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) Cartoline del Corpo


Parts of the Body

Cut pieces of butcher paper to match the height of each Villager. Have Villagers lie on
the paper. The counselor of another Villager traces the outline of their bodies. Villagers
then color in the outline and label the body parts.

This activity uses a lot of paper. Stress that the posters should be taken home and hung
up. Two variations which use less paper are:
1.) Trace the counselor and color and label the body parts as a group.
2.) Use chalk and trace, color, and label right on the sidewalk.

2.) Testa, Spalle, Ginocchie, Dite…


Parts of the Body

This is the Italian version of the song we all knew and loved as children, “head shoulders,
knees and toes, etc.” Young Villagers will enjoy this. Change the words to get older
students interested. The variations are endless and they might enjoy making up their own
version.

3.) Simone Dice…


Parts of the Body

The Italian version of “Simon says.” This is great for introducing new words. Give
students commands and make the motions with them, e.g.: “Simone dice: Accendate la
braccia!” When they get good have them repeat the command as they doing it. And for
really advanced students give them the opportunity to become “Simone.”

4.) Pescare

Tie string to a stick for a fishing rod. Make pictures or collect objects and place them in a
bucket or large paper bag. Villagers “fish” for the objects (you attach them to the string).
If the student answers “Cosa c’è?” correctly, the fish is a keeper. If the answer is
incorrect, it gets repeated by all and put back into the bucket. This game has lots of
applications – use pictures of verbs for “Cosa fai?” and pictures of places for “Dove vai?”

(This is really great if you can find a magnet to attach to the end of the string and paper
clips to attach to each of the pictures!)

5.) Body Collages


Parts of the Body

This is similar to the “Cartoline del Corpo” (Numero #1) except students make a collage
of various body parts. With pictures from magazines they create a body collage and label
all the parts.

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A good variation is to make a living collage. The counselor has already found pictures of
body parts and labeled them. The Villagers tape each picture to appropriate body part of
the counselor. When all are correct the students receive labels of the parts without the
pictures and must repeat the exercise.

6.) Al caffè
Food/Dining

Set a table with your group while you’re waiting for stragglers. Use “Concentration”
(Numero 9) to introduce the dishes and utensils. Make the la forchetta, il cucchiao, il
coltello, ecc., and line them up obviously.

Use the opportunity to talk about what goes where on the table. Is it the same as is
typically done in the States? Is it important?

Start to describe the positioning in German using the prepositions you plan to teach:
forchetta, cucchiao, coltello, piatto, ecc… Then move the utensils around and emphasize
the prepositions.
La forchetta è alla destra del piatto.
Il piatto è nel mezzo della forchetta e il coltello.
Allora, dov’è il coltello?

Now have them each move their place settings in order to answer yes to your question.

Finally, have students work in pairs. They sit back to back. One student makes a place
setting and then describes it to his/her partner. The partner must replicate the sculpture
without looking.

7.) Funny Bones


Parts of the Body

Make cards with the words of two body parts, e.g. mano, ginocchia. Villagers work in
teams of two or three. They choose a card, say the command and then place the card
between the named body parts. The team that holds the most cards wins. A variation:
Once they know the game have them make cards themselves. They may think of crazy
combinations, but they will always run the chance of choosing their own cards.

8.) Chi sono io, che sono io, dove sono io?
History, Identity, Current Events

This is a fun game for advanced and older groups. The counselor prepares cards with
Chi? names (famous people, other counselors, etc.), or Che? things (words they know
from activities or the Edicola or previous lessons) or Dove? places (cities, countries,
mountain ranges, etc.). The cards are taped to the Villagers’ backs. Villagers ask each
other questions about who they are, what they are or where they are. (If you select objects

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in or around your meeting place this can be a good exercise for prepositions. Prepositions
can also be used to describe locations on a map).

9.) Concentration

This is the game you used to play in the car on long car trips. Slap, clap, snap, snap. Slap,
clap, snap, snap. (Ask someone to show you what this is if you didn’t play it in the car as
a kid!) This is a great way to introduce new vocabulary. Remember to repeat all words as
a group before asking individual Villagers to speak up alone.

10.) Charades

This game can be adapted for many different objectives. For “Cosa fai?” use pictures of
different actions or verb-cards with words. Put the cards face down in a pile. A Villager
chooses a card and acts out the verb for the other Villagers. The group must guess what
he/she’s doing and make a sentence (or simply give the correct verb for beginners). For a
competitive group, split into two teams and keep track of which team guesses faster. Or
have team “A” write/draw the verbs which teams “B” will have to act out. This can create
intense competition and difficult verbs!

11.) Catena di Verbi

This game can be adapted for almost any lesson.


For “Cosa fai?”: Every Villager should have an object reflecting a verb. For example, a
glass for bere, a plate for mangiare, etc. The first Villager in the circle makes a sentence
using her object (Io bevo il lattè.) The second Villager says what she is doing and what
the first Villager is doing (Io mangio degli spaghetti. Tu bevi dell’acqua.) Continue
around the circle trying not to break the chain. Try timing the chain and break your own
records! For a variation use patterns from any day.
“Dove vai?”: Use objects to represent places (plate = Ristorante, money = Bancomat).
Villagers make a chain with “Io vado al ristorante; tu vai al Bancomat; ecc.” “Perchè?”
Perchè…” Each Villager has to add on a different reason for going to the same place. Es.:
“Io vado al Bancomat perchè ho bisogno dei soldi.”
For “Cosa hai fatto”: Have second Villager resond using present tense for what he/she is
doing and past tense for the others. “Io vado al ristorante perchè ho fame e lui è andato
al Bancomat perchè ha avuto bisogno dei soldi.”

12.) Gli Oggetti Musicali

Bring an object for every noun or verb. (bere= glass, etc.) Place the objects in a circle
and have the Villagers walk around the circle while the music (some German pop songs)
play. When you stop the music, the Villagers must pick up the object in front of them.
Of course, the circle is one object short and one Villager will be left without. That
Villager must now tell what everyone else has or is doing. (e.g. Bruno ha la palla/
Bruno gioca calcio.) Play again until everyone has had the chance to speak.

