To develop question skills  

Use one of the pre-made flowcharts or use the blank flowchart to make your own one.

You can find these charts on www.commtap.org:

Template for creating your own question flowchart: Blank 3 question challenge

Pre-made flowcharts: The Animal Challenge, The Food Challenge

Labels to write the answers on

Write one answer per sticky label. Stick one of the labels to the back of the child / children.

Using the questions on the flowchart, they must work out what the word on their back is.

Play the commercially available game according to the rules.

Help the child to turn down the right tiles after each question is answered.

Object cards (optional)

Have each child either choose an object card, or think of something.

The other children have a set number of questions to try and work out what the first child has picked.

The first child can only answer the questions with 'yes' or 'no'.

The children take turns to pick something they can see. They then say 'I spy something beginning with _____' and give the first sound or letter of the word.

Tell the children you are going to play 'I spy' but that the rules are different. The children cannot make a guess unless they have asked a question first.

Encourage the children to think about what would be useful questions to ask, e.g. 'is it in this room?' 'Is it red?' 'What does it sound like / rhyme with?' 'How many syllables in the word?'