Hebrew Games on the Fly!

Give these zero-prep Hebrew games a whirl to get your students up, giggling, and mingling!

Teach Hebrew Color Words with Color Tag

Hebrew Color Tag offers an interactive and engaging way to reinforce language learning while encouraging movement and fun. It's a dynamic way to reinforce vocabulary while getting everyone up and moving.

How to Play

1. Head Outdoors: Head over to your synagogue's play structure and get your students moving!

2. Call Out Colors: Call out a color in Hebrew, such as "Katom" (blue) or "Adom" (red). 

3. Tag Objects: Once the color is announced, participants quickly scan the playing area to locate an object that matches the color that was called. For instance, upon hearing "Katom," they might tag the blue slide, or upon hearing "Yarok," they could tag the green grass.

4. Elimination: The last to tag an object when a color is called are temporarily "out" for that round. However, they can still stay engaged by helping call out colors for subsequent rounds.

5. Continue Play: Keep playing successive rounds, with participants searching for objects matching each announced color.

6. Declare Winner: The game continues until only one participant remains, who is declared the winner. 

Enjoy the game while expanding your Hebrew vocabulary!

Hebrew Pictionary or Charades

Kick-start your Hebrew vocabulary session with Hebrew Pictionary or Charades.

1. Call on a student to draw/act out the vocabulary word.

2. The student sketches/acts out the word(s) or phrase without speaking or writing letters.

3. Students have 60 seconds to guess the word(s) or phrase.

4. The student who guesses the answer correctly in Hebrew goes next.

Shimon Omer

As you probably already know, Simon Says only has two rules: If the command begins with the phrase "Simon Says," do it. Otherwise, remain as you were.

It's easy to turn Simon Says into a Hebrew learning game. Begin by teaching your students the vocabulary words for hands, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, legs, feet, and toes, among other body parts. Then, using the (conjugated) Hebrew word for "says," begin the game. The last one standing gets to be "Simon" next.

Two Truths and One Lie

Reinforce basic Hebrew vocabulary with Two Truths and One Lie.

To adapt the game "Two Truths and a Lie" for Hebrew learners, ask your students to use basic Hebrew vocabulary to write down two true statements and one false statement about themselves. For instance, they could say "ani yeled" (I am a boy) or "yesh li sa'ar adom" (I have red hair).

During the game, students take turns reading their three statements aloud, and their classmates then attempt to identify which statement is false.

What's Missing?

Write the words to (part of) a prayer on the board. Replace two of the words with blank spaces. Students try to guess the missing words.

Unscramble the Prayer

Ok...this one requires a little bit of prep. Write words from a prayer on individual index cards and shuffle them. Students work together to unscramble the cards. Alternatively, challenge students to match Hebrew words with their English meanings.

Freeze Dance

Teach the Hebrew vocabulary words for "Stop" and "Go" through freeze dance. Pick your favorite Hebrew song and call them out as you stop and restart the music.

I Spy

This game is for more advanced students. They should already know a number of descriptive adjectives. Select a student to think of an object inside the classroom. Using the phrase "ani ro-eh/ro-ah" (I see), students can use descriptive Hebrew words to offer clues.

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Have you tried these Hebrew Learning Games?

To help your students learn classroom-themed Hebrew vocabulary words, you can use conversation cubes or games like Guess the Character, in Hebrew. Hebrew classroom labels can also assist with Hebrew language acquisition.

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