Players draw
different foods on the left side of the chalkboard and the word for the
food on the right side in random order from top to bottom. Take turns
going through the pretend drive through. To get their order, they must
match a food picture to the word for that food by drawing a line from
the picture to the matching word. Take turns until all the food has been
matched. Remember to have them write their names on the lines to
remember who made each match in the end.
Old McDonald Matched at the farm Game Players
draw a farm fence down the middle of the chalkboard top. Then they draw
as many farm animals as they can on the left side of the fence. The word
for each animal is written outside the fence on the right from top to
bottom. The players (farmers) take turns matching an animal picture to
the animal word by drawing a line from picture to word. Farmers can
write their name on the lines to see who matched the animals in the end.
Matching at the Mall
Players draw a huge
rectangle shaped mall on the chalkboard. They fill it with clothing
pictures on the left side. On the right side, they write the words for
the clothing. They players (shoppers) take turns going shopping at the
mall to buy new clothes. To buy a piece of clothing, they must match the
clothing picture to the matching word by connecting them with a line.
They can write their name on the line to remember who bought each piece
in the end.
Trains, Planes and Matching
Its time to go to
the garage! Players draw a huge garage on the chalkboard top! In the
garage, they are given time to draw all kinds of vehicles on the left.
Then they write the word for the vehicles on the right side (If they
have toy vehicles such as cars, planes, trains, farm tractors etc., they
can use them instead of drawings). To use the vehicle or pretend to
drive it, they must match the vehicle to the word with a line. Remember
to have them write their name on the line to see who matched the
vehicles in the end. If using small toys to match, they can collect the
ones they matched and draw roads to travel on. Great fun!
Color Match
The same idea as the games above
only played with shapes and shape words.
Number Match
Be creative as you match numbers to
number words. They can even use their matched number words to write out
pretend checks on the chalkboard top! Adults can make a huge check
picture in the corner of the table with blanks to be filled in. Players
fill in the money amounts and the number words. Dont forget to have
them sign the check! They will love it!
Classic Games
Hangman
Tic Tac Toe
Achi
Players will each use different colored chalk
for this game or one with empty circles and the other uses solid/shaded
circles to represent chip pieces. Draw a large square in the middle of the
table. Now draw lines from opposite corners of the square. Now draw lines
from opposite sides of the square until your board looks like the
illustration shown here. Players decide who will go first. Each player
takes turn drawing their solid or empty circle piece on a place where the
lines intersect. They need to try to get 3 solid or empty circles on the
same line at the same time that they try to block their opponent. Once all
8 circles are drawn on the board, each player will move 1 of his chips to
an adjacent free space, with the same object of lining up 3 circles on the
same line. The game stops when one of them gets 3 on a line.
Go-moku
Same game as above only you draw a square
grid on the chalkboard that has between 13 and 19 rows and columns. Each
player takes turn drawing an empty or solid circle on the intersection of
2 lines trying to get 5 chips in a row before his opponent does. Once the
chip has been placed, it cannot be moved for any reason. The first person
to get 5 chips in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line wins the game.
Solitaire Draw 33 circles as shown in the
illustration shown here and then make a big circle around the entire
playing area. Use 33 pennies to cover up all 33 circles. Then remove the
penny in the center of the board. The object of the game is to eliminate
all of the pennies, except for one, so that the last bean covers the
center circle. To remove a penny, the player has to jump one penny over
another to an empty circle thats behind it. If the jumps are well
planned, all the beans can be removed with the last one left in the
center! Its difficult, but possible. For younger children, you can jump
to see who can remove the most beans. Keep score right on the chalkboard
top.
Twenty Questions
Boxes
Make rows and rows of dots on the table. The
dots should be in even rows and columns. Each player takes a turn making 1
line from a dot to a dot above, below, to the right, to the left of that
dot. Then its the next players turn. The object is to make a line that
closes a box. After closing a box, they write their initials or name in
the box to remember who made each box and take another turn. The winner is
the player who has made the most boxes at the end of the game.
Millions of Mazes
Children have fun challenging
friends to find a way through a maze that they have drawn on the
chalkboard! They can copy a maze from any maze book or maze web site. This
is great for their fine motor skills and spatial relations.
Connect the dots
Children should draw a huge line
drawing of anything. When done they should make many dark round dots along
the lines. Then they can use letters or numbers to label each dot in
order. Erase the lines and save the dots. Challenge a friend to connect
the dots by number or letter to make the picture again. Very creative!
Crossword Puzzles
The ultimate in make your own
crosswords. Make it simple. Use words like brother and sister names or 3
and 4 letter words going across only while the "down" words are
done for children already. Hundreds of variations. Great learning fun.
Animal Bingo
Draw a square with 4 rows and 4
columns. Children can draw an animal in each small square of their board.
In the center of the table, draw 1 of each animal in a circle. Use a
beanbag or large juice bottle cap and take turns tossing it on the center
circle of animal drawings. Players should use chalk to cross out the
animals on their game board square that match the animal the beanbag or
juice bottle cap lands on. Repeat this until a player has 4 in a row and
shouts BINGO!
Number Bingo
same as the game above only use
numbers or number words.
Letter Bingo
same as the game above with letters
of the alphabet.
Color Bingo
same as the game above with colors or
color words.
Food Bingo
same as the game above with food and
food words
Make a "Mad-Lib" Wacky Story
Use the
chalkboard mounted in the puppet theater position. Write a story (3 to 4
sentences in length). Leave blanks in the story where you want children to
add words like adjectives, nouns, verbs, names and numbers. Ask players
for these words one at a time and help them write them in on the blanks.
When done, have a good laugh as you read them out loud! HINT- use simple
pictures above words to help beginning readers read the stories when you
are done.
Checkers
The classic comes to our chalkboard top!
Draw a 10 row by 10 column square playing board and shade in every other
square. Use large juice bottle caps, promotional cd roms, peanut butter
jar tops, plastic and paper cups etc. for pieces and get cracking! A
creative way to enjoy an old classic.
Bowling for Strikes
Use dominoes, thick markers,
Dixie cups, empty toilet paper rolls, rolled construction paper or other
shaped objects to make a ten pin bowling set up. Players can use chalk to
draw a bowling alley from one end of the table to the other. Use a tennis
ball, beanbag, or small stuffed animal to bowl the pins down! Players can
keep score right on the chalkboard top.
Blow and Bowl
- same game as you see above but have
players use a straw to blow the lightweight ball to the pins! ( try a
tightly rolled piece of paper for an easy roll ball) This game will leave
them "gasping" for more!
