Welcome back to Playful Pedagogy’s for Day 5 of the 12 Games of Christmas! Today’s game is: Concept and Concept Kids (also called Concept Jr).
Prefer to watch instead of read? Here’s a short video where I talk about how I use Concept & Concept Kids in my classroom.
Concept is a great game for classrooms with language learners, because it allows students to communicate complex ideas without needing a lot of spoken language.
Concept is a cooperative guessing game played by 2 or more players. The goal of the game is to get others to guess a word, phrase, or idea by using icons and symbols instead of spoken clues. It’s like a board-game version of 20 questions, where instead of players asking questions, the one who is thinking of the ‘concept’ gives the clues.
One player or team selects a concept, then places small markers on a shared icon board to visually represent its meaning. The rest of the group works together to guess the concept, earning points collaboratively.
The game emphasizes inferencing, communication, collaboration, and creative thinking, without relying too heavily on language output.
HOW I USE CONCEPT IN THE CLASSROOM
I use Concept as a tool for checking understanding, especially with students who are still acquiring language. Because students communicate using images and symbols, they can show their thinking without needing full sentences or advanced vocabulary.
What makes Concept so powerful in the classroom is that it helps students:
See and share their thinking
Represent ideas visually
Build inferencing skills
Collaborate quietly and effectively
It works especially well in comprehensible input–based classrooms, where students can participate meaningfully with minimal oral output.
HOW IT CAN BE PLAYED ACROSS SUBJECTS
Literacy & Language Acquisition:
- Vocabulary review and concept building
- Story elements, characters, or themes
- Retelling or revising stories using symbols
Math:
- Math vocabulary and key concepts
- Representing problem-solving strategies
- Building and guessing story problems visually
Science:
- Animal identification and classification (Concept Kids)
- Scientific systems or life cycles
- Representing processes using symbols
Social Studies:
- Historical events or timelines
- Geography and cultural practices
- Cause-and-effect relationships
SEL, Arts & Wellbeing:
- Emotions and social scenarios
- Perspective-taking and empathy
- Artistic tools, styles, or creative processes
Teachers can adjust the rules, pacing, group size, and expectations to meet the needs of different learners and classroom settings.
CONCLUSION
Concept is a reminder that learning doesn’t always require more words—it requires clear thinking and meaningful communication. It’s flexibility and cooperative nature make it a powerful tool for classrooms of all ages and languages.
Have you played Concept or Concept Kids with your learners? What are some of the ways you’ve used it? Share in the comments below!
Thanks for joining me, and come back tomorrow for another game. I hope you have a wonderful day full of play!