Now is the time to make sure that family activities are a standard part of your program that the students come to expect (and enjoy!). If you did not do many family activities in the fall session, make a New Year’s resolution to incorporate this important component into your class routine and try one of the following ideas. If you are already doing family activities regularly, here are some that might be fun to try early in the new session:

Birthplace Lineup (Source: Bryn, Pawtucket)

Instruct the students to line up in order according to how close to (or far from!) your location they were born. Have a world map handy to test out the accuracy of the final arrangement.

Snowflakes  (Source: Naomi, Central)

This activity includes the chance to create a craft and to learn something new about each other. Have the students each create a snowflake. To create a snowflake, you just need a piece of white paper folded into small squares. Then cut or tear a pattern into the paper. If you like, you can add decoration with crayons or markers or by using colored construction paper instead. Create one of your own for an example and so you can participate in the activity.

After each person has created their snowflake, remind the group that each snowflake in nature is unique and tell them that each of them will now share something unique about themselves.

Instruct the group to do the following (and join in yourself!).

Find a person to talk to. Tell each other one thing that makes you unique or special. Exchange snowflakes when you are done.

Repeat two or three times.

Wrap up by asking the group some things they learned about each other. You can also ask them if they are happy with the snowflake that they ended up with!

Read to Your Bunny (Source: Naomi, Central)

If you have younger children (preschool age, prereaders) in your class, have their parents join the children’s teacher for the first 20 minutes of class. Have the parents choose a book (from a group of books that have been pre-selected by the Lead Teacher and the Children’s Teacher) to read out loud to their child. They can read the same book each class, if they like. This will allow the parent to build confidence with the text and if a preschooler loves a book they will happily listen to it time and time again. Refer to the Fli Kids column on page five for more “Read to Your Bunny” ideas.

Biopoem (Source: Naomi, Central)

Have each student  (adult and child) create a Biopoem. The poem can be written over multiple class sessions (a line or two each week) and then shared at another session, after you have had a chance to work with each student to prepare them to read it aloud. Even young children can complete this activity  by dictating their poem for someone else to write.

Ask the students to write a  poem using the following format:

Line 1: First name

Line 2: Four adjectives to describe yourself

Line 3: Lover of (three things)

Line 4: Who gives (three things)

Line 5: Who fears (three things)

Line 6: Who would like to see (three things)

Line 7: Resident of __________

Line 8: Last name

Be sure to create a sample bipoem to share with the group.

M&M Icebreaker (Source: Kristen, Central)

Pass around a bowl of M & M's and let each student take only one - and ask them not to eat it. Then announce that if they took a red one they have to say something about their family, a yellow one and they have to tell us their hobbies, etc. Make each student speak for at least a minute. Post a few questions on the board in advance, like where are you from ?, What is your favorite Food? etc. Write it in the color of the M&M that represents the question. After the initial game with 1 M&M, you can have them pick three M&M’s of different colors with three questions. You can use this breaker at all levels because it is adaptable and it is great with kids. Everyone likes it because they can eat the M&M when they are done answering the question!

Beach Ball Name Game (Source: Bryn, Pawtucket)

A name game with a beach ball with 3 rounds.

1st Round: You say your name and throw the ball to another person, who then says their name...

2nd Round: You say a person's name and then throw the ball to that person, who then says another person's name and throws the ball to that person...

3rd Round:  You throw the ball to someone, who then says the name of the person who threw them the ball (this is the hardest!) 

This name game is usually good for everybody, and the children particularly enjoy throwing and catching the ball.

Question Circle (Source: Bryn, Pawtucket)

Students form 2 circles, an inside and an outside circle. 

The teacher, with possible help from the children, pulls a question from a hat (or stack of index cards), and asks the question out loud. 

The students ask the question to the person who they face and vice versa. 

Once both partners have time to ask and answer the question, the outside circle rotates to the next person on their right and either asks the question again or asks a new question drawn by the teacher. 

This activity gives students the chance to talk with many people, and the questions are simple and open-ended. 

A variation on this activity is to give each student  an index card with a question.  Then, everyone finds a partner and asks each other the question on the card.  Once both partners ask and answer the question, they switch cards, and then find a different partner.  This can be fun for children. Even children who don't speak very little English can do this with assistance, and usually are enthusiastic about walking around the room and interacting with many different people. 

Puzzle Match-Up  (Source: Bryn, Pawtucket)

Cut  out 4 or 5 pictures in the shape of a puzzle.  Then give each student a puzzle piece, and instruct them to find others with matching puzzle pieces. Then each small group puts their puzzle together, and discusses or writes down a list about what is in the picture.  (Pawtucket used a calendar with pictures of greek villas and asked: "Where do you think this picture is?")  

First Home Artwork

Ask students to draw a picture of their first home, and then present the pictures to a small group or the entire class.  This allows students to practice talking about themselves to others, and if there is wall-space available, the pictures can decorate the class.