Looking for a lively way to engage your Spanish students while focusing on vocabulary repetition? Look no further than “Manotazo”! Inspired by the popular game “Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza,” this fast-paced card game is perfect for your Fun Friday, but your students will be begging you to play it every day of the week.
“¡Manotazo!” is best played with groups of 4-6 students, though it can still work with three. Playing with just two might not capture the same excitement, so gather your class for an unforgettable experience!
How to play:
The rules are simple, making it easy for students to jump right in. Here’s a quick rundown of the “fruta” version. Click here to see the other versions, like Día de Muertos, that are also available to play.
1. Card Distribution: Start by evenly distributing all the cards among the students. Each card features a delicious fruit word in Spanish: manzana (apple), naranja (orange), sandía (watermelon), cereza (cherry), and piña (pineapple).
2. Taking Turns: Choose one student to start. Players take turns flipping over a card and saying one of the words in order: manzana, naranja, sandía, cereza, piña. Keeping the rhythm going is key!
3. Slap the Cards: If the word said matches the card flipped, it’s a race to slap a hand down on the pile! The last one to do so has to pick up all the cards in the middle.
4. Special Cards: Watch out for the three types of special cards that require fun actions before slapping down:
Zanahoria (Carrot): Touch your nose.
Brócoli (Broccoli): Clap your hands above your head.
Patatas (Potatoes): Slap the table before reaching for the deck.
5. Winning the Game: The goal is to be the first student to get rid of all your cards! This fast-paced challenge will keep everyone engaged.
I will be the first to tell you that you DO NOT have to make every single thing you do in class the most educational activity that your students will ever do. I firmly believe that we have to just have fun for the sake of fun. ¡Manotazo! is a game that will help your learners get many reps of targeted vocabulary words in one class session. It will also make them put their phones down, interact with human beings, and laugh….laugh a lot! This game helps build positive memories in class which we all need more of in today’s society.
Feel free to modify the game to fit your classroom needs! You can introduce your own special cards or actions, making it even more relevant to your lesson plans. This flexibility ensures that “¡Manotazo!” remains fresh and exciting for students.
Ready to make your Spanish class more engaging and interactive? Bring “¡Manotazo!” into your classroom and watch your students enjoy learning while having a blast!
Grab your copy of “¡Manotazo!” today, and get ready for an exciting game that will not only enhance language skills but also create lasting memories in your classroom!