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13.) BINGO

Have Villagers make their own Bingo cards with drawings of given objects or verbs or
prepare Bingo boards with pictures of 25 most commonly used verbs/ objects in Lago del
Bosco. Write corresponding verbs/objects on slips of paper and then draw from these
slips of paper. Call out the word on the paper called. The first Villager to cover five in a
row can win, if she is able to make a sentence or name the word corresponding to each
space covered.

14.) Dice games

These games can be used with almost any lesson to create sentences for Villagers. Use
die with corresponding words (on the side of the die or on a piece of paper numbered 1-
6). Roll the die and have Villagers make sentences with the resulting words.
For “Che cosa fai?” use dice with corresponding (io, tu, lei/lui/loro, noi) (1=io, 2=tu,
etc.). Another die corresponds with six verbs. Villagers roll the dice and make
sentences, practicing correct conjugations. For more advanced students add a dice with
corresponding nouns, one with corresponding possessive pronouns (mio, tuo, suo, etc.)
One with modal verbs (potere, volere, dovere), regular verbs and objective nouns. Now
they roll several die and create sentences using several words. Creative sentences result!
For “Perchè? Perchè…” use dice with different Lago del Bosco places and actions.
Villagers make sentences with the rolled words. (i.e.Vado al negozio perché devo
comprare una mele.) If the resulting sentence makes sense, give one point.
For “Come ti senti?” use die with feelings and reasons.

15.) Farfalla

Draw or find several pictures with depicted actions, emotions, places, etc. This “picture
file” can be used for many activities and lesson including “Che cos’è?”, Chi è? Che fa
lui/lei? Dov’è? etc… Begin by asking what the Villagers can identify in each picture or
what the people in the picture are doing, thinking, feeling, etc. Then post pictures and
split Villagers into two groups. Each group picks one picture and describes it in detail to
the group focusing on the lesson for the day. The second group must guess which picture
the first group guesses the most correctly. Villagers should include the daily pattern in
their descriptions.

16.) High Card Draw


(From Silver Bullets)

Use a deck of playing cards (Italian ones are the best) to inspire speech in this game.
Deal one card to each Villager. Then play one card from the remaining deck against the
first Villager in the circle. If your card is higher, you give the Villager a command verb
and they must follow it. (“Girati!, Canta!, etc.) If the Villager wins, they give you the
command. This game works well in partners too. Divide Villagers into pairs and give
each pair a set or group of cards. They continue to play against each other. The winner
gives the command and the loser performs it. Advanced groups use more advanced

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commands with verbs and objects: “Leva il braccio destro! Dammi quella foglia
d’albero!”

17.) Handball
(From Silver Bullets)

Another game to inspire conversation among Villagers. Divide the Villagers into groups
of three. Each group needs a ball (or a wad of paper.) Two players sit facing the third.
This third person is the “wall” for the handball game. The two Villagers “playing” the
game flip a coin to see who goes first. Then the “server” throws the ball to the “wall”
and asks a “yes” or “no” question. (i.e. Puoi giocare il football? Ti piace giocare?, etc.)

18.) “Cos’è?”

In this game, Villagers practice asking and answering questions and learn new
vocabulary. Begin by sending an object around the circle to the Villager on the left. Say,
“Questo è una palla.” The Villager pretends not to hear or understand and asks, “Cos’è?”
Repeat what the object is. Then the Villager passes the object on to the person on her
left, saying, “Una palla.” Again, the response from Villager two is “Cos’è?” Villager
one must ask you again “Cos’è?” and then pass on the response to two. This pattern
continues around the circle. To add confusion and more objects, start another object in
the other direction—to the Villager on your right. The “Cos’è?’s” are sure to cross paths!
Variations include sending an action with the object. For example, send a plate and say
“Io mangio.”

19.) Hacci-Pacci
(From Silver Bullets)

Villagers sit in a circle. One Villager does not have a space in the circle and leaves the
area. One of the seated Villagers is “it” or “Hacci-Pacci”. Call the outsider back to the
circle. This Villager now goes around the circle asking, “Che fai?” or “Che giochi?” (or
anything you have chosen that allows the Villagers to practice the question of the day).
Each player should give a correct answer except for “Hacci-Pacci” who says, “Io sono
Hacci-Pacci,” or “Io gioco Hacci-Pacci,” (or anything that includes “Hacci-Pacci” and
makes sense considering the question asked). This is the signal for all the players to
stand up and try to find a new place. The Villager left standing now leaves and a new
Hacci-Pacci is chosen.

20.) Pictionary

Patterned after the popular board game, this game can be adapted for any age level and
many different language lessons. Divide your group into two teams if you want
competition in this game. One member of each team draws a word – noun, verb, feeling
or phrase – and attempts to draw it. (With chalk on the sidewalk or a chalkboard or with
crayons or markers on paper). The team that guesses the word first wins. Or have only
one team go at a time and keep track of how fast each team guesses.

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21.) Anitra, Anitra, Occa

The famous childhood game takes on a new twist when you introduce language skills.
Children sit in a circle and one Villager circles around tapping every Villager on the head
saying, “Anitra, Anitra, Anitra, ecc.” When this Villager calls someone “Occa,” that
person stands up and greets the Villager with, “Buon giorno, come stai?” Both Villagers
must ask and answer this question and then they run in opposite directions around the
circle. When they cross paths again, they ask the same questions again before continuing
around the circle to the empty spot in the circle. Whoever gets to the spot first sits and the
other person is now “it.” You can vary the questions for many lessons. Instead of, “Come
stai?” Villagers can ask each other, “Che fai?” or “Dove vai?” This activity is great for
active kids!

