Shh! That's Taboo!

Thinking & Engaging
Thinking & Engaging
Literacy
Literacy

Children answer questions without using words that begin with the taboo letter. 

Materials

  • Large alphabet letters
  • Beanbag or ball
  • Bag

Framing

With this activity, participants will realize that some letters are more commonly used than other when we speak to each other.

Instructions

  1. Instruct children to sit in a circle.
  2. Place the alphabet letters in a bag in the centre of the circle.
  3. Choose one letter from the bag and place in the center of the circle for everyone to say.  This will be the “taboo letter” during the round.
  4. The first person begins by holding the ball/beanbag. They are the question master and must toss someone the ball/beanbag and ask them a question.
  5. The child who receives the object must answer the question without using any words that begin with the taboo letter.
  6. They are now the question master and can ask someone else a question.
  7. The pattern is repeated.
  8. If someone uses a taboo letter in their response, they are out.
  9. Continue until there is one winner or just play for fun.  

Modify

  • Play different rounds with different letters.
  • Do not use uncommon letters from the set such as X, Y, and Z. 

Safety

  • There are no foreseeable safety concerns for this activity.

Wrap-up

  • Was there a taboo letter that made it really difficult to provide an answer?


Obtained from: