Children will make and then play a memory match game to review story characters they’ve read about.
What You Need
- chart paper
- large blank index cards
- collection of storybooks children have read or listened to
What to Do
- Begin by reviewing with children the many stories they have read or listened to. Ask children to name some of the characters from those stories. Record the characters’ names on chart paper. Try to list as many story characters as there are children in the class (or about 24 story characters).
- Then tell children that they are going to play a memory game, using pictures of the characters they have just discussed. If necessary, explain how the memory game is played. Tell children that in this game of concentration they will match the two halves of a character card. Explain that they will need to make the character cards themselves.
- Pass out the index cards and have each child choose a story character to illustrate. Children may refer to books for illustration ideas. Label or help children label their cards with the name of the character. When everyone is finished, collect the cards and show them to the class one at a time. Help children identify the character on each card.
- Then divide the cards into decks of eight cards each, and cut each card in half (creating decks with 16 cards that make eight characters). Remind children that the idea is to match the two halves of a character card.
- Divide the class into groups of three or four, and have them play the memory match game with their new character cards. If there are not enough decks for everyone to play at once, allow those children waiting their turn to look through books in search of more characters to draw on character cards.
- Write the same number on each pair of character cards to ensure accurate matches.
- Combine decks of cards to make for more challenging games.
- Have children create decks of cards using story settings, or sets of cards that match story titles to story characters.