22.) Sentence Completion


(From Silver Bullets)

The Villager rolls a die and must complete a sentence with that many words. You begin
the sentence with a few words. Set up the sentences to practice certain grammar points. If
the Villager rolls a 4 she would have to finish the following sentence, “Io sono contento,
<blank – finish sentence>.” Prepare sentences before your Family Group to match the
patterns of the day! If the Villager can complete the sentence in the required number of
words, she or her group gets a point.

23.) 52 Card Pickup


(From Silver Bullets)

This takes some preparation, but the game can be used for many lessons. Write 10-20
long sentences with the desired vocabulary or grammar for the day on a piece of paper.
Space the words of the sentences out so you can cut between them. Photocopy the
sentence page and cut up the sentences in between each word or phrase to produce two or
more identical word sets. Divide the Villagers into two or more teams and give each team
one set of words. Now each team competes to complete as many sentences as possible in
a given amount of time. Give points for complete and correct sentences. Subtract points
for unused words. Give points if one team can spot errors in the other team’s sentences.
Or you can award creativity points.

24.) Ball of Yarn

This method encourages advanced speakers to use their skills. Use a ball of yarn or string
or thread. Tie knots in the ball at various intervals or tie together bits of different colored
yarn. Give one ball to each pair of Villagers or use one big ball to pass around the circle.
The Villagers must speak in Italian while wrapping the yarn around one finger until the
color changes or a knot comes around. now they may pass the yarn to the next person,
who continues talking while wrapping the yarn around their finger. Set up the

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conversation to use certain vocabulary words, themes of the day, grammar patterns or
topics. As the Villagers talk, they have to follow your prearranged guidelines.

25.) Jeopardy

Answers to questions are given. The Villagers must come up with the questions. Several
categories of questions are possible (global awareness topics, countries and capitals,
Village life, descriptions of objects, famous people, music and grammar and sentence
structure practice). More difficult questions could be worth more points. To practice
verbs and prepositions for example: “Mi piacciono gli spaghetti.” Domanda – “Cosa ti
piacciono?” This is an excellent last day review game using all the questions from the
session.

26.) Numero Vietato

Choose a forbidden number (3 or 4 usually works best). Villagers begin to count – one at
a time – and when they get to the forbidden number, a multiple of the forbidden number,
or a larger number with the forbidden number in it, they must say, “numero.” For
example, 1,2,3, numero, 5,6,7, numero, 9,10,11, numero, 13, numero, 15…

Add another “forbidden number” when students are familiar with the game and need
more of a challenge. Or offer a “reward” (Cioccolata) if they successfully make it to 100.

27.) Le Sedie Sì e No

Set two chairs in the grass (or use tree stumps). Label one chair “Sì” and the other “No.”
The divide the group into two teams and number the Villagers. Call out a number and
then ask a yes/no question using the vocabulary you have been working on. The Villagers
with that number from each drink a cup and ask “Mangia pane?” point to Venezia on the
map and as, “È Venezia?” and so on… The Villagers on that team who think the answer
is yes must all pile onto the “Sì” chair; the ones who think the answer is no all pile onto
the “No” chair.

This game works best with a larger group so you may want to plan it with another small
group to do together.

28.) Negazione

Give commands, “Beve questo lattè!” Villagers refuse by responding with, “No, Io non
bevo quell’ lattè!” Add “SÌ!” when appropriate and “Ne” with advanced campers.

29.) La Partita “Bop”

Villagers sit in a circle. Each takes the name of a different fruit (day, color, month,
country, holiday, piece of clothing, etc.). The person who’s “it” stands in the middle with
a soft bopper (rolled newspaper, bow of a fir tree, etc.). The game starts by calling out the

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name of one of the fruits. The person in the middle tries to “bop” the person named
before that person calls out the name of different fruit. And so it goes until someone gets
“bopped” or calls out a non-existent fruit and ends up in the middle.

30.) No, Non Ne Ho

Every Villager has an object. You ask, “Hai una banana?” If the Villager does not have
the banana, he answers, “Non, non ne ho.” Continue asking around the circle until you
discover who has the banana (or maybe you have it!). The Villager discovered with the
requested object is now the questioner. Pass objects around circle and keep them behind
your back, so the questioner has to discover has to discover where it really is.

31.) Discussione della Geografia

The question “dove abiti?” offers an opportunity to add geography to the discussion
group. Be sure to BRING A MAP to this activity. Show Villagers where their “homes”
are located. Talk about recent Italian history, where various cities are, etc.

Introduce the names of the continents using a globe or floor map and TPR. Then have
Villagers separate (cut out) the continents from a photocopied map or a map they have
drawn themselves. Each Villager takes a continent, and the question “dove abiti?” is
answered with the continent name (e.g. “abito in Africa”). Do the same with countries,
capitals, cities, mountain ranges, rivers, etc.

For more advanced groups introduce animal names: “C’è una giraffa. Abita la giraffa in
Europa?” “Dove abita la giraffa?” Then assign animal names to Villagers and have them
ask each other where they live. Play charades – when someone has guessed the correct
answer they must also say where the animal lives to win. Another variation would be to
play “Le Sedie Sì e No” (#27).

32.) La Pesta
History

(from MORE NEW GAMES, p. 81)


Have Villagers close their eyes and put their thumbs together – you squeeze the thumb of
the person who will be “it,” la pesta. La pesta’s mode of infection is to wink. And la
pesta’s objective is to infect everyone before being found out and cured.

Have the Villagers mingle, using the introductory dialogue (or any other dialogue you
want them to practice). La pesta will try to slip in an inconspicuous wink when
conversing with a partner (or during any passing eye contact). If someone has been
winked at, that person must die a slow and painful death (usually with somewhat loud
groaning and drawn out dramatics). To keep la pesta’s identity from being too obvious,
though, there should be a bit of a delay between the wink and the death throes.

