In the familiar version of this game, an object is hidden from one child and his friends watch him/her bumble around the room trying to find it. The friends give the person who is "It" clues such as "You're getting warmer" when the person is getting closer to finding the object, and clues like "You're freezing" when the person who is "It" is very far away.
In this Chinese classroom version, one child is still "It" but instead of his/her friends giving clues such as hot/cold, the friends chant the name of the object hidden (or of the target vocabulary word on a hidden flashcard). As the person who is "It" gets closer to the hidden object/flashcard, the children chant louder and louder. And as the person who is "It" gets farther away, the children chant softer and softer.
What a great game to get the kids to practice saying the target vocabulary! Kids remember better when they are having fun! Also, this is a nice game for helping quiet kids find their voice in the classroom.
I must acknowledge that Nicholas O'Brien, from Kalona Elementary, Iowa showed me this game (here's his blog).
If you want to teach your kids Chinese, but don't speak it yourself, you've come to the right place. The resources I've chosen to compile here are a result of my experiences (as a mom and teacher) and the influences of my background in language development, literacy, and education. I hope that the ideas here will help you find creative ways to teach your children Chinese.
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