Definitions

This is an ambitious game to play with children because they only have limited linguistic

resources with which to define words. The key is to provide them with the structures they need to describe a word before playing the game. Choose a lexical set for them to play the game with and write the structures they need to define the words in the set on the board. For instance, if you choose wild animals, you need to provide them with structures such as the following and leave them on the board during the game:

[size] It’s bigger/smaller than a _____.

[colour] It’s black and white.

[habitat] It lives in the sea/rivers/the jungle/the desert/the mountains/grasslands.

[food] It eats meat/fish/grass/insects/fruit.

[classification] It’s a reptile/mammal/fish/bird/amphibian/insect.

[abilities] It can swim/fly/run fast/climb trees/jump.

Get a volunteer to sit at the front of the class with his/her back to the board. Write a word from the lexical set on the board and ask the children to use the target structures to define the word for the volunteer. The volunteer guesses the word and another child has a turn.