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Play continues until a (living) player wants to guess who la pesta is. “I have a guess!” –
at which point another player must second the guess – “I have a guess too!” If there is
no second, play continues. If there is another guesser then the two players count to three
and simultaneously point to the person they think is la pesta. If they point to the wrong
player, or if they each point to a different player (even if one is correct) they both die
instantly. If they both guess correctly, then la pesta has been found and cured and the
round is over. Of course, the other way to end the round is for la pesta to infect all other
players. Wait till the CDC hears about this game!

33.) 20 Questions

Play as a group or split into pairs. One Villager thinks of an object (or person, place,
idea) from daily vocabulary. Other Villagers ask questions which can be answered with
‘sì’ or ‘no’ to discover what the object is. Make questioning strategies level appropriate.
Give points for Villagers who guess the object more quickly.

34.) Animal Trios

(from MORE NEW GAMES p. 147)


This is a very fun game to play with a larger group and a great way to teach animal
names. There’s lots of room for creativity, so be prepared to come up with some animal
representations of you own, but here is an outline of the game and a couple of examples.

The names of one or two animals are introduced to begin with along with a three-person
representation of the animal. For example, an elephant would be compose of one person
who acts as the trunk and two other players, one on each side, who form two big floppy
ears with their arms. A skunk might consist of the middle player with hands behind his
or her back, raising his or her tail and making a hissing (spraying) sound, while the
players on the sides plug their noses and turn their heads away from the “smell.”

Before you begin play, all of the players should have had a chance to practice making the
characters and should be familiar with their names.

To start the game, the Villagers form a circle and you step into the middle. Point your
finger at one of the Villagers in the circle and call out the name of one of the animals.
The person pointed to must assume the central part of that animal’s pose, and the players
on either side must complete the picture. Any player who doesn’t perform the right
action before you can count to five (or ten) goes in the middle and takes over the role of
pointer. As players become more comfortable with a couple of animals you can add
another, and another, and another. Also, if play is too slow or the group is very large,
you can step into the middle of the circle and add a second (or third) pointer.

35.) Spud

This ball game can be adapted for many different language lessons – practicing numbers,
“where are you going?” etc. – It’s especially great for active groups. In the basic game,

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every Villager is given a number (or capital or country or camp location). All stand in a
circle around you and you throw the ball high up and call out a number. The Villager
with this number runs to catch the ball while everyone else runs away. When the ball is
caught, the catcher yells, “Stop!” Now, the catcher may take three large steps toward the
nearest (or any) player and throw the ball at their that (or any) player. The target Villager
may not move their feet but may dodge by ducking or bending. If hit, the target gets the
letter ‘s’ – as the first letter of the word ‘spud.’ If not hit then the thrower gets the letter.
The thrower now stands in the middle of the circle and calls out a number. Play until
someone is out by getting all four letters. You can make all sorts of variations, but one
for “Where are you going?” runs like this: each Villager takes the name of a place in
Lago del Bosco (il negozio, la banca, etc). All other players ask the thrower, “Where are
you going?” and the thrower answers “I’m going to…” when throwing the ball in the air.

36.) World Dice

Select six countries (or use the continents) and number them one through six. Develop
questions, easy and hard, pertaining to each of the six. For example, Cuba: Is Cuba an
island? Who is the leader of Cuba? Do many US citizens live in Cuba? Do many
Cubans live in the US? And so on. Villagers take turns rolling a die and answering
questions about the appropriate country. One correct answer is rewarded with one point.
The group can keep score as a whole. Play twice or more – perhaps before and after
other geography activities – so the Villagers are competing against their own previous
score, try to do better each time.

37.) Lago del Bosco board games

Use a map of Lago del Bosco or have Villagers draw their own and label everything.
Then make a path with spaced blocks between each place on the map. Roll the dice and
more on the map as many blocks as the dice indicate. Players have to answer the
question of the day “Where are you going?” or “Come ti chiami?” before moving on the
board. Add obstacles, bonus blocks and a finish line. You can also do this type of game
with a map of Europe or the world.

38.) World Bingo

Divide the world map (or a map of a specific region) into 15-20 squares. Call out names
of countries (or cities, rivers etc). Have Villagers play as a team and place their markers
on the areas that have been called. Once they complete a row or column they should all
yell “bingo” at the same time.

39.) Tag

This childhood running game can be adapted for language practice in active groups. One
Villager is ‘it’ and has to tag other Villagers. For “Where are you going?” begin at il
negozio. The player who is ‘it’ asks another Villager “Where are you going?” and the
other player replies with something like, “I’m going to the bank.” Both run to the bank

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and the first one there wins and get to challenge another Villager with the question of the
day.

40.) Surprise Bag

Start this ritual on one of the first days – one a day when you start your small learning
group, bring a paper bag or a box with you that has some kind of object in it. Have
Villagers ask yes or no questions until they figure out what’s in the Surprise Bag. When
Villagers become familiar with the ritual, start assigning it to individuals. Give the bag to
one of the Villagers and say that it’s their job to find an object and bring it to the next
small language group.

41.) Follow the Leader

Villagers stand in line with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
The leader chooses the place. The followers ask in unison or one after another, “Where
are you going?” and the leader answers, “I’m going to the store.” Everyone repeats
what the leader said and the whole train goes to il negozio. Once they get there, the
leader goes to the back of the train and the next person in line takes over as leader. On
the way to each destination, have Villagers chant in a rhythm “I’m going to the store”
(or whatever makes sense for where they are going).

42.) Moonball

(from SILVER BULLETS, p. 31)


This game is an excellent way to practice numbers, keep your group moving, and get
them to work together. Scatter Villagers on an open playing area. Use a well-inflated
ball as the object of play. The group’s goal is to hit the ball in succession. Count aloud
(together or individually) to keep track of the score (i.e. number times they hit the ball
without the ball hitting the ground). To make the game more interesting and competitive,
tell the Villagers about the “world record” (or Lago del Bosco record!) and see if they can
beet it.

43.) Time Around the World

Use the globe or a world map as the focus for you lesson on time and seasons. Show
Villagers the time zones on the map, and ask them to explain why the seasons are
opposite in the two hemispheres (tilted earth causes oblique sun angle, shorter days, less
heat… winter!).

