The sleigh race

 

Subject

Christmas vocabulary and structures +Basic questions.

 

Materials	Two ‘sleighs’. Paper cups. Balloons, balls or other objects to carry. (Change the size of the balloon to increase the difficulty.) You could use a series of different size balloons. Starting with the smallest and progressing to larger more unstable sizes. Target vocabulary focus cards/basic question cards.

 

Game set up.

Set up as a relay. Students in two teams at one end of the room, vocabulary cards at the other. Two safe lines, one at either end of the playing area.

 

Playing rules.

The aim is to complete the course pulling the sleigh without dropping your balloon ‘toy sack’. (Slowly does it) When you get over the safe line you can take a vocabulary card (You must cross the safe line before you may pick up the vocabulary card.) and begin the return journey to the team to change with the next player. (Exchanges must take place over the ‘safe line’)  You can use the exchange as an opportunity to say the structure and ask a basic question.  If you drop anything you must leave it where it lies and the next player in the line must run across to you and replace the object for you. The player will then continue from that point.  For smaller classes or when there is just two or three students you can still play but when the student drops the ball they must leave the plate on the floor, run back and touch the wall before returning to pick everything up and continuing.

 

Variations.
Add points to the vocabulary cards and create a lucky dip element. (The most points wins the game.) If that is too easy try the balloon stick challenge.
Richard’s comments. This is an ideal Christmas party game. Everyone can play. It’s a really flexible challenge. Not everyone can do it easily. It’s a surprising leveler as quieter students (many girls) do well because it requires a degree of patience. If you organise it efficiently you can cover quite a bit of English It’s active and it’s fun.