10+ Fun Italian Grammar and Vocabulary Games for Kids

10+ Fun Italian Grammar and Vocabulary Games for Kids Brooke Neuman Learning Italian grammar and vocabulary can be difficult for kids.  Below, Italian teacher Nadia B. shares some games parents and teachers can play to help engage kids in learning Italian For kids, learning Italian can be a great adventure, filled with exciting new discoveries. As your child explores the joy of learning Italian, you can aid him or her by playing fun Italian grammar and vocabulary games. These games  are chock-full of fun activities so that learning Italian can become less painless and more fun! Below are 10+ Italian grammar and vocabulary games that will make a big difference in your childs learning. 1. Rhymes and Tongue Twisters These fun and imaginative verbal adventures will help your child to think of Italian as a playful and colorful exploration, not to mention build a strong Italian vocabulary and understanding of syntax and grammar. You can trade off reciting lines of a rhyme, have a tongue twister competition, or read a fable before bedtime. Before you know it, learning Italian will be just another fun part of the day. 2. Memory Games Using index cards,  write out some Italian vocabulary words. Try choosing a theme (for example, colors or animals). Then, create a matching card  with a related vocabulary word. Lay them all out with the words face-down and have your child try to select the pairs. Recalling where each word is located will help the vocabulary word stick in your childs mind. 3. Make Assuming Sentences This game is similar to MadLibs, as you provide all the parts of a sentence and then allow your child to choose words to form a unique sentence. Heres how to do it: Write out  all of the pronouns (io, tu, lui, lei, Lei, noi, voi, loro), a selection of verbs (volare, ridere, sorridere, pensare, andare), and some nouns (il gatto, il cane, lalbero, il poliziotto, lItalia, etc.) Keep each category of words in its own pile. Your child can select a pronoun, verb and possibly a noun to form a sentence. For example, Io volo con il gatto (I fly with the cat). You can help your child to form grammatically correct sentences by providing prepositions (con, sopra, sotto) when needed. The sillier the sentence, the better! 4. Sing in Italian Download, purchase, or stream some simple songs in Italian  in which  you and your child can sing along. For example, you can search  for Christmas carols or lullabies. Encourage your child to sing along, or to sing from memory when you have free time in the car, while walking, or some other time. Sing along together, or help your child as needed to remember the lyrics. 5. Charades Charades is a really fun game  and there are so  many opportunities to tailor it to your childs needs. First, write out a selection of verbs, nouns or phrases to act out. Once youve formed two teams, start by having the first team draw a verb, noun, and phrase to act out while the other team guesses.  This can be as simple as two teams you and your child or can involve other children and family members. 6. I Spy This game is an excellent option when youre on the go or exploring a new place. It will encourage your child to view and describe his or her surroundings in Italian. You can give your child a prompt of Io vedo (I see) and then let him or her choose an item to identify in Italian. For example, Io vedo una nuvola grande e bianca. (I see a big, white cloud). 7.  Describe an Imaginary Friend If your child has an imaginary friend, ask him or her to describe him or her to you in Italian. For example, Luisa è simpatica, alta e bionda. Le piace nuotare e saltare la corda. (Luisa is friendly, tall and blond. She likes to swim and jump rope.). This helps to build useful Italian vocabulary. You can also ask your child  to talk to his or her  imaginary friend in Italian! This is a playful way to show your child that Italian can be spoken anywhere and anytime. 8. Italian in the Kitchen If youre busy cooking in the kitchen, why not get your child involved? Go online to find a recipe in Italian  to use. As you cook, have your child read the recipe and then ask him or her  to name the ingredients as they go in the pot to be cooked. You can also ask your child to retrieve ingredients with the Italian name (for example, farina, latte, pane), and describe the colors and size (Comè il pomodoro? Whats the tomato like?). This is also a great  Italian culture activity, as cooking and eating together as a family is a common tradition in Italy. 9. Identify Characteristics Gather up some old magazines or newspapers laying around the house. Cut out pictures of objects and people from those magazines, and have your child describe the particular scene in Italian. Encourage your child to use color, specific characteristics, and numbers to practice adjectives, quantity and more! 10. Give Commands Designate a piece of clothing or a certain item, such as a hat or a scarf. Whenever someone is wearing that particular item, he or she is responsible for issuing commands to the other people in the group. For example, the person wearing the item could say the following: Gira a la destra; dimmi un piccolo racconto; chiamami Alessandro quando mi parli (Turn to the right; tell me a short story; call me Alessandro when you speak to me). This game is meant to be silly and encourage children to practice commands in a fun and memorable way. The roles reverse whenever the person with the item issues a command that the other person chooses not to obey, or doesnt obey. 11. Ask Questions Ask your child any question in Italian. You can find a set of  questions in your childs  Italian textbook or online. If your  child   answers the question with the proper Italian grammar, he or she can then ask you a question. The game can be played with just the two of you, or with other children. This is another exercise that can be silly and amusing, while simultaneously reinforcing interrogative words, grammar, and vocabulary. Learning Italian doesnt have to be boring. Make learning enjoyable for your child by playing games with him or her in between his or her lessons. Photo by Leonid Mamchenkov Post Author:  Nadia B. Nadia B. teaches Italian in New York, NY. She graduated summa cum laude from New York University, with a double degree in Italian Language and Literature and Classical Music Performance.  Learn more about Nadia here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher