4 Corners: An Easy Movement Game
Are you looking for a fun way to get your elementary Spanish students moving during class? We know kids benefit when we incorporate movement into our lessons at school. One of my favorite ways to do that is a simple movement game: 4 Corners.
I’ve heard about a variety of different ways to play 4 Corners and I thought I’d share how my students and I like to play. When I plan to play this game in class, I have two goals: get students moving while engaging with Spanish.
Movement Game Set Up
I love this movement game for several reasons…but my favorite might be the easy prep. All you need in order to play are signs to hang around the room. I tend to put the signs in plastic page protectors and then hang them up with masking tape.
If you travel to different classrooms, make sure to have a student help you remember to take them down at the end of the lesson. It’s easy to forget them!
What goes on the signs?
Images or images plus text!
Depending on the content you’re working with, you can have anywhere from 3-6 signs. I always use at least 3 signs at a time. If you plan to use more than 4 signs, I encourage you to only use 4 at a time. Switch out a few signs part way through the game or the next time you play.
It never fails that the lesson after we play this game, students are asking to play it again! I often plan to play it the second half of one lesson and then just a few rounds at the start of the next lesson.
Student Instructions
Since the main idea of this game is that students are MOVING, it’s very important to review the rules each time you play. I remind students that we have to follow these rules for safety and if we don’t, the game will end.
#1: Use walking feet
#2: Be near a sign by the time I get to 10. If you’re not, you’re out. (No hiding somewhere being goofy).
After reviewing the rules, have students check around their desks and put away anything that could get stepped on or tripped over. I ask students to push in their chairs and stand behind their table spots when they’re ready to play.
During the Game
The game starts when I start counting slowly to 10 in Spanish. During that time I “keep my eyes closed” and students move to a sign. I cover or close my eyes so I don’t know who is where when I call a sign. *I usually need to give a few reminders about walking feet as students get quite excited to start the game.
Once I get to 10 I pause and listen for all the little feet to stop moving before I call one of the signs. Whoever is standing by that sign sits back at their table spot and helps me count for the rest of this round. Play resumes when I start counting to 10 again.
I used to play this game until there was only one person still standing. That is definitely always an option. When you play that way, make sure to tell students once there are fewer students than signs, there cannot be two kids at the same sign.
I found that after a while, the students who were “out” had trouble waiting until the next round. Asking them to wait in their seats all that time felt counterproductive. So, I came up with a new version that restarts when there are still several students who are “in.” You can restart at any time but I usually do it if I call a sign that has no students standing by it.
Playing 4 Corners with Kindergarten Classes
Teaching this game to kindergarten students at the start of the year can be hit or miss. They definitely enjoy the game but it also comes with some challenges.
I like to introduce this movement game after we’ve been in school for at least a month. We play it when we’re learning to describe our basic feelings with this freebie set. During the game set up, I stress that there are no winners in this game and when you “get out,” remember you’ll be back “in” soon.
I tend to monitor students a bit more when playing with kindergarteners. There are always a few students who never sit down when they’re supposed to. This can be frustrating for others who are trying to follow the rules.
Overall, kindergarten students love this game and as the year goes on, they do quite well with it.
Wrap it Up
It always feels good to get students up and moving during Spanish class. Moving is such a big part of learning for kids at the elementary level; and, it serves us well as teachers to plan for movement.
Read more about planning for movement within your lessons here!
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Are you looking for a fun way to get your elementary Spanish students moving during class? We know kids benefit when we incorporate movement into our lessons at school. One of my favorite ways to do that is a simple movement game: 4 Corners.
I’ve heard about a variety of different ways to play 4 Corners and I thought I’d share how my students and I like to play. When I plan to play this game in class, I have two goals: get students moving while engaging with Spanish.
Movement Game Set Up
I love this movement game for several reasons…but my favorite might be the easy prep. All you need in order to play are signs to hang around the room. I tend to put the signs in plastic page protectors and then hang them up with masking tape.
If you travel to different classrooms, make sure to have a student help you remember to take them down at the end of the lesson. It’s easy to forget them!
What goes on the signs?
Images or images plus text!
Depending on the content you’re working with, you can have anywhere from 3-6 signs. I always use at least 3 signs at a time. If you plan to use more than 4 signs, I encourage you to only use 4 at a time. Switch out a few signs part way through the game or the next time you play.
It never fails that the lesson after we play this game, students are asking to play it again! I often plan to play it the second half of one lesson and then just a few rounds at the start of the next lesson.
Student Instructions
Since the main idea of this game is that students are MOVING, it’s very important to review the rules each time you play. I remind students that we have to follow these rules for safety and if we don’t, the game will end.
#1: Use walking feet
#2: Be near a sign by the time I get to 10. If you’re not, you’re out. (No hiding somewhere being goofy).
After reviewing the rules, have students check around their desks and put away anything that could get stepped on or tripped over. I ask students to push in their chairs and stand behind their table spots when they’re ready to play.
During the Game
The game starts when I start counting slowly to 10 in Spanish. During that time I “keep my eyes closed” and students move to a sign. I cover or close my eyes so I don’t know who is where when I call a sign. *I usually need to give a few reminders about walking feet as students get quite excited to start the game.
