Barrier game ideas  

Barriers

Create a barrier so one person cannot see what the other person is doing. You could:

• Use a large hardback book
• Use two single fold files, stapled together to make a Π shape
• Use a ring binder (empty)
• Seat children back-to-back (only really suitable for paired work)

Games

Set of cards

• Use sets of identical cards (snap, pairs). One person picks a card and describes it, the other person indicates which card is described.
• If child has difficulty remembering or sticking to one card, give a way of indicating which card they have chosen e.g. clip on a peg/ blutack something on.
• Step up – use more cards/use very similar pictures (e.g. lots of pictures of houses, some with trees on the left, some on the right etc.); use non-identical pictures (e.g. parent and baby animals)
• Step down – use fewer cards, use simple object pictures

Lotto game

• Give one child the lotto board and one counter. Give the other child the matching cards. The child chooses a card and describes it, the child with the board puts the counter on to show which picture is being described.
• This game can also be used to practice specific language skills –for example, if the child is working on prepositions, they could use a prepositions lotto.
• Step down – use a simple object pictures lotto; use a lotto board with only 4 pictures
• Step up – use 2 or more boards at once; use complex pictures; use a different kind of lotto, e.g. rhyming lotto.

Dressing game

• Print out 2 people and 2 identical sets of clothes and hair (many pictures available online that could use).
• Cut the clothes out and laminate them (for durability).
• Give each child a set. One child dresses their person and describes what they are doing, the other tries to make theirs the same.
• Step up – lots of clothes, very similar clothes (e.g. blue shirt and blue t-shirt)
• Step down – only 2 choices for each item. Eliminate socks (too fiddly). Help children sort clothes by type before they start (e.g. all hats together, all trousers together etc.)

"What’s wrong?"/funny pictures

• 1 person describes a card/picture for the other person to draw.
• You do not need a physical barrier for this game.
• Step down – use object pictures instead of what’s wrong

Lego or other construction toy

• Use a simple Lego/construction kit (the smallest kits with the fewest pieces are usually quite cheap).
• One person has the instructions from the kit, while the other has the pieces.
• The person with the instructions describes how to make the model.
• You do not need a physical barrier for this game.
• Step down – use Duplo
• Variation – offer 2 identical sets of bricks, ask children to make identical models (one makes the first model and instructs the other child) - you will need a barrier for this version.

Bead threading

• Use a set of beads and commercially produced cards (or make your own set, using drawings or photos of the beads available to you), showing strings of beads.
• One child describes the string to the other child who makes them.
• Step up – use beads that are similar (e.g. small round red, large round read, small round blue etc.)
• Step down – use very different beads
• Variation – give each child an identical set of beads and ask them both to make a string.

Guess Who?

• Play commercially available ‘Guess Who?’ game.
• You do not need a physical barrier for this game.
• Step down – use one board only and have one person doing the guessing, the other answering questions or giving clues about who they have chosen.

Make your own ‘Guess Who?’ (especially suitable for group work)

• Take photos of everyone in the group.
• Optional – each person to add a paragraph about themselves giving information such as name, age, class/teacher’s name, favourite colour/food etc.
• Spread the pictures out in front of the group.
• One person chooses one of the pictures, without saying which it is.
• The rest of the group ask questions to work out who has been chosen.
• If the child choosing the picture keeps changing their mind about which card they have chosen, give them a small, flat token (such as a small scrap of paper) to hide under their chosen picture while everyone else turns their back.
• Step down – turn the pictures over when a the person is eliminated (e.g. if you find out it’s a boy, turn all the girl’s pictures over); use fewer pictures
• Step up – use lots of pictures, use pictures of people not present.

Drawing activity

• Provide each child with some paper an identical pack of pens or coloured pencils.
• Have one child draw a picture and describe it.
• The other person has to try to make an identical picture.

Colouring activity

• Give each child an identical picture to colour (colouring pictures can be downloaded from a number of websites, alternatively, draw your own), and an identical set of pens/pencils.
• One child colours their picture and describes it for the others to make theirs the same.
• Step down – provide the child with an already coloured in picture; Give very simple pictures.
• Step up – give ‘composite pictures’ (ie., pictures of a scene); remind the child doing the describing to use unusual/unpredictable colours (e.g. “there is a green rabbit with purple spots. It is eating a blue carrot” etc.)