Games to Teach Numbers in Spanish

Bingo is a helpful game for students who are learning larger numbers in Spanish, as the game goes up to number 75 in the United States and to number 90 in many other countries. Choose a student to draw and call out letters and numbers in Spanish, and encourage students to pay close attention to the game by offering the winner of each round a chance to draw and call numbers during the next round. To accommodate students who may be struggling, use the blackboard or white board to write each number that is called after giving students a few moments to search for the number as it's called out in Spanish.

The cards in a poker or Uno deck can help students learn the numbers one through 10. A game of Uno, in which students are required to state in Spanish the cards they play, can also be used to teach basic colors. As students play a card, have them state the color and number on its face. For instance, if the student plays a blue two, he would need to say, "dos azul" as he lays it down. Whether students use Spanish words for "reverse," "draw," "skip" and "wild" is up to the discretion of the teacher.

Students can play Go Fish in groups of three or more. This game gives students an opportunity not only to practice saying numbers in Spanish but also to use the Spanish words for "I have" and "You have." For example, if a student is asking for a three, she should say, "Tienes tres?" If the other player has the card, he should say, "Tengo tres" before handing it over. If he does not have it, he should say, "No tengo tres."

To get students physically active as they practice counting their numbers in Spanish, have them stand in a large circle. Pass a beach ball to a student, who should say, "Uno!" That student should pass the ball to someone else who will say, "Dos." Continue until the students reach "Diez." The student who catches the ball on "Diez" can do something special, like shouting, "Ole!" or making up a silly dance.