Once I get to 10 I pause and listen for all the little feet to stop moving before I call one of the signs. Whoever is standing by that sign sits back at their table spot and helps me count for the rest of this round. Play resumes when I start counting to 10 again.
I used to play this game until there was only one person still standing. That is definitely always an option. When you play that way, make sure to tell students once there are fewer students than signs, there cannot be two kids at the same sign.
I found that after a while, the students who were “out” had trouble waiting until the next round. Asking them to wait in their seats all that time felt counterproductive. So, I came up with a new version that restarts when there are still several students who are “in.” You can restart at any time but I usually do it if I call a sign that has no students standing by it.
Playing 4 Corners with Kindergarten Classes
Teaching this game to kindergarten students at the start of the year can be hit or miss. They definitely enjoy the game but it also comes with some challenges.
I like to introduce this movement game after we’ve been in school for at least a month. We play it when we’re learning to describe our basic feelings with this freebie set. During the game set up, I stress that there are no winners in this game and when you “get out,” remember you’ll be back “in” soon.
I tend to monitor students a bit more when playing with kindergarteners. There are always a few students who never sit down when they’re supposed to. This can be frustrating for others who are trying to follow the rules.
Overall, kindergarten students love this game and as the year goes on, they do quite well with it.
Wrap it Up
It always feels good to get students up and moving during Spanish class. Moving is such a big part of learning for kids at the elementary level; and, it serves us well as teachers to plan for movement.
Read more about planning for movement within your lessons here!
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Are you looking for a fun way to get your elementary Spanish students moving during class? We know kids benefit when we incorporate movement into our lessons at school. One of my favorite ways to do that is a simple movement game: 4 Corners.
I’ve heard about a variety of different ways to play 4 Corners and I thought I’d share how my students and I like to play. When I plan to play this game in class, I have two goals: get students moving while engaging with Spanish.
Movement Game Set Up
I love this movement game for several reasons…but my favorite might be the easy prep. All you need in order to play are signs to hang around the room. I tend to put the signs in plastic page protectors and then hang them up with masking tape.
If you travel to different classrooms, make sure to have a student help you remember to take them down at the end of the lesson. It’s easy to forget them!
What goes on the signs?
Images or images plus text!
Depending on the content you’re working with, you can have anywhere from 3-6 signs. I always use at least 3 signs at a time. If you plan to use more than 4 signs, I encourage you to only use 4 at a time. Switch out a few signs part way through the game or the next time you play.
It never fails that the lesson after we play this game, students are asking to play it again! I often plan to play it the second half of one lesson and then just a few rounds at the start of the next lesson.
Student Instructions
Since the main idea of this game is that students are MOVING, it’s very important to review the rules each time you play. I remind students that we have to follow these rules for safety and if we don’t, the game will end.
#1: Use walking feet
#2: Be near a sign by the time I get to 10. If you’re not, you’re out. (No hiding somewhere being goofy).
After reviewing the rules, have students check around their desks and put away anything that could get stepped on or tripped over. I ask students to push in their chairs and stand behind their table spots when they’re ready to play.
During the Game
The game starts when I start counting slowly to 10 in Spanish. During that time I “keep my eyes closed” and students move to a sign. I cover or close my eyes so I don’t know who is where when I call a sign. *I usually need to give a few reminders about walking feet as students get quite excited to start the game.
Once I get to 10 I pause and listen for all the little feet to stop moving before I call one of the signs. Whoever is standing by that sign sits back at their table spot and helps me count for the rest of this round. Play resumes when I start counting to 10 again.
I used to play this game until there was only one person still standing. That is definitely always an option. When you play that way, make sure to tell students once there are fewer students than signs, there cannot be two kids at the same sign.
I found that after a while, the students who were “out” had trouble waiting until the next round. Asking them to wait in their seats all that time felt counterproductive. So, I came up with a new version that restarts when there are still several students who are “in.” You can restart at any time but I usually do it if I call a sign that has no students standing by it.
Playing 4 Corners with Kindergarten Classes
Teaching this game to kindergarten students at the start of the year can be hit or miss. They definitely enjoy the game but it also comes with some challenges.
I like to introduce this movement game after we’ve been in school for at least a month. We play it when we’re learning to describe our basic feelings with this freebie set. During the game set up, I stress that there are no winners in this game and when you “get out,” remember you’ll be back “in” soon.
I tend to monitor students a bit more when playing with kindergarteners. There are always a few students who never sit down when they’re supposed to. This can be frustrating for others who are trying to follow the rules.
Overall, kindergarten students love this game and as the year goes on, they do quite well with it.
Wrap it Up
It always feels good to get students up and moving during Spanish class. Moving is such a big part of learning for kids at the elementary level; and, it serves us well as teachers to plan for movement.
Read more about planning for movement within your lessons here!
I Morie | 27th Jul 22
Great ideas- I teach k-8 looking for more
Sra. | 27th Jul 22
Thank you! I love sharing ideas–will definitely continue writing new posts. 🙂