Stretching File Folder Games Into Multiple Learning Activities

Well, I guess it is no secret that I have always loved file folder games.  They are relatively simple to assemble, are super-easy to store, durable and withstand the test of time, and provide students with hands-on interaction to practice basic skills. But another thing I love about file folder games is their versatility.  In other words, file folder games don't always have to be file folder games.  They can be assembled in multiple ways, to provide students a variety of opportunities, that look and feel slightly different. This allows them to practice the same skill, across multiple environments or situations.  This not only gives you, the teacher, more tools and activities in your classroom "tool bag," but it also can help our special little guys and gals with generalization.

In this post, I am going show you how I've assembled a couple of file folder games, multiple ways to provide many different learning opportunities, for my student (in this case, my son!) ;) I've taken a couple of the file folder games from my newest "Sorting Our School File Folder Games Bundle" to do that.

A Few File Folder Games From the Bundle

So for the first example, we will look at the "Happy Crayons Color Sort II."  This simple file folder game, helps students practice basic color sorting.  When assembled in the "traditional" file folder game format, it looks like this:

"Happy Crayons Color Sort"

This format is great for workstations, centers, one-on-one teaching, and offers great portability, if you want to send the activity home for extra practice.

Here is the same file folder game activity assembled as a binder task:

"Happy Crayons Color Sort"Assembled as a Binder Task

I love the binder task format for independent work situations, morning work binders, and homework binders.

Here is the same activity assembled as a cookie sheet activity:

"Happy Crayons Sort" as Cookie Sheet Activities

The cookie sheet activity also works well in independent learning stations, centers, and one-on-one teaching time.  For lower-functioning students, this format essentially allows you to cut the task in half and focus only two colors at a time.

Here is half of the file folder game.

This is the same activity assembled as a clipboard task:

"Happy Crayons Sort" as Clipboard Task

I love to use clipboard tasks in workstations.  You can number and hang them easily in workstations, for an organized task set-up.  Like cookie sheet activities, they also allow you to divide the file folder game in half, for students that benefit from that. They are also very portable and are great to send home for extra practice opportunities. I like to attach a small, canvas pencil case on the back of them, to hold sorting and matching pieces.

Pencil Cases Attached on Back of Clipboard Tasks 

I am going to show you a few more examples.  Here is the file folder game, "Sorting Our School," (People/Places/Things) assembled multiple ways.

First, here it is as file folder game:

"Sorting Our School" (People/Places/Things) File Folder Game

And a binder task:

"Sorting Our School" Assembled as a Binder Task

And a cookie sheet activity:

"Sorting Our School" Assembled as a Cookie Sheet Activity

And a clipboard task:

"Sorting Our School" Assembled as a Clipboard Task

So what about you?  Are you using your file folder games, multiple ways across multiple situations or environments? I would love to learn from you too! Please share your tips with us! ;)

If you want to see the complete set of "Sorting Our School" File Folder Games, you can find them at the website here:

"Sorting Our School File Folder Games Mini-Bundle"

And on TPT here:

"Sorting Our School File Folder Games Mini-Bundle"