I found games to be an easy and fun way to review concepts learned in the classroom. My students were always more willing to fully participate in a game as opposed to an assessment.

Without the stress of an assessment, students are often able to give their best effort without feeling anxious.