Pop Up Pirate has become a classic game in my collection.  It is always a favourite!  This game includes a barrel, pirate, and 24 swords.  I love how simple this game is – it can be played quickly, used for speech practice, or expanded into language rich activities.  I also love the durability.  Kids love pushing the swords in and pulling them out when we finish.  They love the excitement and anticipation waiting for the pirate to pop.

Speech Activities:

This is a great game for to pair with speech practice.  You can have your child say a word a number of times and then put a sword in.  .  You can choose words from the speech chart or any other target words.  If you’re working on /r/, Pop Up Pirate allows for lots of /r/ sounds (e.g., pirate, arrrrrgh, barrel, treasure, sword).  Try the Search for Treasure game to practice /r/ (here are the directions).

Language Activities:

Vocabulary

• Basic vocabulary – colour words for the swords (red, yellow, green, blue)
• Describing – describe your feelings while you’re waiting for the pirate to pop.  Are you excited? nervous? scared?
• Categories – try using these animal cards and figure out which animals pirates might see when they are at sea
• Comparing and contrasting –
• Fancy words – try introducing some fancy pirate vocabulary. To turn this into a memory game, print two copies and print this on the back of each page.

Grammar

• Question formation – yes/no questions (Can I have a ____ sword?), wh-questions (What colour would you like?  Where is the ____?  When do you think the pirate will pop?)
• Plurals – one sword, two swords.  Try using the Search for Treasure game to practice plurals (here are the directions).
• Pronouns – this game is great for practicing male pronouns (pirate).  He is in the barrel.  He has an eye patch.  His beard is black.  I think he is going to pop!
• Prepositions – Try playing a hiding game with the swords – describe where you find them (in the cupboard, under the table, behind the door, etc.)

Following Directions

• Try using if…the directions.  If you have shoes on, pick a red sword.  If you have a brother, pick a yellow sword, etc.
• Follow directions using the swords from the game – you can use the pictures cards or this following directions visual.
• The Search for Treasure game can be used for work on following directions (here are the directions).

Early Literacy Activities:

1. Phonological awareness – I like to use this game when introducing initial sound identification.  I give the first sound of the colour and the kids get to take that colour sword (e.g., “rrrrr” = red, “y-y-y-y” = yellow, “b-b-b-b” = blue, “g-g-g-g” = green.  I like to pair an action with each of the sounds as a multi sensory approach.  Cover your eye like a pirate patch for “rrrrr”, pretend to use a yoyo for “y-y-y-y”, pretend to bounce a ball for “b-b-b-b”, and pretend to drink water for “g-g-g-g” (glug-glug).
2. Storytelling – create a story about the pirate.  See if you can incorporate some fancy pirate words.

Printables:

Word Chart

Picture Cards

Game Board and Directions

Following Directions Activity

Animal Sorting

Fancy Words

(print two of these for a memory game and print this on the back of each page)

 

Where to buy:

amazon.com

amazon.ca

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