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TeachingEnglish Young Learners Activity Book
Activities
5. The speaker calls out a word, for example BLUE. The two children who have been
named blue must run to the speaker and try to grab the handkerchief. They must not
touch each other.
6. The child who grabs the handkerchief first runs back to their team. If they manage to
reach the team without being touched by the blue from the opposing team, they win the
point. If the opposing blue manages to catch up with the runner and touch them, then no
points are scored.
7. The game continues until all the words have been called out. The team with the most points
at the end is the winner.
Notes
If the two teams are unequal, use two speakers. This game is ideal for playing outside.
Alternatives
• If you have a large space, this game could be played in large classes by dividing the class
into two or three groups of two teams that play at the same time.
• You can make the scoring system more complicated. For example, when the speaker calls
‘water’, no-one should move. If anyone moves, they lose a point for their team. If the speaker
calls fire, all the players come to the centre and they have to find their opposite number.
Both teams get a point for each pair that finds each other.
• If you do not have enough space to have the teams standing in a line, the children can play
from their seats. Make sure all the children from the same team are sitting near each other,
preferably around the same desk. Give each team two or three soft objects. When the speaker
calls out a word, the two children with that word have to grab the soft object and throw it to
the speaker. The one the speaker catches first gets the point.
• The seated version of the game can be played by larger classes as there can be three teams
or more.
No resources?
This activity only requires a piece of paper and a handkerchief or piece of cloth.
© British Council 2012
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