File Folder Game Organization

File folder games can be easy to put together and make learning fun your your students!

Not sure where to find file folder game printables? Look online for resources that are books which have file folder games to print and go.

Setting them up is even easier!

Grab some basic file folders, open them up and paste in the game board from your purchased resource.

Many times, there will be rules included which you can then paste on the outside front of the file folder. Grab any other playing pieces, such as pawns, cards, spinners, or the like and place these items in a small baggies which is stapled to the inside edge of your file folder game.

Optionally, you can even laminate all the pieces, including the file folder in order to make the game board and the manipulatives last longer than one school year.

You can find file folder game examples for just about every subject and most grade levels. Have fun creating your own perfect file folder game collection!

Have you been here?…

…During center time, you were having students play file folder games while you are working with your small groups on phonics and alphabet skills.

Next thing you know you are running late for art and need to have everyone lined up ready to go pronto.

You come back for planning period only to realize that the file folder games, worksheets, playing pieces, and spinners are littered across the floor in such a way YOU don’t even know which pieces go to which game.

You toss everything into one empty tub and decide to deal with the mess later.

If this has been you, I can relate firsthand. I needed something to get these games organized once and for all that kids could easily check out and return on their own.

5 Classroom Activity Times to Utilize File Folder Games

When should you use file folder games in the classroom?

I mean, you can’t play games every day of instruction, right? Or can you?

Here are 5 different times when you could pop in a file folder game for your students – and yes – it still counts as learning!

• Centers: This is an obvious one, but it makes sense. Students can easily have a game and work on the learning skills with a partner. You won’ have to hear the dreaded “I don’t know what to do” when students work with a partner that can help to learn the game steps. And even less when the game has been played before.
• Indoor Recess: Whether you live in a tropical or freezing cold climate, almost every school will have some time throughout the school year that required an indoor recess. And finding activities to keep students occupied without tearing the room apart is always a good plan. Having several different file folder games makes the activity choices easy for students to choose from and it’s educational too, which is an added bonus.
• Early Finishers: Have students that have their work completed way before everyone else? Use file folder games as a supplement to allow for learning beyond just more independent reading. {Tip: I do check to make sure the early finisher has not only completed the work accurately, but neatly as well. You never want students to be rushing through their work just to have a chance to get out the learning games.}
• Incentive Parties: Has the class filled up their marble jar? Or been exceptionally well-behaved for a recent substitute teacher? Gran the file folder games and let them have an extra 25 minutes as a reward!
• Review Day: File folder games don’t necessarily need to be just for the littles in PreK and Kindergarten. Even older students in the intermediate grades enjoy playing games in school too. If you have a big unit test coming up covering several key concepts in math, science, or social studies, grab some correlated file folder games to practice those review skills while also having a fun time with the concepts they will be assessed on the following day.

Make Your Own File Folder Game Organizer

Ready to make your own organizer so your games never get tossed in a random pile again?

Basically, you will need a dishes drying rack and washi tape!  You can find both at a discount retailer.

I decided to use a teal chevron and a gray tiled print for my file folder game caddy.  And I threw in some pink stripes just for fun!

Adding the tape was actually way easier than I thought.  I applied it horizontally, rather than wrapping it around vertically.  Of course, you can use whichever method works best for you. 

Since I like the white on the wire rack, I decided not to tape the entire thing.  But it really wouldn’t take too long if you decided you did.

The cup in the corner could be used for pencils or dry erase markers (if your file folder games are laminated).  Or take the cup off completely if you prefer to go that route.

I liked how the colors I picked also matched these super cute magazine file boxes I saw in the Target $1 section!  You could choose to just grab some of those and place your games inside them instead.  {I would probably use the magazine holders as student mailboxes on a shelf.}

I even decorated a few file folders to spice up the outside of the folders just for fun!

Last idea:  use those file folder games as sponge activities or time fillers! 

To help students know which game they have played, use the checklist below. 

Simply fill in your student roster on the left side column.  Then, make sure your file folder games are numbered on the outside. 

As students grab a game to take to a spot in the classroom, have them place an X or a check mark in the right spot (or have a parent volunteer help to check them out).  This way, they will grab a different game each time. 

Once they have played all the games, they can start over again!

Enjoy the free checklist below and I would love to see a comment below if you have additional ways you organize your file folder games!

Click here to email your freebie

~Charity