IDEAS FOR USING A SPINNER IN YOUR CLASSROOM
· Games
o Matching games - can be played individually or as teams. Give each child a set of cards that goes along with the spinner pictures. Whenever that picture is chosen by the spinner that card is discarded. Whoever gets rid of all their cards first, wins.
§ Items that go together – a pair of shoes and a pair of socks, a ball and a bat, etc.
§ Items that are identical – 2 cats, 2 apples, etc.
o Bingo game- whoever covers all the pictures on their card first, wins
§ Stickers work well for this game
§ Colors, numbers, photos, etc.
§ Names of classmates and teachers
· Choices - use it to make choices in the classroom:
o What snack to eat
o What game to play
· Taking Turns - decide whose turn it is by placing each child’s name and/or picture on the spinner
o To go next in a fun activity
§ Blowing bubbles
§ Shooting baskets
§ Spraying water
o To be the line leader
o To go first in an activity
· Helping Hands – place different classroom jobs on the wheel to decide what job each student will do
· Ways to Line Up – have a variety of options for the students to line up:
o If your name begins with _____
o Your name has _____ letters
o You can tell me a color, number, etc.
o You can tell me how you were kind/helpful today
o You can tell me how you followed the rules today
STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
1. Limit the number of players or teams to shorten the “wait” time and keep the game moving.
2. Involve a mix of players with different abilities in the same game.
3. Modify the rules if necessary to make the games easier to play. Children naturally enjoy making up their own rules and are a great resource for ways to involve players with different abilities.