Every teacher has a day where they just need a quick activity! Something to provide a little time filler or an activity because you just CAN’T EVEN with what you have already planned as a part of your lesson for the day. Here is a list of 12 no prep to low prep games and activities that have saved my butt.
1. ¿Qué prefieres? Would You Rather
Raise your hand if you’ve ever finished with all you had planned WAY sooner than you planned? 🙋🏽♀️ I know I have! It happens to the best of us and that’s fine. That’s why I love would you rather activities. It’s a zero prep way to keep students engaged in the target language.
There are so many ways to use it! It seriously is a perfect time filler.
- Whole class
- Students work in pairs with a deck
- Partner rotations every 2 minutes with a deck
¿Qué prefieres? Would you rather activity is also going to be great for creating a positive classroom environment, building relationships, and exposing students to new vocabulary. The silly or serious prompts will definitely put smiles on your students faces and leave them with a fun memory of Spanish class.
2. ¡Yo Tengo! ¿Quién tiene?
Need a review activity? You HAVE to try ¡Yo tengo! ¿Quién tiene? with your students! I have, who has is a great activity for the whole class.
It requires a little prep before doing the activity for the first time. Not too much, just a little printing and cutting.
Pro tip: Laminate the cards so that you can reuse them!
Mix up cards and pass them out to students to start this popcorn style game! Read more about how to play ¡Yo tengo! ¿Quién tiene here!
3. Matamoscas
The Matamoscas game is popular and is played by two or more players. It can also be played as a whole class by separating students into teams! It’s a fun, race style game for students to be the first the swat or kill the fly. Students playing in pairs use markers to mark their responses on the game cards. While playing as a whole class, you can use flyswatters or let students use their hands.
All you have to do is print the Matamoscas pages, laminate and go! The Matamoscas cards that I create have images so that students can make connections to the Spanish input they hear in the game while playing.
4. Teléfono
NO PREP! This game is absolutely no prep when you need to fill in some time. Set students up in one huge line OR lines of 5-7 students like teams.
Tell a phrase to the first students in each line and have fun laughing at what comes out at the end of the line. Students get to work on their listening skills in Spanish and you can pull a phrase from ANYTHING you’re working on.
5. SEIS
Seis is a 2-5 player game! I prefer having students work in pairs. Students are racing to complete their SEIS cards. One students rolls the die while the other works hard to finish as quickly as possible. Once the students with the die has rolled SEIS, they still and start filling out their cards. It continues until there is a winner.
Great way for students to have fun! I must warn you, it will get competitive and a tad noisy. Read more about SEIS here with this blog post!
6. Rondas
No prep two player game? Yes! This game is played in Google Sheets. Both students have access to the same documents and they race to fill in their answers first. Only one student can enter the correct answer. Check out this post for a free Rondas game to try with your students!
7. Wordle
Have you played Wordle? If you haven’t, you have to try it!
Wordle is super easy to implement as an activity in your class. Students get six chances to guess a five letter word. You can choose any word and let students guess next letters in teams! It’s great to keep students engaged and thinking in the target language. It’ll also help give input with Spanish letters and spelling.
8. 4 Corners
This oldie is perfect for the no prep to low prep game category. All you need are the signs you want to use in the 4 corners and an idea of what you want to ask students about. It can fit with some many units and it will be great for listening practice and providing more input to students.
9. Two Truths and a Lie
This one can definitely save you when you’ve completed all the things you have planned for the day and just need a time filler! Have students write down two truths and a lie in Spanish. Collect them and put them in a jar or tub. When you need a time filler, pull one out.
Students will be on their toes because they’ll be listening to see if you’re reading theirs. Great way to provide more input and have NO PREP time fillers for yourself.
10. 20 Questions
Looking for another activity to add? Great option for a whole class activity. This activity will provide tons of input for students.
Great for:
- Bellringer
- Shortened class periods
- Time filler
How to Play:
- Think of an item! This can be something in the classroom or a target vocabulary word from a previous or current unit.
- Explain rules to students and how they earn and lose points.
- Each team will ask questions. If their questions leads to a Sí, they get a point for the team.
- Display this presentation to students.
- Divide students into teams of 4 or 5.
- Get started and have fun!
Sample round:
EQUIPO 1: ¿Es un objeto? – Sí, muy bien. Es un objeto interesante.
EQUIPO 2: ¿Es grande? – No, el objeto no es grande. Es muy pequeño.
You can always add more to your answers to provide students with more input.
11. Quizlet Live
Quizlet is a study tool used by many students. It’s great for vocabulary practice. To use Quizlet Live, you can use an existing vocabulary set or make your own tailor vocabulary to your curriculum.
Read more about Quizlet Live here!
12. Simón Dice
Who hasn’t played Simon Says? This is a great way to get students moving and listening in Spanish.
Great for:
- Body Parts
- Toca la nariz.
- Toca la boca.
- Classroom Instructions Vocabulary
- Siéntense.
- Abrán los libros.
- Saquen un lápiz.
- Affirmative and Negative Commands
- Abre tu libro.
- Mira la puerta.
- No mires al profesor.
We could have use a growing list of no prep to low prep games to use! Let me know which ones you’ve had success with and I’d love to share! Comment below!
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