Value of Playground Games Real reason for using the language Routine – integrating MFL into the school day Encouraging children to cooperate Intercultural Understanding -’Know about some aspects of everyday culture and compare them to their own’ (IU 4.2)

Which games do I choose? Games that use repetition Include some games that children already play as well as introducing new ones Many games can be adapted to suit a particular topic area Try to include some that they will be able to play independently

Games

Cache Cache/Versteckspiel This is ‘Hide and Seek’ Language: This is a very simple game for FS/KS1 pupils and is an opportunity to practise numbers. A simple variation could be that instead of saying numbers the pupils have to say six other items of vocabulary that have been practised in the classroom – colours/animals etc

La Marelle/Himmel-und-Hölle Spiel Language: Numbers 1 – 10 or a topic area could be used instead of numbers. Rules: The Hopskotch form needs to be drawn if there is not already one in the playground. Pupils take it in turns to throw a stone, aiming for the numbers in sequence. If they miss a number, they lose their turn. If they touch a line they need to start again. The first child to reach ‘le ciel’, ‘der Himmel’ (the sky) wins the game. This is the French for ‘Hopskotch’

Les Loups et les moutons Die Wölfe und die Schafe This is Wolves and Sheep Language: Wolves/Sheep and numbers Rules: The playground is divided into three sections. Two teams with equal numbers of players – pupils need coloured vests. Two wolves are chosen. In each team the children are given a number without the wolves hearing. The wolves are placed in the middle and must not come out of this area. The wolves take it in turns to call out a number and the sheep that have this number have to cross into the other area without being caught. The wolves have to try and catch the sheep of the opposite team. If the sheep are touched, they are out. The wolf that catches all the sheep of the opposite side first is the winning team.

1…..2……3……soleil/Sonne This means ‘1…2…3….sun’ and is similar to statues. Rules: One child is chosen to stand at one end of the playground while the others stand in a line at the other end. The child turns his back on the others who all have to be moving about in their line and he/she calls out the key phrase. When they have done this they turn around and anyone that is moving is out of the game. Language: The language content could be extended by having more numbers and/or the child who turns around could have to specify which part of the body was moving – ‘Le bras’, ‘Le pied’ etc

Quelle heure est-il Monsieur Le Loup? Wie spät ist es Herr Wolf? This is ‘What’s the time Mr Wolf?’ Language: The question, numbers 1 –12, o’clock times and l’heure de te manger/Es ist Zeit, dich zu essen. Rules: One child is chosen to be the wolf and stands at one end of the playground with his/her back to the others. The rest of the pupils stand in a line and ask the question. The wolf gives a time and pupils count the steps out together. When the wolf thinks that they are close enough he/she calls out ‘Time to eat you’ and runs after them. Whoever is caught becomes the next wolf.

Sculptures/Die Skulpturen Language: A variety of topic areas can be used and this game could be played at sentence level instead of just word level. Rules: Children get into groups of three. For each round one pupil is the le sculpteur/der Bildhauer/die Bildhauerin, one is la statue/die Statue and the third one is le journaliste/der Journalist/die Journalistin. The sculptor receives a card with a word or picture on it and has to put the statue into the right position to represent it. The journalist has to guess what it is. Children take it in turns to play each role.

Pauvre petit chat malade Language: The only language is in the title itself, but this could be extended by children having to convey an emotion while they say the phrase and the others say what this emotion is. Rules: The children sit or stand in a circle. One of the players is chosen to imitate a cat and stands in the middle of the circle. He/She goes up to someone and this pupil has to say “Pauvre petit chat malade” without laughing. If he/she laughs then he/she becomes the cat. This means ‘Poor little sick cat’

Air, terre, mer Luft, Erde, Meer This is Air, earth, sea Language: Animals and objects Rules: The playground in divided into the three sections. A pupil is chosen to call out animals/objects – this role could also be taken on by the class teacher. An object or an animal is called out and the children have to run to the correct part of the playground.

Monsieur Crocodile/Herr Krokodil This is an adaptation of the English game ‘Please Mr Crocodile, can we cross your golden river’ Language: The question and physical description Rules: The pupils form a line and one pupil is chosen to be the crocodile. An area is left between the crocodile and the other pupils to represent the river. The children ask ‘Monsieur Crocodile, on peut traverser votre rivière?’. ‘Herr Krokodil, dürfen wir über deinen Fluß gehen?’ The crocodile chooses an aspect of physical description eg ‘Si vous avez …..les yeux bleus/les cheveux noirs/un chapeau ‘Hast du …..rote Haare/blaue Augen? The children that the description applies to can cross the river to the crocodile’s side. The last child left becomes the crocodile next time.

More ideas…… 1.Paper/Scissors/Stone Papier/Ciseaux/Pierre Papier/Schere/Stein 2.La tomate/Die Tomate 3.Any more ideas? And a few helpful websites… de recreation.htm