Confessions of a Frazzled Teacher: Teaching Tip: Create a Kaboom Game!

Creating center materials/games for your students really add up! There's the time and money that go into them. Sometimes I wonder if it's worth the effort.

Try this Teaching Tip: Create a Kaboom Game.

The Problem...

I have spent more than I care to share on ready made games/centers for my classroom. The problem is that I don't use them. I forget they are there. When I do remember, I realize that they are not the right fit for my students. Either they are too high or too low for this particular group.

The Solution...

I created my own Kaboom games! These are perfect for any subject, just personalize as needed. Here's what you need.

Popsicle sticks (I prefer the larger ones.)
Container (Crystal Light or Parmesan Cheese containers work well)
Duct Tape (to cover the containers)
Permanent Marker
Items to Personalize (like play coins for the money game)

To make the money one pictured, I hot glued different amounts of money to each stick. I wrote how much was there on the back side. On two sticks, I did not use any money. I just wrote the word Kaboom. I covered the container in Duct Tape so my students could not look in while choosing a stick.

I have Kaboom games for reading with sight words on them. There are also two sticks that say Kaboom. You can make a game for any subject fairly easy (and cheap).

To Play: Students choose a stick from the container. For the money one, they have to count the amount and check if they were correct. If so, they keep the stick. If not, the stick goes back into the container. If the student pulls the Kaboom stick, they have to put ALL their sticks back into the container. Students continue playing until time is up or someone gets all the sticks (minus the Kaboom ones).