What is a Barrier Game?
Barrier games are a great way to support children to use their language, both in what they understand and what they say. They’re a fun way to help children to be more precise in their language choices to get a message across, and to support their listening and understanding.
How do they work?
The idea is to have two people working together to complete a task. One person gives instructions while the other listens and follows. The key is that they do this without being able to see what each other are doing – there is a physical barrier between them.
You can make a barrier out of a big open book, a piece of card or a propped-up tray. Really anything that means children can’t see what the other is doing. For older children they could even sit back to back - which is harder still!
It’s important that the people playing have the same set of identical materials. This means the outcome of the task depends on the children giving and receiving the information accurately. The idea is when the task is finished, both sides of the barrier will look the same.
Barrier games work in a similar way to games like ‘Batttleships’ and ‘Guess Who?’ They’re easy to set up and can be adapted to suit lots of different ages and abilities.
How do Barrier Games help support language?
Because Barrier Games are so adaptable, you can design them to practice lots of different language skills, depending on the children you are working with. Children often find them fun, so they’re a great way to engage children and help them practice these important skills:
Using their talk to describe and explain things.
Understanding and following what others are saying – practising picking out the most important information.
Making sure their messages are understood – checking the listener has the right information and the message is clear.
From the listener’s perspective, seeking clarification if they are unsure – a really important skill for learning language.
Learning how to ask the right questions to gather more information, which can be a difficult skill to develop.
In designing Barrier Games, you can also focus on specific areas of language, such as building descriptive language, including key concepts or extending the range of vocabulary children understand and use.
Different types of Barrier Games
We can use a whole range of tasks in Barrier Games, from something as simple as drawing or colouring, to more complex model or pattern making. For example:
Drawing – both children have a blank piece of paper and just one child has a simple drawing. The person with the drawing is the speaker. The speaker copies the picture, explaining to the listener as they go so they can create the same picture.
Colouring – both children have a picture that needs colouring and a set of identical coloured pencils. One describes to the other how they are colouring the picture the other follows their instruction – they should both look the same at the end.
Matching – both children have a set of identical objects. They take it in turns to describe one of the objects for the other to find. After describing, count to three and hold up the object – they should be the same. You can make this more difficult by having objects that are really similar. Link it to a class topic to check on children’s understanding.
Construction – children have the same set of lego or other similar bricks. One describes how they should fit together to build a tower / house or something more complex!
Sequences or patterns – children have the same set of beads, pegs and a peg board or coloured blocks. One describes
how to thread beads in a particular colour/shape order
how to create a pattern on a peg board
how to create a colour/shape sequence of building blocks.
You could even try with musical instruments – one child describes how to put them in a specific order, then if they are both the same, children get to play them in that order.
Creating scenarios – children have a picture of a scene with smaller pictures to place or toys, such as playmobil. One should explain where to place the pictures / objects for the other to copy in order to create the same scene.
Maps – children have a copy of the same map. One should describe how to get from one place to another on the map, drawing the route as they explain. The other child listens and draws the same route. Take away the barrier and check they match!
Preparing
Think carefully about what you want the children to learn or practice – is it particular vocabulary or practising talking in longer sentences, checking understanding or seeking clarification? Barrier games are fun, though also a powerful way to support language.
How to play
It’s a good idea to start with a simple task, like colouring, creating a simple picture or making a train of blocks or a bead necklace. Remember both children need exactly the same equipment so they can create the same outcome.
Practice first without the barrier. Tell the children how to play – ‘we’re going to play a game making a train with these blocks. I’ll tell you what to do so our block trains look the same. Get ready to listen.’
As you make your block train, say what you are doing e.g. ‘use a big blue block at the front, then put a small yellow block behind.’ Keep checking in with the children and encourage them to follow the instructions. This is also a chance to model some of the language and strategies you want the children to use.
Practice this without the barrier until you are confident the children understand the task, then you can play again, but this time with the barrier in place.
Use a book, folder or similar as a barrier and two people play the game. It can be an adult and child or two children. Remember everyone needs a copy of the same materials.
As you’re playing, encourage the children to ask questions. If they are understanding the task well, give an instruction that needs them to ask for more detail, e.g. ‘put the yellow block next’ when there are different sizes or shapes of yellow blocks, so they have to ask for more information. If they don’t ask, encourage, e.g. ‘do you know which block to use?’
If they struggle to ask questions or seek clarification, build a question into the game – e.g. you give an instruction, then ask ‘do you have a question?’ or ‘what else do you need to know?’
Once the children understand the game, they can play together with less support from the adult. The children can have a go at being the speaker and another child can follow the instructions, then they can swap roles.
Remember, you don’t have to do all of this in one session – have short, fun sessions so the children are keen to come and play again. Some children will move through these stages very quickly, others will take more time and need more adult support and scaffolding.
Most importantly, have fun! Children learn language best through play and interaction.