Fun Spanish Classroom Games to Increase Engagement

Inside: Fun Activities for Spanish class to bring back that joy that is missing and increase student engagement. No tech activities for Spanish class games, as well as the best fun activities in Spanish class using technology. Fun classroom games for Spanish class. Fun activities in the classroom.

Are you looking for fun activities in the classroom? These past few years have sucked a lot of the joy out of everything, especially school. Here are some of my favorite fun activities for Spanish class. Many of them have been around for a while, and you might have tried them with past students, but they might be brand new to your current students!

No-Tech Fun Spanish class Games

The Marker Game – Fun Classroom Activity

The Marker Game is one of my all-time favorite Spanish class games. Basically, all you need is a list of True/False statements about whoever you have been studying for a fun activity in the classroom. Students compete against another student to grab the marker (or some other object) if the statement is true. If it is false, no one should touch it.

I like to play with two lines of students facing each other, each line as a different team. As a team, they get a point if they have the most markers when it is true, or the least when it is false. I like to project the statements one by one, to help support all learners. Learn more in the blog post The Marker Game.

Running Dictation – Fun Classroom Game

Running Dictation is an activity that I like to do once per quarter in my classes. You do not want to overdo any 1 fun activity in the classroom. That is especially true with this one, you want to keep the novelty. There are many versions and variations, but for me, the ideal group size is three students. (or 4 if needed for numbers). The group members are assigned as the RUNNER, WRITER, or ARTIST. These jobs rotate each turn in my classes.

8-10 sentences in Spanish are taped outside, in a common area, or in the hallway. These should be a review of a story, unit, or book that students have seen before.

• The runner goes to one sentence, reads it, memorizes it & retells it to the writer. (& might need to go back multiple times to get the whole sentence)
• The writer dictates on paper what they are told.
• The artist draws what the sentence means.
• If you have a fourth member they can be the cheerleader/editor.

These jobs rotate until all sentences have been completed. Learn more in the blog post Running Dictation.

1, 2, 3 SALTA! – Spanish class activity

1, 2, 3, ¡SALTA! (1,2,3 Jump!) is a quick fun review game that gets students moving. All you need is a list of True & False statements in the target language about a text your students are familiar with. (If you are prepared they can be in a slideshow you click through one by one, or you can just read or come up with them on the fly). 

• First, have students line up in the middle of the classroom or space (move desks or tables if needed, or move to the hallway, common space, or outside). 
• Then, let students know which side of the space is true & which is false. 
• After reading a statement in the target language, say 1, 2, 3, ¡SALTA!
• After hearing Salta, all students jump to the true or false side.
• Then. discuss the statement that is needed and circle the correct statement.
• Finally, all students return to the centerline. 
• Then, repeat with about 10 statements.

Learn more about ways to mix up fun activities in the classroom in the blog post 1, 2, 3, ¡SALTA! (1,2,3 Jump!)

4 Corners with a Twist – fun classroom game

4 Corners (with a Twist) is a newer take on the old standby, 4 corners. In the classic game, students move to one of the 4 corners of the room based on their preference or which is the current answer.

Before Playing

• Have a list of “who said it?” quotes or items with choices. 
• Post the four options in the four corners of the room (4 characters, 4 places, 4 emotions, etc)
• Explain the activity before letting the students move all over

How to play 4 Corners with a Twist

• Set up the activity the same with prepared statements on a slideshow that come up one by one and four options in the four corners. 
• Have one volunteer stand in the middle of the room with their eyes closed. 
• Read the statement and have everyone silently make their choice. 
• Once everyone is in place, have the volunteer make their choice without opening their eyes. 
• If the volunteer is correct, anyone who is at an incorrect corner is “out” (in my class, this means they must instead write the answers to the rest of the options).
• Keep reading statements until the volunteer is incorrect. If they are incorrect, everyone gets a free pass on that questions and a new volunteer is chosen to be in the middle with their eyes closed. 
• Anyone who is left at the end and got them all correct could get a small prize or class token. 

Learn more in the blog post 4 Corners (with a Twist).

Speedball – Activity for a new class

If you have been around here for a while, you know my 1st-day go-to activity with a new group is Name Game Speedball. But, this game could be brought out many times all year as a fun activity for Spanish class. All you need is a ball and a space you can spread out.

Depending on your topic of study toss the ball and have everyone answer the question. (What class do you like? Where did you go this weekend? What do you want to be?) Remind students they need to remember who they throw it to.

