Try This Teaching Tip: Make a Kaboom Game

Try This Teaching Tip: Make a Kaboom Game 🎉

If you’ve never used Kaboom in your classroom before, get ready—this is one of those simple, low-prep activities that students will ask for again and again. And the best part? You can build it for literally any subject.

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The Problem…

Let’s be honest for a second.

I’ve spent way too much money on pre-made games and centers over the years. Beautiful sets. Laminated pieces. Color-coded everything.

And then… they sit there.

Why?

• I forget I have them
• They don’t quite match what my students need right now
• They’re either too easy, too hard, or just not aligned with what I’m teaching that week
• And sometimes, they’re just not engaging enough to compete with everything else going on in the classroom

So they end up in that mysterious “I’ll use this later” pile. (We all have one.)

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The Solution: DIY Kaboom Games 🙌

Kaboom games are quick to make, super flexible, and honestly kind of addictive once you start creating them.

You only need a few basic materials:

• Popsicle sticks (larger ones work best)
• A container (Crystal Light tubs, Parmesan cheese containers, or anything with a lid)
• Duct tape (to cover and “hide” the contents)
• Permanent marker
• Small themed items (optional—coins, sight words, math problems, etc.)

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How to Make It

Here’s how I set mine up:

1. Prepare your sticks
   Write problems, facts, sight words, or questions on popsicle sticks.
2. Add your “Kaboom” twist
   Include 1–3 sticks that say KABOOM! (these are the game-changers that keep things exciting).
3. Make it self-checking (optional but awesome)
   For my money version, I hot glued different coin amounts onto the sticks. Students had to count the money and check their answers on the back.
4. Hide the surprise
   Cover your container in duct tape so students can’t peek inside. (Yes, they will try. Yes, this step matters.)
5. Load it up
   Toss everything in, shake it up, and you’re ready to go.

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How to Play 🎲

Students take turns drawing one stick at a time:

• If they solve it correctly → they keep the stick
• If they miss it → it goes back in the container
• If they pull KABOOM! → they lose ALL their collected sticks

That one rule? It’s what makes the whole game electric.

Students will be cheering, groaning, negotiating “just one more turn,” and fully engaged the entire time.

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Why This Works So Well

Kaboom games are one of those rare classroom activities that hit multiple goals at once:

• ✔️ High engagement (even your reluctant learners get into it)
• ✔️ Easy differentiation (just swap out the skill level)
• ✔️ Minimal prep after the first time you make it
• ✔️ Reusable all year long
• ✔️ Works for math, reading, science, vocabulary—you name it

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Easy Ideas to Get You Started

Once you make one, you’ll start thinking of a million more:

• Sight words or vocabulary definitions
• Addition, subtraction, multiplication facts
• Fractions or decimals
• Science vocabulary matching
• Grammar (nouns, verbs, sentence correction)
• Test review before assessments

Honestly, once students know how to play, you can swap the content in minutes.

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Final Thought

Sometimes the best classroom tools aren’t the expensive, color-coded sets—they’re the simple, flexible ones you can build yourself in under an hour and reuse all year long.

Kaboom games are one of those “why didn’t I do this sooner?” strategies.

And fair warning: once you introduce them, your students will absolutely ask, “Can we play Kaboom again?” way more often than you expect.

Want More Teaching Tips? Check these out!

       

 What is your favorite teaching tip?