The verb “to have” is one of the most important verbs in English! It can be used to talk about possessions and ownership, and even to talk about certain things that a person is holding for use. Since this verb has so many meanings and given that its conjugation in English can be a bit tricky, the activities to learn the verb “to have” can make the process easier and, of course, way more engaging and entertaining.
1. The Suitcase Game. This is a fun game that’s better played with a large group of people. To start, all the players will have to sit in a circle on the floor. Then, one player will start by saying the sentence “In my suitcase I have…” and then mentioning an item to put in his or her imaginary suitcase. Then, the person sitting on the left side of the one who starts should repeat the same sentence, including the item the previous player said, and will and his or her own item. This will be repeated through all the players, until a person fails to remember one item. It’s a great game that requires a good memory and lots of imagination. You can even have a theme for each game, so all the items fall into the same category. It can be food, beverages, even clothing! Just remember to be very aware of what the other person is saying so there’s no repetition. This will help your little one strengthen his or her memory while having a good time.
2. Guess what! This is a very simple and easy game to play with the youngest of the house! The idea of the game is to guess what item the person is talking about. The main player will mention several characteristics of an object of his or her choosing. To do this, the player will have to choose one of his or her belongings and start describing it by saying sentences like “I have an object that’s grey.”, “I have an object that is soft”. This will repeat until the other player guesses the object, like in this case, an elephant plush toy! This will be perfect to go over other subjects like the shapes in English, and the colors in English with your little one. Switch roles with your little one from time to time, so he or she also has the chance to guess one object. This game is great to reinforce your child’s vocabulary in English, both for English native speakers and for learners of English as a second language.
3. Shopkeeper Fun. Children love playing games about being grownups. They cannot wait to grow old! If this is the case with your little one, you can have a try with this fun game. The idea is for your child to be a shopkeeper, and the rest of the family will be the clients. You will need to have a basic setup for the shop. Grab a table, or old boxes or containers, and set your own shop at home. The shop can sell whatever you like! You can grab some fruits, vegetables and other groceries to set up a supermarket, or you can put some shoes together and be a shoe shop. Ask your little one to create some price tags for the items, this will be great practice for his or her writing skills, and also a good way to learn the numbers. Also, don’t forget to get some toy money or even make your own money out of cardboard and paper, so you can purchase all you want in your child’s shop! You can play with your child asking if he or she has an item, and then they can answer “Yes, I have it”, or “No; I don’t have it, but I have this…”, to help you in your shopping endeavour while learning the verb “to have” in English.