The first person asks the question, and the one that catches the ball answers the question and asks as they toss it to the next person. This continues until everyone has had a turn.

Then for speedball, have a timer to see how fast the class can replicate the same order of questions and answers at a record time. Once you have played once, bring out speedball as a quick brain break with a fresh topic and question.

Question Cards (around the room)- Fun activities in the classroom

Question Cards are very versatile and once you have some printed, you can break them out to mix things up all of the time. If you need to work on asking and answering questions for any topic, try question cards around the room. Tape up the questions around the school, outside, in a common area, or just in your room. Then have students move around in pairs taking turns asking and answering. It really beats just writing down answers in a notebook and gets students moving and engaged. They are super easy to start a class for Weekend Chat too.

Find Someone Who – Speaking Activity

If you have followed Mis Clases Locas for some time, you might know that Find Someone Who activities have become my favorite for post-break. You can see how I have used this activity after a break in the 1st Day of Spanish 2, 3, 4, the 1st Day After Winter Break & for Spring Break Chat. It is a way for students to chat and move around while using Spanish. To make it easier to be able to make them fit any situation you have, now there are Editable Find Someone Who Templates too.

Fun Activities for Spanish Class using Technology

If you have one-to-one computers, here are some fun games for Spanish class using technology. Fun activities in the classroom with technology.

Blooket – Fun Classroom Game

Blooket is my new favorite online game. You can quickly import any Quizlet set to create an activity with almost no prep. There are many different game formats to choose from, plus they are always adding new, fun seasonal ones. Each class has its favorite version, but overall Gold Quest and the seasonal variations of it are the top winners. Learn more about Blooket Here.

Quizlet Live Relay

Quizlet Live Relay Race was a big hit a few years ago. Honestly, we did not really use it last year since we were trying to stay away from each other, but with masks and sanitizing after, it could make a comeback. I had forgotten about it until I saw my former student teacher Sierra post about playing it recently and how students loved it. It is a Twist on Quizlet Live, but having students move around while playing the game is like a relay race. Learn more about Quizlet Live Relay Race.

GimKit

GimKit was a favorite online game of many students a couple of years ago. The problem was my district kept blocking it, so we often would not actually get to use it. I know many teachers and students enjoy the earning and stealing of each other’s pretend money while playing. Learn more about GimKit too.

Bonus Fun Activities for Spanish Class (Routines)

Weekend Chat

Start each week just chatting about the weekend. Here are ways Ways to Mix Up Weekend Chat.

You could start right away in Spanish 1 doing Future weekend Chat. Then later add in Monday past tense Weekend Chat. If you want ready-to-go resources, you can find all of mine here.

Plus, I have a free masterclass all about Refreshing Weekend Chat as a part of Practical & Comprehensible Free Virtual Conference April 20-23, 2023.

Música miércoles

It is not a secret that I think music is the key to joy in the classroom. Música miércoles, Hispanic Heritage Month Music Bracket, & mania musical de marzo are top things students said they enjoyed about class. It does not have to be fancy or complicated, just watch and enjoy music videos together.

Jokes

Comprehensible jokes and memes are great for any day of the week. You can find all of my ready-to-go slides here. Plus I have a Pinterest Board of more jokes here. Learn more in this jaja jueves blog post.

Dance

It does not have to be Baile viernes to break out a Just Dance or Zumba video on the projector and just let loose. Use dance to start class, as a brain break, or as a reward at the end of class for finishing a lesson. Here are 5 Ways to use Dance in any classroom.

Get Free Fun Routine Sample Slides

Brain Breaks

Plan to have a brain break in each class. It is a great way for everyone to recharge and get ready for a new learning episode to take place. I have a ton of ideas for them in this post. The biggest piece of advice is to make sure to PLAN your brain breaks into your day, just like you plan everything else. If it is not written in the agenda, it often gets forgotten in favor of more content. That is the complete opposite of the whole point! Not only are brain breaks great for the students, but the teacher to reset as well.

****Update get the newest year of Para Empezar 2023 in my shop or get it on TPT**

Get fun routines to save you time the entire year!

What did I miss? What fun activities for Spanish class and games are bringing joy to your Spanish classes right now? If you try any of these fun classroom games, please tag me on social media to let me know!

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Originally posted 2.21.22 by Alison Wienhold – Mis Clases Locas most recently updated 4.3.23