Fun French Number Games for the Second Language Classroom

Games are one of my favourite things to incorporate into my FSL classroom. I believe that in order for kids to be motivated to learn a second language, they need to enjoy doing so. This means that we as core French teachers need to make our classrooms fun places to be. 

Games are a super engaging way to get your upper elementary or middle school students to enjoy practicing the language.

Here are my top 5 FSL games to play when practicing numbers.

1) Pamplemousse

This game is SERIOUSLY so much fun and so competitive. 

1) Have students stand in one large circle.

2) Review the numbers that you will be including in the game with students. 

(If this is your first time playing, I suggest going from 1-10 and then restarting. However, as students become more familiar with the game, you can go from 1-20, 1-50 or even 1 – 100.)

3) Decide which number will be “pamplemousse”.

(The first time that you play, I suggest only having one “pamplemousse” number. But, the more you play, you can have two numbers or even make all multiples of 5 “pamplemousse”.

4) Students go around the circle counting. Each student says one number. But… when you get to the pamplemousse number, that student says pamplemousse instead.

(For example, if 5 is the pamplemousse number, student 1 would say “un”, student 2 would say “deux”, student 3 would say “trois”, student 4 would say “quatre” student 5 would say “pamplemousse” student 6 would say “six” and so on.)

2) Onze 

This game is played very similarly to “Pamplemousse”.

Students form a circle. Person 1 says “un”, person 2 says “deux” and so on until person 11. That person says “Onze” and has to sit down because they are out. The next person restarts at “un” and the game continues until there is only one person left. 

To level up this game and make it harder, you can play to 21, 31, etc. instead of 11. 

3) Loto

Loto is a classic! I mean after all, kids have been playing Bingo since forever! This year I have started using a digital version of Loto. This greatly reduces the amount of materials that need to be passed out, sanitized, etc. between uses. I especially love my Lotto Numbers to 100 game. You can check it out on TPT by clicking HERE!

4) Téléphone

Start by writing a variety of numbers on the whiteboard. You might choose to write them in standard form or word form, depending on what you are wanting to practice. It is important to write them at a height that students can reach. 

Next, put students into two teams. Each team stands in a straight line facing the whiteboard. 

The teacher whispers a number (from the board) to the two kids at the very back of each line. Those kids must then whisper the number to the next kid, and so on until the numbers reach the kids at the front of the line. Those students say the number out loud and hit the number on the whiteboard. If they say and touch the correct number, they earn one point for their team. After each round, the students at the front of the line go to the back and so they become the students who you whisper the next number to. 

This game can get super competitive! 

5) Boom Cards

I am addicted to BOOM learning because they provide me with amazing data to help drive student learning forwards! Check out these fun French numbers 1-10 BOOM cards. They are self – checking, interactive, digital task cards that work on any device.