Games with Nomenclature Cards

Materials Needed:

Sets of Nomenclature Cards (using birds and wildflowers as examples)

1. Print and cut out 2 sets of each category of cards.
2. Glue each picture onto a piece of card stock, allow to dry.
3. Do a naming lesson with the child.
4. Once the child is remembering most of the names, any of the following games may be done:

Memory Game

1. Spread 2 sets of cards, face down, on the table or rug.
2. Show how to turn over one card, then one more.
3. If the cards match, the child takes them both, and gets another turn.
4. If the cards don’t match, both cards are turned back over again and the next person gets her turn.
5. Winner is the one who matches the most cards.

Go Fish

1.  Shuffle 2 sets of cards.
2. Deal out 4 cards to each player
3. Scatter the rest of the cards face down on the table.
4. If anyone has matching pairs upon the initial deal-out, they can put the matching cards aside and take new ones from the cards on the table so that everyone starts out with 4 cards.
5. In turn, each player asks another player, “do you have the X?”
6. If yes, the player hands her card over, and the asking player takes a card from the pile.
7. If no, the asking player has to go fish.  If she finds the matching card, she sets the matching cards aside and draws 1 more card.
8. If she doesn’t find the matching card, she has to keep the non-matching card (so the number of cards the child is holding will increase).
9. Continue playing until all cards are matched.

Language Recall Game

1.  Deal out one set of cards equally between players – remind players not to show the cards to anyone else.
2. One person will be the “asker” – can take turns with each game.
3. The asker will ask, “who has the X card?”
4. The person holding that card will hold it up and repeat the name.
5. The asker says, “yes, you have the X card!”
6. Continue on according to interest.

Hiding Game

1.  Choose one of the cards that the child knows well, and hide it.
2. Tell the child, “I’ve hidden the X card somewhere in this room.  See if you can find it!”
3. Have a quick review of some of the characteristics, such as “remember, the robin is the bird with the orange-colored front.
4. Assist the child by saying “warmer” or “colder” as she searches.
5. Once she has found the card, invite her to hide a card for you.
6. Can add multiple cards depending on the child’s skill level and interest.
7. Can have a “Card Search of the Day.”