Counting and numbers are part of our daily life. It’s one of the first skills young children learn, and one of the very first topics you see when learning or teaching Spanish.  Learning Spanish Numbers doesn’t have to be boring! If children are engaged and having fun, they’ll be identifying and using numbers in Spanish in no time. Here is a list of my top favorite Spanish Number Games to use in the classroom or at home. 

Traditional Spanish Number Games

Hopscotch 

This game is the most versatile one ever. You can adapt it to teach any concept you want. Start by making a hopscotch grid using chalk. Number each square from 1 through 10. Using a wet paper towel, make a ball and take turns to throw it onto square number 1. Have children take turns to hop over each square (avoid the one with the paper towel) on one foot. For the pairs and number 10, tell children to use both feet. Have them turn around and go back to square 2. Pick up the wet paper towel on square 1 and jump back to the starting point. If children fall, jump outside the lines, or miss a square, they’ll lose their turn. Play again, this time with square 2 and so on. I have my kids shout out each Spanish number being jumped on. It’s super fun!

Build a Spider Web

This is originally an Ice breaker that I used to use a lot in the classroom at the beginning of the school year. Then, with a tiny variation, it turned into a great Spanish Number game to play with my kids. 

I start by giving a post-it with a number (1-20) to each child. You can use any number sequence you want, depending on the group. 

Then, I hold the end of a ball of yarn and shout out the first number, while throwing it to the kid that holds the number being shouted. Then, the second child will throw the ball of yarn to another child while holding onto the string at the end. That third child will pass the yarn ball to another child, while still holding onto the string. 

After everyone is holding a piece of string, I call students and have them take turns to walk around the spider web and find the number I say without touching the strings. They have to crawl, go around and avoid all the obstacles in order for them to reach each number. 

Tag 

This is one of my favorite traditional games. It brings so many memories of my childhood. I love to use a variation of this fun game to practice Spanish Numbers. 

First, I print out a set of Spanish Numbers flashcards and stick each one to the back of each child that is playing. 

Then, ask children to decide who will be ‘It’ in the group. The “It” child have to chase the others around and try to tap them with their hand and shout the number being tagged.  The person they tap is now ‘It’ and has to chase the others.

To make the game challenging I add a “safe space” for each child. Using chalk, I write each Spanish number around the play area. Each child must find their own “safe space” to avoid being tagged. 

Spanish Number Games for the Classroom

Basketball 

For this game, I previously prepared the classroom trashcan with a clean bag and make a paper ball wrapped up in clear tape. Then, I split my students in four teams. I paste a set of Spanish Numbers Flashcards around the classroom. To play, taking turns, I have a representative of each team close their eyes and go around the classroom and touch a flashcard. Once they open their eyes, they need to identify the number on the flashcard. If answered correctly, they get to shoot a basketball. They stand being an imaginary line and shoot the paper ball into the trashcan. If they score, they get a point. The team with most points wins the game.

Bingo Spanish Number Game

This is an all time Spanish Number games winner. My children get so excited every time I mentioned we are about to play BINGO. The excitement and anticipation of being the first one to complete the card makes it one of our favorite games in the classroom.

To play it, I simply print out a set of Spanish Numbers BINGO Cards and give one to each child. Then I give out a bunch of red markers. I start calling Spanish numbers and have my kids identify it and mark it in their cards. The first one to make a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line wins the game. Sometimes, I like to use special patterns to make it more interesting.  For this I previously mark the pattern on each card using a highlighter or dry erase marker. I have my BINGO cards previously laminated that way I can wipe it off once we finish playing.

Simon Says

I love adapting traditional games to meet the educational needs of my students. For this game, I use several sets of Spanish Numbers Flashcards and display them around the classroom (walls, floor, on students’ desks, etc). I then start giving commands using the phrase “Simon says”… The commands include finding, standing next to a specific number, finding a number on the student’s desk, etc. The possibilities are endless, and children get to identify and practice their Spanish Numbers while having lots of fun.

I Spy 

This traditional guessing game is one of my children’s favorites. I adapted it to be able to use it while teaching all about Numbers in Spanish.  I start by pasting Spanish Numbers Flashcards around the classroom. The flashcards contains pictures of objects, along with the number itself. To play, children take turns to choose a number with sight, and announce to the rest of the class that “I spy with my little eyes a number that has flowers or apples, etc”. The rest of students need to find the number being spied, and guess it. The first person to find the number gets to be the next to spy on another number. This is a great game to develop vocabulary.

Feed the Monster

This is one of the most fun Spanish Number games specially for the younger kids. I start by converting a small paper trash can into a “Monster” and printing out the Spanish Numbers Flashcards. I have my students sit in groups or in a circle and lay down all the flashcards. Taking turns, I ask children to identify a number on a card and ask them to put it inside the monster’s mouth to feed him.

I Have… Who Has?

My children love this game. I start by printing and laminating my “I have… who has?” Spanish numbers cards. I then, distribute the cards randomly among my students. The students with the card that has at the top the message: “Yo tengo la primera tarjeta” begins the game. He/She reads it and carefully asks “¿Quién tiene el número…? The rest of the students must focus and listen carefully to the number being called. The person who has the card with that number calls out “Yo tengo el número…” That student then reads the “¿Quién tiene el número…? card. The game continues until all numbers have been called. The cards are designed so that the student who began the game will have the final number at the bottom of his/her card. I like combining this game with the Build a Spider Web Game, and have students toss around the yarn to make a spider web while discovering who has each number.

Memory Spanish Number Game 

This is one of my favorite Spanish Number games when building vocabulary and exercising retention and memory. I start printing and laminating my numbers in Spanish Flashcards. I mix the cards and lay them in rows facing down. To play, children take turns to turn over two cards at the same time. If the two cards match, they get to keep it. If they don’t, they need to turn them over and remember which number was on each card and where they were. The purpose of the game is to watch the other players play and remember their cards as well. The game ends when all cards have been matched. The player with the most cards wins the game.

Lotería Spanish Number Game 

Another great game to build vocabulary! I start by printing out and laminate my Lotería Mats and cards. I give each child a Lotería Mat and six small picture cards that match the ones on their mats.

To play, I have children sit in groups of 4 and place all their cards in the middle of the table, with the picture cards facing down. Ask them to shuffle them. They take turns to turn over a card from the middle of the table. If the picture matches a number that is on their Lotería Mat, they get to keep the picture card and place it on one of the spaces of the Lotería mat that matches the card. The same student can try again. If they turn over a card that has a number that does not match their Lotería mat, they have to turn back the card and leave it as it was. The person that finds all his/her 6 cards first wins the game.

 

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