Rhyming and Conversation Activities for Kids to Teach German Numbers and Directions

Drills

Drills are some of the best ways to get students to remember a structure or specific aspects of a language. After you have introduced your students to the German numbers and directions, you can have them practice by playing these games about numbers and directions

Numbers

Here is a cute little game in German for kids. It is a counting rhyme to help students learn numbers. Students form a ring and dance around holding hands. They can either take turns at chanting the numbers form 1 to 9 in order, or each one can chant three numbers at a time.

German Counting Rhyme

Eins, zwei, drei - One, two, three

du bist frei. - you are free

Vier,fünf,sechs - four, five, six

Du bist nächst. - you are next.

Sieben, acht, neun, - seven, eight, nine

du musst’s sein - you must be it.(i.e. you must be the one to do whatever the

task is in the game.)

The one to whom the other kids point and say “du musst es sein”, may enter the ring and dance, sing or tell a joke; whatever they feel like doing.

Directions

Here’s another game which you can play with your students to teach them directions. We’ll call it “Wie komme ich zu…”? (How do I get to…? In this game, they not only learn to ask where places are and understand the answers, but also how to get about in a town and understand directions.

An added bonus in the game is that it emphasizes the use of the pronoun”Sie” among strangers.

Wie komme ich zu…?

Students take turns at being tourists and passers-by in a town.

Tourist (T) – Entschuldigen Sie, wie komme ich zum Hauptbahnhof, bitte?

T - Excuse me, how do I get to the main station, please?

Passer-by (P) – Gehen Sie diese Strasse geradeaus, dann kommen Sie direkt zum Bahnhof.

P - Go straight down this street, then you’ll come directly to the station.

and

T – Entschuldigen Sie bitte, wie komme ich zur HauptStrasse?

T - Excuse me please, how do I get to the (Main) Street?

P - Gehen Sie die Strasse runter, und dann rechts.

P – Go down the street, and then right.

Wo ist..?

They can also use “Wo ist…? (Where is)

T – Entschuldigen Sie bitte, wo ist das Museum?

Excuse me please, where is the museum?

or

T – Wo ist die nächste Post?

Where is the nearest Post Office?

or

T – Wo ist der nächste Campingplatz?

Where is the nearest campsite?

Passers-by can use any of the following to reply:

Gehen Sie links- Go left

rechts - right

geradeaus – straight ahead

durch die Unterführung – through the underpass.

Add more directions to these; including, north, south, east and west; and see your students make great progress in their study of German numbers and directions with these classroom games in German for kids.