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Tricky Sticks- A Super-Easy DIY Game for Cheap!
Make this easy game your students will love for next to nothing.
Let’s face it, sometimes speech therapy drills can get boring. Getting all those repetitions is well… repetitious. Adding a fun game keeps my students, (and me) motivated. I am always on the lookout for new open-ended games to change things up.
Tricky Sticks is a perfect quick-play game for speech therapy.
Here’s why I love Tricky Sticks:
1. I can use it for any target
2. It’s perfect for mixed groups
3. I use it with all ages- so easy and they all love it.
4. Quick-play- so you get plenty of repetitions/ responses, maximizing therapy time.
5. Play as long as you like, no set finish time means it lasts your whole session.
6. Space-saving. You can store your sticks in a cup or baggie.
7. Super cheap and easy to make!
I first got this idea from a wonderful resource teacher.
Wow- simple and fun, I had to make a set for speech. I stopped at the dollar store and got a package of colored craft sticks for less than two dollars. Can’t beat that!
I opened the package and separated out 1/3 of the sticks. The rest I put aside. Next, I took a black marker and added stars on the bottom of a few of the third I had separated out, and squares on the bottom of the rest of the third. (ok, maybe it’s rectangles) Not too fancy, but it doesn’t matter a bit.
That’s it! You can make this game in just a few minutes. Easy peasy. Now if only writing IEPs and evaluation reports was this quick and easy. A girl can dream…
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Ready to play? Here’s how.
1. Pop your sticks in a colorful cup, shape ends down.
2. Have your students answer a question or practice their articulation word.
3. After they respond, they pick out a stick and look to see if it has a shape.
4. If the stick has no shape, it’s a “keeper.” The child keeps the stick in his pile and gets one point.
5. If the stick has a square, you give it to the player on your right.
6. If the stick has a star, pass it to the player on your left.
7. Play as long as you like. When the session is finished, the person with the most sticks wins.A variation for older children who are mature enough not to be upset if they lose… I tell them the star means boom! and they put all their sticks back in the cup.
Why Tricky Sticks?
Actually, I am not really sure why I started calling this game Tricky Sticks, other than it sounded catchy and interesting to my students. We have been playing this favorite for years, and my kiddos love it. I have seen some people call a version of this game Kaboom, that sounds catchy too.
What do you think?
You don’t have to use the colored sticks, but I think it’s more fun that way. I hope you give this little game a try. Have fun!
Until next time,
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