VOCABULARY MATCHING GAME WITH A HALLOWEEN TWIST

I call this game “Busca,” which is based on a popular matching game. This is a fun game that my students absolutely adore, and it can be played at any time during the school year! It has a Halloween theme, but you can play it at any time. Before you dive into the game, you’ll need to prepare by printing at least 6 sets of cards and, if possible, laminating them for added durability. Here’s how to set the stage for the Busca game:

Introduce the vocabulary: While students may not necessarily need to learn these words, this is a fun game to engage them and get them moving. Nevertheless, I recommend going over the vocabulary with your students. You can achieve this by using flashcards or, if available, by projecting the image on the board.

Explaining the Game: Let your students know that this game is inspired by various popular matching card games. I like calling it “Busca.” Take a moment to discuss the rules of the game. It’s important that everyone is on the same page before you start.

Setting the Objective: Explain that the primary goal of the Busca game is to be the quickest at identifying matching vocabulary between cards. To prepare for the game, you’ll need to distribute a card to each student. Then, instruct them to find a partner in the classroom. Here’s how the game unfolds:
- Both students should cover their cards and, in unison, say “1, 2, 3, ¡busca!” (which means “search” in Spanish).
- Simultaneously, they reveal their cards to each other and race to find the matching image. The student who successfully identifies the matching image first wins and gets to keep their partner’s card.
- The student left without a card should promptly receive a new one. If you prefer, you can be the one distributing the cards.

The game continues until all the cards have been matched, and one student accumulates several cards. If you’d like to make the game shorter or more challenging, you can set a specific time limit for each round, such as 10 seconds.