Are you on the hunt for fun worksheets for singular and plural nouns? If you’re like me, you may be feeling bogged down by all the boring singular and plural nouns worksheets that come with your reading series. What if I told you that worksheets don’t always have to feel like a chore for your students? I have three fun games and worksheets for singular and plural nouns. Keep reading to give them a try in your classroom!
In my first grade classroom, I am constantly searching for ways to make learning more fun. When it comes to teaching grammar, I sometimes find that I don’t have as much time to fit it into my schedule. Am I the only one?? This past year, I began adding more grammar games and I’ve been searching for more ways to make worksheets FUN for my students. These games and worksheets on singular and plural nouns have been my favorite activities for my first graders. After I played the third activity on my list with my students, one of them asked, “Why don’t we play this every day?!”
Fun Exercises for Singular and Plural Nouns
If you are just introducing singular and plural nouns to your students, they must understand how to categorize the two nouns. This article has a great overview and videos you can use to introduce singular and plural nouns. This first game that I use in my classroom is called “This or That.” For this activity, you can throw out the worksheets for singular and plural nouns because you won’t need them!
You don’t always need singular and plural nouns worksheets! Let’s play THIS OR THAT.
To play “This or That,” make sure that your students understand the difference between singular and plural nouns. Then decide on two movements you want to use in your game. The exercises for singular and plural nouns that I often use are standing on one leg and touching your toes.
You will shout out a singular or plural noun. If the students hear a singular noun, they will stand on one leg. If they hear a plural noun, they will touch their toes. Continue playing the game as long as needed! If you need a list of singular and plural nouns to use for this game, check out this one! After your students have mastered categorizing the nouns, then we can move on to worksheets for singular and plural nouns.
I love this game because it can be used in so many ways using so many different movements! For more activities for singular and plural nouns, you could play “This or That” but have them identify if the nouns need an S or ES ending. For example, “stand up if the word needs an S ending and sit down if it needs an ES.” Here are some ideas for movements that you could use while playing the “This or That” game:
-Squat Down
-Jump Up
-Pat your Head
-Clap
-Spin Around
-Bunny Hop
-Frog Hop
-Move to one side of the room
Movement-Based Nouns Game
After my students have mastered identifying singular and plural nouns, I begin teaching how to add the different endings to nouns to make them plural. With my first graders, I start with just adding -S. Then we move on to -ES and -IES endings. If you need a rundown of the plural noun rules, check out this useful article! I also created the anchor chart shown below to help my students (and me!) remember the rules.
After thumbing through our reading series for activities for singular and plural nouns, I was only able to find worksheets that didn’t spark my students’ interest. Remember how I said that singular and plural nouns worksheets don’t have to be boring? Try playing “Rollin’ For Plurals” with your students!
Look no further if you are searching for singular and plural nouns free printable worksheets!
In “Rollin for Plurals,” your students will use dice to practice adding S, ES, and IES to plural nouns. This worksheet for singular and plural nouns makes it fun for your students because they love hunting for the words! The best part about this game is that it is FREE and editable. You can use the provided nouns or you can use the editable template to add your own words and word endings. After we have practiced with some worksheets for singular and plural nouns, then I move on to my favorite grammar game for my first graders!
Not Your Average Singular and Plural Noun Worksheet
I think it’s safe to say that all elementary students learn better when they are engaged in their learning. After using different exercises for singular and plural nouns, I love to end our unit with a fun game. I feel that it is crucial to combine all that we have learned into one review activity.
This is one of my favorite activities for singular and plural nouns!
Let’s play Brain, Body, or Bust! This game doesn’t include your typical worksheets for singular and plural nouns. You will provide your students with a recording sheet and display the PowerPoint game on your board. Then split your class into two teams. Use the Brain, Body, or Bust game board and have players choose a number. Their number will either take them to a brain, body, or bust slide. On the brain slides, the students must answer a question about singular and plural nouns. If they answer correctly, they earn two points for their team. If they are taken to a body slide, all players will get up and do the listed movement break. Lastly, the teams will lose all their points if they choose a bust slide! Check out the video below to see the game in action.
As you can see, Brain, Body, or Bust is not your typical worksheet for singular and plural nouns. The students love the anticipation provided in this fun game and always beg to play it! If you are interested in more grammar games for first grade, click HERE to check out my line of Brain, Body, or Bust grammar games. Your students (and you!) will become addicted!
Get rid of the typical and singular and plural nouns worksheets!
I have seen great success using these fun activities in my classroom, and I hope you do too! Although worksheets are convenient to use in the classroom, they are not always the most effective practice to use with our students. If you are on the hunt for more engaging grammar activities for first grade, click HERE to check out how I hosted an Adjective Cafe for my students. It was a huge hit.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post! Here are some extra resources if you are looking for more:
If you are interested in blogging on your own, check out this blog post to learn 7 Helpful Tips on How to Blog Like a Boss.
My sweet friend Shanon Juneau has a fabulous post that explains how to teach letter sounds. It is a must-read for primary teachers!
If you’re like me, you LOVE directed drawings! Check out this awesome post by Evelyn Doyle to learn about the importance of using directed drawings in first grade. You won’t regret reading this one!
Have you heard of Boom Cards? Marci at Whimsical Wheelerland explains how to use Boom Cards to increase student engagement in this fabulous post.
Thanks for following along today to learn about some new games and worksheets for singular and plural nouns!
I loved this post! I am always so excited to find ideas to incorporate movement into learning, it is so important for young learners! Thank you so much for sharing your expertise.
Thanks so much for reading, Evelyn!
Thanks for these great games and strategies for teaching singular and plural nouns! I can’t wait to try them in my classroom!