INSIDE: 24 Fun and  Easy Verb Activities for teaching verb tenses {Plus FREE Printable}

I was browsing Pinterest this morning over a cup of coffee looking for a creative way to explore verbs and their three main tenses.

With three different ages and stages of grammar going this year, I thought a hands-on craft would be more engaging than a fill in the blank worksheet.

It can often be challenging to teach the same concept to kids of different ages and abilities.

I find that if I can incorporate scissors, glue and the potential to get ink on their skin, the boys become a captivated audience. Lesson + Scissors = a win, win.

Because boys are verbs personified!

Younger kids get to cut and paste while listening to a new concept while older kids can exercise their knowledge in a hands-on way.

Verb tenses can be overwhelming for kids.

FREE Printable: 114 Action Verbs Prinable {freebie}

I’m still a firm believer in allowing language to wash over our kids in their read-aloud stories and I don’t make a big deal about things like past, present, and future tenses. Nothing impacts their grasp of the English language better than a well written and engaging story! Language, including the elusive present perfect verb tenses, become a natural part of a child’s vocabulary.

What are verb tenses? Grammarly has a great simple explanation of the three verb tenses.

Yes, practice makes perfect. As kids get older, well-structured sentences make fantastic copywork or handwriting practice activities, again relying on a story to teach the lesson naturally.

Resource: Abeka’s Oral Language Exercises does a fantastic job of modeling confusing language clearly.

It takes a little effort, but even learning action verbs can be a fun activity.

Fun Hands-on Verb Craft

Materials

• A list of action verbs (you will create this together)
• 4 colors of construction paper: red, orange, purple, yellow
• white paper
• scissors
• glue
• markers

(each color represents a different tense of a verb)

• red for the base verb
• purple for past tense
• orange for present tense
• yellow for future tense

Brainstorm action verbs together.

This is when I remember how much I LOVE my whiteboard and dry erase markers more than Tuesdays… I’ve got nothing against this day of the week, I just love my whiteboard more.

Next: Each child picks 6 verbs.
Discuss the difference between yesterday, today and tomorrow and identify the different tenses of each of the chose verbs together. 

Verb Craft Time

Full directions included in FREE  114 Action Verbs Prinable {freebie}

Preparation:

• Cut red paper into larger rectangles, about 2 x 3″
• Cut purple, orange, and yellow paper into strips, about 3/4″ x 5″
• Write each of the base words on the red rectangles
• Kids write the proper forms of the verbs onto the appropriate strip: purple for past tense, orange for present tense, yellow for future tense.
• Next, the kids write a sentence for each form of the verb, on the appropriate color.
• finally, they glue the red square and the strips onto their white paper. One paper for each verb family.

See it in action: Watch the video of this verb activity here.

My boys liked trying to create unique configurations with their verbs and sentences. Overall it was a success and more fun than the worksheet I have originally planned.

The worksheet would have been faster and created less mess, but the kids LOVED this and really learned their verb tenses. I would encourage you to look for crafts and hands-on activities a few times a week to spice things up!

Related: Improve your writing with verbs

24 Fun Verb Resources

He has a lot of trouble focusing and he is always doing something, but the problem is usually it s the wrong something. It s hard to be a verb! My knees start itching, my toes start twitching, my skin gets jumpy, others get grumpy. When it comes to sitting still it s just not my deal. Haven t you heard… I am a verb! Louis mom teaches him how to focus by showing him a few hands on ideas that anyone can try. A must have book for all who struggle with paying attention!