GAMING TOOL – ALPHABET LETTERS

One of my favorite gaming tools are FOAM LETTERS. You can purchase them online and local stores from $35.00 to $50.00. This is an investment that you can use many different ways in your ministry. I will be posting additional strategies that you can use with this exciting gaming tool.

ALPHABET PUZZLE

One of my most exciting team building favorites is to have groups solve an alphabet puzzle. You can use this activity with 15 to 20 students with one puzzle.  You can use more puzzles with larger groups.

THE INSTRUCTIONS

Below are the written instructions based on one alphabet puzzle:

• Jumble up the letters and have them go five letters across and five deep with the 26th letter at the bottom
• Have ALL of the students come stand on the mixed up letters
• Tell them their goal is to place the alphabet letters in order from LEFT TO RIGHT
• Students cannot touch the floor

TIP: I often tell students that the mats are an island and that the floor is the ocean so they have to stay on the mat.

I will place a 5 minute countdown on the screen or play a song to give them a time limit to complete the task.

WRAPPING IT UP

After the students have placed the puzzle in alphabetic order from left to right, I then have the students sit in the floor and recap the activity. I usually ask questions as:

• What was the most difficult part of the task (Space constraints)
• What is the most important part of the puzzle (Communication)
• Who was the leader of the activity (Every time I do this activity, some student steps up to lead without being asked)

Students always come up with great answers if you ask open ended questions.