Then have each student draw a card with the name of a country (city, mountain, etc)
which you have prepared. Ask the student what time it is, ask about the weather, ask
what season it is, etc… The Villager will respond according to the time, season, weather
etc. of the country on the card.

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Mix up the cards and draw again. This time tell the Villagers they need to form a line
according to what time it is in their respective countries starting with 12:00 am. Check
the line up by having all the Villagers tell each other what time it is in their country.

You can follow this up with a game of Memory (#47).

44.) What Color is the World?

Use the globe or a map to introduce and work with colors. Begin with TPR, having
Villagers point to the various colors as you say the words for the colors. Then do the
same with country/continent names. Next, ask questions: What color is Portugal?
What countries are green? etc.

45.) The Ideal Plan for the Day

Bring some Lago del Bosco day plans to your small language group. Discuss what time
things are done and explain the use of the 24-hour clock. Then ask the Villagers about
their daily schedule when they are at home, at school, etc. Finally, have Villagers
brainstorm and write their ideal Lago del Bosco plan for the day. At the end of your
small language group have Villagers present their proposals to the dean!

47.) Memory

This is an easy game to play, since most Villagers will already be familiar with the rules
and you won’t need to do much explaining. Plus, you can play Memory with almost
every daily theme. Here are some examples:

To practice verbs, have one set of cards with pictures of various activities (soccer players,
swimming, sleeping, etc.) and another set of cards with the verbs written out (play, swim,
sleep, etc.). Use the game to elicit responses to the question of the day. If a Villager gets
a match they must correctly use the verb to keep the cards.

To practice time expressions, have one set of cards with digits or pictures of clocks with
various times (12:00, 12:45, 22:00, etc.). On the other set of cards, write out the time
expressions (twelve o’clock, twelve forty-five, ten PM, etc.). In order to keep the cards
Villagers must correctly answer your question “What time is it?” or “When are you
going to bed?” etc.

To practice geography along with verbs, prepositions, time expressions, etc., have one set
of cards be cut out shapes of countries and the other set be the country names and flags.
Villagers can answer all kinds of questions to keep the cards: Where are you going?
Where is Norway? What time is it in Japan? etc.

48.) Touch Something Blue

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This game of commands and responses can help Villagers learn new vocabulary and fell
comfortable with the language quickly. Make a command such as “Touch something
Blue!” Demonstrate by touching someone’s blue shirt, shoes, jeans, etc. Everyone
should follow. Quickly change commands by calling out different colors. Continue play
until they can respond without having to watch for your example. If you think the
players have really got the hang of it, then you could let one of them take over as the
person who calls out commands. Also, this game works well with just about any objects,
house vocabulary etc. – “Touch a chair!”

49.) Giant, Dwarf, Wizard

(adapted from NEW GAMES)


This game is somewhat like Rock, Paper, Scissors, only the Villagers act in teams.
Villagers line up in two lines facing each other. Each line secretly choose what they will
become at your signal. A giant (arms up and standing on tip toes) can crush a dwarf and
therefore defeat it. A dwarf (crouched down on knees) can scare a wizard and therefore
defeat it. A wizard (one hand holding out a wizards wand) can zap a giant. Each team
makes their decision and on the count of tre everyone assumes their position. The
winners chase the losers and those who are tagged become part of the other team. Be
sure to establish “safe” zones behind each line first! If both teams choose the same
character, they must hug each other.

50.) Orologio Vivo

An “orologio vivo” is a clock formed with your arms. It might take some practice to
figure out just which are is going to be the minute hand and which is going to be the hour
hand, so spend a little bit getting the hang of it before you meet your group. You can
introduce the time expressions using a paper clock, chalk, twigs, or you arms – whatever!

Once Villagers are familiar with “time” in Italian, have them begin to move your (the
counselor’s) arms to form the correct time in answer to your questions. For example, you
ask, “When do we eat breakfast?” and the Villagers move your arms to the correct
position. Repeat this a few times and then ask a all Villagers to form the answer with
you, i.e., with their own arms. Next have them simply form the time that you say (per
esempio, “it is 12 o’clock!” they put their arms straight up). It will take some time for
them to get it – this is a good opportunity for them to help each other. Once everyone
seems fairly comfortable with forming a clock, start pointing to Villagers individually,
using different commands and questions according to the level of you group.

Then form a circle and bring one person to the middle to act as a spinner. The person in
the middle spins around, stops abruptly, and calls out, “it is ___ o’clock!” The person
being pointed to must then form that time. If they get it right, play continues. If not, then
they become the spinner.

51.) Queen or King of the Mountain

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Practice negation and antonyms with this popular children’s game. One Villager is
chosen as the “king or queen of the mountain.” The others quickly ask ‘yes’ or ‘no’
questions. The King or Queen must respond with a negative answer. “Are you happy?”
“No, I’m not happy.” OR “No, I’m sad.” If the queen or king makes a mistake, the
Villager who asked the last question takes over. Give points for answering the most
questions correctly. Give a list of possible feelings and antonyms to work on.

52.) What will become of Lago del Bosco?

To practice using the future tense, have Villagers guess what Lago del Bosco will be like
in 10, 20, or 50 years. Break your small language group up into pairs. Have them draw
maps of Lago del Bosco’s future, speculate what their favorite counselor will be doing
and decide what each of the Villagers in the their group will be doing. Then have each
group present their ideas to the others.

53.) Hiding Game

This form of hide-and-seek can be used for several themes and questions including
“What is that?” “Where is it?” and “How are you?” Hide an object under leaves, under
sand, behind another Villager and ask the appropriate question. For “How are you?”
Villagers could express sadness when the object can’t be seen and happiness when it is
found again.

54.) Have you heard?

