“I spy an object that is below the television…”
“I spy an object that is under the window…”
Simon says, “Stand next to your chair…”
Simon says, “Hold the ball over your head…”
Simon says, “Put the pattern blocks on top of your desk…”
“I spy” and “Simon Says” are not only fun games to play with Kindergarten students during the first weeks of school, but they are also a wonderful task to practice using positional words. MAFS.K.G.1.1 states that students should, “Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative position of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, next to.” Using common games such as, “Simon Says, and I spy” allows students opportunities to use positional vocabulary when describing objects in a game fashion. This skill will be useful as students apply their understanding of positional words in later units.
These games can be played during the Math Block, Teacher Directed P.E., Brain Breaks and moving about the building to and from lunch. Consider incorporating tasks similar to “I Spy” and “Simon Says” to practice describing objects using positional words.