(I just wrote this up in the newsletter but thought you might like to see the pretty picture!)

Target Language: Anything, it’s a counting game!

This is another great game sent in by Mido:


1. Draw a wavy line across the board, this is the ocean.
2. Draw some simple shark fins on the water
3. Draw (or use a picture card) of a character for each team in the air above the water.
4. Draw 6 balloons holding up each character, number them 1 to 6

5. Put the kids in two teams.
6. Ask the kids a question (whatever you are reviewing or learning today)
7. Whoever gets the answer the quickest gets to roll a die.
8. You then erase the balloon that has this number from the opposition’s side!
9. If all the balloons are gone, they get eaten by the shark!

It only takes a couple of minutes to draw up the board, but it works great with longer questions, projects or presentations. You could even make it last the whole class if the other activities you have planned are quite long!

Mido also sent in his Quick Draw game (with a video from Margit!):https://genkienglish.net/teaching/quick-light

And the Oh my hair! Game:Β https://genkienglish.net/teaching/oh-my-hair

Richard Graham

Hello, I'm Richard Graham. When I was a kid I found school to be sooooo boring... So I transformed my way of teaching. I listened to what the kids were really wanting to say and taught it in ways they really wanted to learn. The results were magical. Now I help teachers just like you teach amazing lessons and double your incomes!

13 Responses to “New Game: Pop!”

  1. mido

    HOPE ALL OF U ENJOY MY GAMES
    WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MY GAMES
    BE HAPPY IN THE CLASS
    FUN WITH MIDO
    MIDO

  2. Bob

    Sometimes it takes a very long time to pop all the balloons.A shorter version is to not write the numbers and just pop a balloon of the losing teams character.

  3. Margit

    MIDO
    I love your games, but more than that:
    MY STUDENTS love your games so much, that the first thing coming into class is: do we play the question game again? (Oh, my hair)

    I could spend hours on reviewing now.

    WHERE are you, by the way?

  4. julian

    Mido – you are a genius at coming up with these quick simple fun games. Very little prep is required and they can be shortened or lengthened depending on the time available. Perfect!

    Thanks for all the games you’ve shared so far.

    Keep ’em coming!

  5. Nena

    Great game, simple and fun! I’m sure my students will love them!
    Thanks for sharing Mido

  6. Emma

    Hello!
    I think your kids must be thrilled with this ” dangerous” game !!!
    If you want to improve the game it’s possible to laminate the 2 characters and tape them to the board. Each time a balloon is being “popped” one kid can lower the character closer to the sharks!!!
    I will try it very soon… I have beginners in 2 weeks, I have no clue about when they will be able to do that game, probably after only one or two sessions if I keep the questions simple ( or play ” Simon says” )

  7. Margit

    Hi mido,

    Yes, I played it after a lesson of practising very hard for our presentation. The kids were fatigued and I was debating on letting them leave 2 minutes early or spend the time for this game.

    I gave it a try, and: Even the boy who has his marshal arts training 15 minutes after class finishes and who is always in a hurry asked me 3 times “ONE MORE TIME”. So we played four times (using each round one balloon less to keep it shorter).
    I had been afraid they might feel really heavy about learning English,a s they are practising for a presentation and a test since some weeks, adn there is hardly time for games, but these 5 minutes made them so happy and enthusiastic.
    Thanks!

  8. mido

    hi Margit
    im happy to know you
    im from Egypt but i stayed long time in canada
    i studied in Toronto university
    i tought in china for nine years
    im spend my vacation in my country now
    im thinking to go to japan
    keep in touch

  9. Margit

    hi mido,

    wow! to Japan! Please , please do so.

    ~~~by the way, no chance to get you join the forum??? Would be great to have you there!

  10. Margit

    Okay, this is not to get another chance for the competition…
    Just figured out there is a space to enter my web site, and I wanted to try.
    Hope it works.
    Do I have to add this each time to get my name underlined, or only this one time?

  11. weam

    Hello Mido…
    I’m so glad to know that u’re from Egypt..
    I’m also from Egypt..but I works In Kuwait..
    I do really like ur games..
    great thanks for that site..

  12. mido

    hi weam
    this is my first time i see a comment from egy
    im teaching in china
    almost 8 years now
    hope we contact i ve lots of wrk
    mido

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