Announce that someone broke into the dolceria and eaten all of the gelato, and that a
police officer will be coming around to ask each person what he or she was doing at the
time. Give them a few minutes to think of a good alibi and to tell the other Villagers
what they were doing so that they all have the same story. Then put on your most official
looking face and a hat or badge. Ask each student what she or he was doing at the time
of the break in (What were you doing yesterday at 19:00?). And then ask other
students to corroborate each alibi (What was she doing then?). Differing information is
grounds for further questioning.

55.) I wish…

This activity will engage Villagers in speaking in the subjunctive form. One Villager
starts with a wish, “I wish that I could fly to Italy.” The next adds on to this wish with
a new desire, “I wish that I could fly to Italy and that chocolate were free.” Continue
around the circle until all have expressed their wishes. Variation: Pair up students. One
expresses a wish and the other asks why. After the explanation, the other must express a
wish and also explain why.

56.) Parrot

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This is a simple game to check comprehension. Introduce the pattern that you are
concentrating on that day (e.g. future tense – I will eat cheese). You start talking, saying
various sentences, and as parrots, the Villagers only repeat sentences that match the
pattern of the day.

57.) Geography

Make a list of destinations in the world. Ask students questions like, “Where could you
find a lot of snow and ice in August? Where would you live, if you always wanted to
have warm weather?” Villagers have to give the correct places in complete sentences.
Use subjunctive to practice this sentence structure. Or give the place and Villagers have
to come up with a reason why they might go there.

58.) Time Travel

This is an active version of parrot (#56). Draw or tape a line that students can jump
across. One side of the line is present time, and one side is past. If you say something on
the past then they jump to that side of the line. With another line you can also add the
future.

59.) Grab Bag Skit

Put junk or nature objects into little bags for each pair of students. Give them a few
minutes to look their items and plan their skit. They should use as many objects as
possible and then present a story or skit using the objects for something other than their
actual purpose. For example, an old necklace becomes a street, or a pinecone is the car,
or an old shoe is the house and grass blades are the people driving down the street on
their way home. Villagers speak throughout the skit using the objects as props.

60.) The famous and the Infamous

This game might take a little extra preparation, but should also prove to be just that much
more rewarding. Choose some interesting historical personalities and some modern day
heroes as well. Try to get a mix of people – both those who are famous for good things
and those who are famous for bad things, both men and women, all sort of races, etc. The
question is: “what did s/he do?” Once that is established ask other questions in the past
“Where did s/he live?” “When did s/he live?” etc. It might be appropriate to allow
some discussion of the personalities in English if Villagers have strong opinions about
them.

You could follow this up with a game of Memory (#47) using the picture and the
statement of what the person did as a matching pair. Or play a round of Chi sono io, che
sono io, dove sono io? (#8) taping the names of the personalities you have just discussed
to the backs of the Villagers.

61.) Cartoons

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This is a great last day activity for all levels. Use any English or Italian cartoons – make
photocopies and white out the words. Present copies of these cartoons to the Villagers.
They have to take a character role and act out the scene in their own words. Or you could
have them write in expressions.

62.) Red Light, Green Light

One person is it. The others hold familiar objects which represent some action (e.g. a
book for ‘to read’). When ‘it’’s back is to the group, the light is green and the other
Villagers can try to sneak up to the finish line (where ‘it’ is standing). When ‘it’ turns
around and yells, “Stop!” the red light is on. ‘It’ then asks each of the Villagers, “What
were you doing?” and they answer accordingly. If ‘it’ has seen someone moving, then
that person will have to answer with, “I was cheating!” and return to the start. When
someone finally reaches the line s/he becomes the new ‘it,’ the objects are traded and the
race starts over.

63.) On Your Lap

Villagers sit in chairs in a circle. They take off their shoes and put them under their
chairs to mark their starting points. The counselor then gives directions: “Everyone
wearing a green shirt, move three places to the right.” Maybe a Villager will have to
sit on another Villager’s lap! The commands continue (Everyone with glasses, move
two places to the left…). The first Villager to land exactly in their original chair and put
their shoes back on wins.

64.) Sand Map

You’ll need a lifeguard to play this game. A “Sand Map” is a map made in the sand.
Take your group to the beach with a couple of maps, a pail and maybe a rake. Work
together on making a map in the sand – make it as detailed as you want (and as time
permits) – you can put in mountains, rivers, industrial areas, or you can simply have the
outlines of a few countries of the continents. I think this is the most experiential way of
learning geography and, if you haven’t done it yet yourself, you will be surprised at how
much you can learn by actually creating the map with your hands.

Once you have the map made, use it! The applications are endless. Have Villagers stand
on the map, drive matchbox cars around the map, simulate weather on the map, be
animals on the map, put twigs, leaves, etc to represent population, resources,
consumption, etc. on the map, or invite another small language group to come see your
map…

65.) Nametag Salad

For introductions, have Villagers throw their nametags into a pile. Each Villager then
selects someone else’s nametag and moves through the group having the introductory

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dialogue (Hello/hello. What’s your name?/I’m so-and-so; what’s your name?/I’m
so-and-so) and trade nametags after each encounter until they find their own nametag
(which they then keep). You can also play this game with other themes, object, verbs,
questions etc – a simple but protean game good for almost any day.

66.) A Look Back at Lago del Bosco

To practice the simple past have Villagers reminisce about their first week in Lago del
Bosco. Have them create a collage of pictures and written sentences about whet they
played, sang, ate, heard, etc. Which things did they like and which things didn’t they
like?

67.) Group Juggling

This is a fun way to learn and practice names, places, words for foods, animals etc. Each
Villager introduces herself (chooses and introduces a place, fruit, animal, etc.) to the
group.

The group leader begins by saying “Hello, Maria!” and throwing a beanbag to Maria.
Maria continues the game by saying, “Hello, Massimo!” and throwing the beanbag to
Massimo. The game continues for a while and then the group leader introduces a second
beanbag (the first is still in play). And then a third beanbag, a fourth, a fifth… Many,
many beanbags can be used depending on your group’s size – eventually it should look
like a group juggle.

