🌟 How I Design My English Lessons for Kids 🌟
Yes, I create my own materials ✏️🎨. It may sound like a lot of work – and at the beginning, it really is ⏳. But: it’s worth it! 💪 Individually tailored material not only brings more joy into the classroom 🎉, it also keeps the children engaged, thinking 🤔, and learning actively 📚.
Today, I’ll show you how I plan and implement my lessons using handouts 📝, flashcards 🃏, and games 🎲 – maybe you’ll even find an idea or two that inspires you ✨.
1️⃣ The Handout – individual, but with structure
I work with a master file 💻, which I fill with new exercises depending on the topic 🎯. The characters
Leopold,
Bubblegum, and
Friends 👾👧🧸 create a familiar framework for the children – this gives them orientation 🧭.
Each week, I design the content anew 🔄.
Example: For the topic bugs 🐞, I included short rhymes (“poems” 📖). The children had to recognize words from the text 🔍 and then draw them 🎨 – and they absolutely love tasks like these ❤️!
Additionally, I use small icons for orientation, since many children cannot read yet.
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👍 👎 for right/ wrong
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🗣 ✍️ 👂 for talking, writing, listening
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📖 🔍 for reading, translating, decoding
🔎 Practicing Decoding
When decoding, we don’t just practice the meaning of a sentence, but also the structure of the language 🧩.
Example:
What do you do?
→ Was machen du machen?
Sounds strange 🤪 – but it’s super effective! And often really funny too 😂:
Butterfly 🦋 = Butter + fly 🪰
2️⃣ Flashcards – the underestimated heroes 🃏
Flashcards are the foundation of almost everything in my lessons 🏫:
✨ They are both a warm-up and a review.
✨ They can be used flexibly: one by one, in a stack, on the board, individually, or in a circle.
✨ They make games possible 🎲 (more on that soon).
✨ They still work weeks later ⏳ – for example, for “What’s missing? 👀” or pantomime 🎭.
Creativity has no limits here 🎨 – but variety is always a must 🔄!
3️⃣ Games – learning through laughter and movement 🎲🤸
Games bring language to life 🌟 – and with the flashcards already at hand 🃏, you can create endless variations again and again 🔄.
🪜 Snakes and Ladders
A game board with rockets 🚀, shooting stars ✨, and planets 🪐 – every square hides a new task. Flashcards on the back make everything come alive 🎭.
Rules for older children, such as:
➡️ “Roll again! 🎲”
➡️ “Your starship 🚀 went missing – wait a round ⏳”
add extra fun and language input 🗣️.
🔍 2 Words Trouble
A bit more technically advanced ⚙️, but a real hit! I use a presentation file 💻 where ovals are automatically filled with images 🖼️. Each pair of cards shares exactly one vocabulary word 🗝️.
Younger children play in a team against me 👶👧 – and they can even ask for help:
➡️ “Can you help me, please? 🙏”
This way, language is used completely naturally 🗣️✨.
🕵️♂️ Secret Word
A tricky game for children who can already write ✍️:
Feather 🪶 – Ruler 📏 – Outside 🌳 – Melon 🍈
→ The secret word is: F-R-O-M 🔑
This game promotes careful listening 👂, thinking 🤔, and practicing the alphabet 🔤.
🎯 The Target Game
With a simple spinning wheel 🎡 and a paper clip 📎, I create small partner exercises 🤝.
“Show me your …”
Easily made in Word 💻, printed 🖨️, and reinforced – the vocabulary topics can be swapped out flexibly 🔄.
✅ Conclusion: Yes, it takes effort – but it’s worth it!
Creating individual materials gives me the opportunity to respond to each group and every child 👶👧🧒. It stays varied 🔄, creative 🎨 – and effective ✅.
If you feel like trying out games or ideas too: go for it! 💪 And most importantly: have fun 😄. When we enjoy teaching ourselves, children feel it too – and join in with enthusiasm 🎉.
📩 If you have any questions or like a template or game idea, feel free to reach out! I’m excited to share and exchange ideas 🤗.
