10 Fun Flashcard Games for learning Navajo
If you’ve read my “Why I love flashcards to teach Navajo?” then you’ll see how easy and effective flashcards can be to teach your child Navajo.
Flashcards offer many benefits but it’s too easy to get caught up in the same basic routine – holding up a flashcard and calling out the word. Then watch as your child starts to lose interest fast or altogether.
When my child would get restless, I knew I had to get creative and that’s when I discovered flashcard games.
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Things to Consider Before Playing the Games
Should my child know all the words before playing the games?
I still use a basic approach when introducing new words sometimes, but playing games with the flashcards helps kids learn new words too.
With any of the games, it helps if the child knows some of the words to feel like they can play the game well enough without feeling bad about not knowing any words. Be sure that they know some words before playing the game.
I think it’s helpful if they don’t know or remember all the words either. This allows the opportunity to learn those words when doing the games.
Are these games suitable for one child? Or multiple?
Both!
I chose these 10 games because they are able to work with one child or multiple.
Note: The directions for the games are for one child but it’s not hard to adjust for multiple children.
The reason I chose to do this is that some families only have one child. Or you may find that working with one child at a time works better for you. And some children may be at different learning levels or ages and I took that into consideration.
A lot of the games are ESL games built for a classroom of students but I tweaked them so they can be used for one child.
Tips when playing the games
Remember the goal is learning and having fun.
Be enthusiastic because kids love to see you having fun too.
Encourage your child to say the Navajo words and speak them often when playing.
Don’t let anyone get too competitive or put anyone down.
Adjust the game to fit your teaching model, number of children, and level of difficulty.
Feel free to add variations to the game.
Stop the game whenever your child is having trouble with the game or seems to be getting restless.
What you’ll need for the games
Luckily, there’s little to no set-up required for most of these games.
The most you will need:
Flashcards (Get basic flashcards to start or create your own)
Paper or paper cup
Since you’ll be using many flashcards, here’s a great way to store your flashcards and keep them organized.
10 Fun Flashcard Games to Learning Navajo Easily
Hide & Seek
Hide the cards around the house leaving part of the card still partly visible and easy for young ones to search for. Ask your child to search for the card you’ve called out.
Example: “Can you find tsidii?” or “Where is Tsidii?” or “Haaji Tsidii?”
Then let them search to find the card. If they have trouble, give them clues or sounds. Once they find the card, let them repeat the Navajo name back to you.Matching Game
You will need two sets of the same cards.
Lay the cards down on a table. Start with one child or yourself and turn any two cards over. If they match, have them say the Navajo name and keep the matching cards as points or put to the side.
If neither card is matching, be sure say the Navajo name of the those cards for your child before turning back over.Stepping Cards
Spread cards around the floor, facing up.
Call out one of the cards in Navajo. Tell your child to step on the correct card. Give clues if they need extra help.
When they step on correct card, have them repeat the Navajo name of card.Slow Reveal
Start with a card in your hand or on table that is partly covered by your hand or another card.
Choose to either slowly reveal the full card or half reveal a card for child to guess what the Navajo name for the card is. Feel free to give hints if they’re having trouble trying to figure out what it is.
Animal flashcards are great with this game!
Variation: Reveal a portion of the card. For example, if using animals, reveal a small part of the body – feet, arms, eyes, tail, etc. Get creative!Memory Game
Put down 4- 5 cards facing up.
Go over the cards in Navajo. Then have your child turn around or close their eyes while you take one card out.
Ask them what card is missing.
After they guess correctly, you can try different cards for the next round or use the same cards for several rounds and take out a different card each time.
To make it more challenging, try more cards like 5-10 and maybe even take two cards out at a time.Gallery Run
Place some cards up on the wall around the room or on furniture.
Call out a Navajo card name and have your child run up next to the card you’ve called out.
Be sure to help them if they are having trouble. Once their memory of the card names gets better, you can speed up your card calling. You may notice your child running card to card the faster you call out which makes it more fun and challenging.
This is a great game for multiple children!Telescope
Place some cards up around the room or spread out on a wall. Make a telescope with rolled paper or use a paper cup and cut a hole in it.
Give your child the telescope and ask them where a card name is. When they find the object looking through the telescope, have them say the card name.
Example: Say, either “Where is jooł(ball)?” or “Haadish jooł? (where is the ball?)”. Then have your child find object with the telescope and have them say either “jooł is right there” or “Jooł kwe’e (ball is right here).”Charades
This is a great game with multiple players but you are able to play with one child.
With a set of cards to choose from, have your child pick one to act out.
You’ll have to guess in Navajo what it is. Then switch roles. Pick a card to act out and have your child guess.Say It
This one is best played with more than one child. If there are no other children, get another family member to play or slap the card down while you play. But you can also manage with just yourself and your child.
With a set of cards facing down in your hand, slap down a card to reveal the image. You and your child will have to say what the card is in Navajo.
Whoever says it first, gets the card for a point or put the card to the side. Then repeat with the next card and so forth.
Variation: With two players and one card dealer, have the two players compete to slap the card first, and be the first to guess the Navajo name of the card. If the player doesn’t know, then a chance goes to the other player to guess. If no one can guess, then card gets thrown back in deck after hearing the correct name of the card.Navajo Slap Game – My favorite!
This is a great fun game for multiple children but very doable for one child, too!
Place cards, scattered on wall or on a table.
Say the Navajo name of a card and have your child slap the correct card. (Use a flyswat or a ruler to slap the card for added fun!)
Variation: You can also place cards on floor and have your child jump on the cards instead.
I think you’ll love this game as much as I do, so be sure check out more on how to play the game here.Conclusion
By now you should see how flashcards offer so many opportunities in teaching your child the Navajo language. Although knowing some words beforehand is necessary, you’ll find that kids will start to learn more words when playing the game, too.
These games are fun and easy for any parent to play with their child or children. To make it more fun, play with more family members. Get Masaní, Cheii, and other family members to help with the words or to play.
Will you give these flashcard games a try? Why not get your child learning Navajo quickly and easily – and have fun doing it!