Make this more interesting by varying the greeting with each beanbag. For example, start
with, “Hello” on the first beanbag, and move to “How are you?” for the second, “How’s
it going?” for the third and so on. More advanced levels could even answer the questions
when catching the beanbags.

An important safety precaution is to make sure that everyone knows on rule: players must
have the attention of the person they are throwing to before they throw the beanbag.

68.) Detailed Picture

(from GERMAN GAMES)


Have the Villagers draw a person on a chalk board or on a big sheet of paper, how
detailed the drawings are should vary with the language level and age. One Villager is
sent out and the remaining Villagers agree on some part or detail to be erased, an eye, leg,
arm or eyebrow, etc.

Then they call the other Villager back in and ask, “What’s missing here?”

If correctly guessed then the Villager who was just outside gets to choose another
Villager to be sent out, otherwise the counselor chooses the next person.

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69.) Gummy Bear Guessing

Bring a jar or other container of gummy bears to your small language group. Have
Villagers guess the number of gummy bears in the jar. Then give a few to each Villager
and have them count out loud to see what the true total is. Eat!

70.) Expression of Opinion

Set up a scale reaching from agreement (agreement) to disagreement (disagreement).


(A smiley face at one end and a frown at the other works well). Explain to Villagers that
they are to place themselves on the scale according to their opinions. The counselor then
reads prepared statements – for example, “I think Spaghetti tastes good” – and the
Villagers place themselves on the scale accordingly. Another opinion is read (“I think
taking a trip to Greenland is a good idea.” etc.) and Villagers switch around. With an
advanced group, have them make the statements.

71.) Abstract Art

Bring abstract pictures to your small language group. Introduce some of the pictures and
say what you think they represent. “I think this is a Woman / lemon / cloud /
(Whatever).” Then pass the pictures out and ask the Villagers what they think. Trade
pictures and have each of the Villagers find a different image from the previous Villager
who had the same picture. The group objective would be to find as many different
representations as possible.

72.) Where should we go?

Bring a map or globe to your small language group. Tell Villagers that they have just
been awarded an unlimited supply of money – the only condition is that they must use it
to travel. Help Villagers plan a trip, offering suggestions each time and then asking for
their opinions. “Should we go to Italy or to Switzerland?” What do you think?
Continually add factors that will change the desired destination (time of year, amount of
time to spend there, food, etc…).

73.) Have you ever…

Begin this activity by using the Le Sedie Sì e No game (#27). Test for comprehension –
“Have you ever taken a shower in the rain?” (Villagers, who have, run to the ‘si’ and
those, who haven’t, run to the ‘no’). Then have Villagers ask the questions to practice
the constructions. Now you are ready to play “Have you ever…” Ask each Villager to
think of something they have done that the others probably haven’t. Each Villager then
asks the others if they have ever done this particular thing. If no one else has ever done it
the, the Villager who asked the question gets a point, but if anyone else has done it then
that player gets a point.

74.) The Newly-Wed Game

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This is a game to play with another group. Make a list of questions and possible answers.
(How often does your small language group speak Italian? 1. often 2. rarely 3. twice
a day, etc.). Have one person from each group (rotating so each person gets a chance to
play) come to the middle. They will select the answer, while the rest of their family is
discussing the question and selecting their own answer. If the two answers match, then
the family gets a point, if not, then no point.

75.) Lago del Bosco Trivia

Make a playing board and a list of questions concerning Lago del Bosco – for example,
How often do we have activities each day? How often do we dance? How often do we
eat lasagna? etc. Villagers roll a die and move their marker on the board to a specific
category of questions. If they answer correctly they get a chip and roll again, if not then
the next Villager takes a turn.

76.) Where is the string?

A great game for practicing prepositions! A ball of string is passed from Villager to
Villager. In the first round, have them follow your suggestions, e.g., “The string is
around my neck.” The second time around, have the Villagers say themselves where
they have placed the string. End each round when the string is a tangled web around
everyone.

77.) On the Bench

Villagers line up on a bench or log. At both ends, pairs of Villagers ask each other, e.g.,
“What is your name?”. They must then move to arrange themselves in alphabetical
order without stepping off the bench. After moving a space each player has to ask the
question again and so on until they are in the right place. If the question is answered with
a number, e.g., “How old are you?”, “When…?”, have the Villagers line up numerically
or chronologically. And, as always, be aware of safety – you may want to have spotters.

78.) Caterpillar

Great for every pattern! Villagers stand in a line. The last two people in line have a short
dialogue, e.g., “Where are you going?”, “I’m going to the store.” Once they are
finished, the last person in line goes to the front of the line, and the dialogue begins again.
The line moves like a caterpillar to a particular place. The group can also be divided so
that the caterpillars have a race.

79.) Nonsense!

This game is patterned after a common American game, Bologna Sandwiches. All cards
are dealt out. The objective is to get rid of all your cards. The person who starts lays
down all their 2s (face down) and tells the others in the group how many 2s have just

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been placed on the pile. The next player lays down 3s, the next 4s and so on. The fun
comes when people have to cheat. If the person who should lay down 5s doesn’t have
any, they can choose other cards from their hand, lay them down, and say that they are
5s. If someone else in the group believes that the player who has just laid down cards
lied, then they can yell, “Nonsense!” If the accuser was right and the cards aren’t “as
advertised” then the cheater must take the whole pile into their hand, but if the cards are
the right ones, then the accuser has to take the whole pile. Play continues until someone
successfully gets rid of all their cards.

80.) That’s Not Your Foot!

Villagers sit in a circle. The first person begins play by pointing to a body part and
saying a different one, e.g., pointing to their nose and saying, “This is my knee.” The
next person points to the body part that the last person said, but says another body part,
and so on around the circle.

81.) I See Something You Don’t See

The Villager who is ‘it’ secretly chooses an object in the area around the group. This
person then says, “I see something you don’t see, and it is… (blue, round, big, etc.).”
The others in the group try to guess what the person is describing.

82.) Grapefruit

Everyone gets a piece of paper. Then everyone draws a head and folds it over so you
can’t see it. Then everyone passes their paper to the person next to them. That person
draws shoulders, folds it over and passes it on. And so on down to the feet. Open your
creation and laugh!

83.) The No Nametag Game

Write locations (like beach, store, etc.) on pieces of paper. Tape the locations onto
Villagers’ backs. Then call out, e.g., “Where are you going, Maria?” If Maria says she
is going to the spiaggia, everyone has to chase and touch the person with “spiaggia” on
their back.

84.) Sentence Tag

Good to get active Villagers to practice the pattern of the day. This is just a normal game
of tag. The Italian twist is that the person who is ‘it’ asks questions during the chase. In
order to avoid being tagged they must answer with a complete, correct sentence. Use this
to help Villagers practice verbalizing patters in a fun, non-threatening way. If you can
think of a way to add context to the game so that the pattern/question/answer they use has
real meaning, all the better!

85.) Hee Hee Hee game

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This game comes from a Villager. The group stands in a circle with left hands above the
right hands of their neighbors. While saying and answering the question of the day, they
send a clap around the circle, one clap for each syllable. The last three syllables are
always “Hee Hee Hee.” Either the one who gets hit on the last ‘hee’ or the one who
messes up goes into the middle and has to come up with the next pattern. Speed it up for
advanced students.

86.) People Everyone Knows

Have the Villagers write the names of famous people on little slips of paper. Then put
the pieces of paper in a hat. Divide the Villagers into two teams. Teams take turns with
one person drawing from the hat and describing the famous person. The team that
guesses correctly keeps the slip of paper. Each player has one minute to describe as
many people as they can.

87.) Family Portrait

Have Villagers bring photos of their families – or cut out pictures from magazines to
make a “my family” collage. Then take turns asking “What is you mom’s name?”,
“What is your cat’s name?” etc.

88.) Monster

Ask Villagers to draw a monster. Give them directions on how to draw each part of the
monster. For example, tell them the monster must have 6 eyes, three feet, a blue nose,
etc. Then ask the Villagers “What is that?” for each of the body parts they’ve drawn.
Use many different colors and ask the question, “What color is that?”

89.) Around the Circle

Have Villagers sit in a circle with you in the middle. You hold objects or pictures of
objects. Start the game by having one of the Villagers stand behind one of the seated
Villagers in the circle. You ask, “What is that?” and hold up an object/picture. The first
Villager to answer correctly wins. If the standing Villager is the winner, they proceed to
stand behind the next Villager in the circle. If the seated Villager wins, he stands and
proceeds to the next Villager in the circle while the other takes the newly open spot. The
first Villager to make it all the way around the circle gets to sit in the middle and ask the
questions.

90.) Gender Relay

Place two piles of objects several meters away from the Villagers. Split your small
language group into two teams. Each one forms a line and the Villager in front runs to
their team’s pile, chooses an object, brings it back and sorts it into two new piles, a ‘la’
pile and a ‘il’ pile, depending on the gender of the object.

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91.) Slapjack

Make flash cards with objects or animals. Select one of the objects to be the slapjack. As
you flip through the stack have the Villagers name the objects. When the slapjack comes
up, Villagers slap – the first player to hit wins the slapjack card. Take the pile back and
choose a new slapjack. Flip through, and so on, until all the cards are gone.

92.) Relay Races

This game can be great for young active groups. Be creative and use the relay idea for
any day, if your group likes it.

A. “What are you going?” write several actions or draw action pictures on
flashcards. Divide the cards into two piles and place them at a distance from the kids.
Divide the Villagers into two groups. One Villager from each group must run to the pile
and pick up a card. The rest of the group hollers, “What are you doing?” and the
Villager must answer by acting out the action and saying it at the same time. The
Villager puts the card on the discard pile and runs back to the group, and then the next
Villager can run to the stack.

B. “Where are you going?” Divide the Villagers into two teams. The counselor
holds up a stack of cards with pictures or words of the store, bank, etc. Kids race up to
the counselor in pairs and race to say a correct sentence, “I’m going to the store, bank,
etc.”

93.) House of Cards

Variations on this game can be used for almost any day. This is also a good review
activity. Here is one example for “What are you doing?”. Have your Villagers build a
house out of playing cards by adding one card to the house at a time. With the addition
of each card, the Villager must say one word to help build a sentence. For example, as
the first Villager places the first card on the house of cards, the others ask, “What are you
doing?” and the first Villager replies, “Io”. The next Villager places another card and
when asked, says, “Io gioco”, and so on. The object of the game is to have the Villagers
build longer and more complex sentence as the size of the house grows. Hopefully, they
will end up with a sentence like, “I am playing soccer on the soccer field with Max.”

94.) My Interests

Cut lots of pictures out of a newspaper or magazine like images of sports, festivals,
books, political events, ads, etc. Have the Villagers make a collage with the heading “I
am interested in…” and have them say and/or write the activity represented in each
picture in their collage.

95.) Migratory Birds

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This is one of many possible activities that incorporates environmental themes into the
daily patters. For “where are you going?” use (or make up) a bird migration map or use
this same idea with other animals. Each Villager chooses one migratory bird. Ask them,
“Where are you going?”, “Where are you from?” or “Where are you flying?” Expect
answers like, “I’m flying south.” or “I am from South America.” Use this lesson to
teach something about seasonal migration, hibernation etc.

96.) Environment Knowledge

Take a tour of the woods around Lago del Bosco. Stop to look at various trees and ask,
“Why is this tree a birch?” Expect answers like, “This tree is a birch because it has
white bark.” Take time to teach shapes and adjectives first. Here is a short list:

remaining games:
#46 Moving Sentences needs to be developed by using game 54 from Waldsee’s 2-week
curriculum manual.
#96 needs the names of trees and shapes of leaves.

A-27  A-36
B 100 125?

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