Learning grammar doesn’t have to be boring. Spice it up with over twenty fun ways to teach adverbs.
What Is an Adverb?
An adverb is one of the eight parts of speech.
It modifies (or describes) verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
Adverbs typically answer the questions: How? When? Where? Why? How often? To what extent? And Under what condition?
The most recognizable adverbs end in -ly.
I chewed the brownie slowly. (How did you chew the brownie? Slowly.)
I eat takeout frequently. (How often do you eat takeout? Frequently.)
Some adverbs do not end in -ly. The easiest way to identify an adverb is to see if it answers one of the adverb questions.
I will call you tomorrow. (When will you call me? Tomorrow.)
I left my book there. (Where did you leave the book? There.)
Now that you know what adverbs are, you can teach adverbs in a fun way with these activities.
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Activities That Teach Adverbs
Your students won’t forget adverbs when you teach or reinforce them with these fun adverb activities.
Adverb Charades
Have kids act out different adverbs while others guess what they are.
You may want to provide an “adverb bank,” so guesses aren’t all over the place!
Adverb Hunt
Give kids a list of adverbs and have them search for examples in books or magazines.
The most common adverbs are: always, usually, normally, often, frequently, sometimes, occasionally, and seldom.
The most frequent adverb is not. It answers the question, “To what extent?”
She did not do her homework. (To what extent did she do her homework? She did not do it.)
Adverb Relay Race
Set up a relay race where kids have to run and pick up cards with adverbs written on them.
They can stick them into pre-written sentences.
Adverb Pictionary
Play a game of Pictionary using only adverbs as the prompts.
Again, provide an adverb bank.
Adverb Song
Play a catchy song that incorporates various adverbs and have kids sing along.
Our pick: MC Grammar’s Adverb Song
Adverb Storytelling
Encourage kids to write or tell stories using as many adverbs as possible. Give them a list to work from.
These can get pretty ridiculous!
Adverb Obstacle Course
Design an obstacle course where kids have to perform actions using adverbs.
For example, “Spin slowly on the chair,” “Divide the red and white marbles evenly,” or “Tip toe quietly across the rug.”
Adverb Tic-Tac-Toe
Play a tic-tac-toe game, but instead of Xs and Os, use adverbs as the markers.
The Xs could be adverbs that tell how often (write them in red): frequently, sometimes, rarely, often, regularly.
The Os could be adverbs that tell where (write them in blue): downstairs, inside, there, here, up, down.
Adverb Memory Game
Create a memory game by matching adverbs with their corresponding actions or pictures.
Or you could match them with the questions they answer: how, when, where, etc.
Adverb Scavenger Hunt
Hide cards with adverbs around the house or classroom and have kids find them.
Adverb Art
Have kids create artwork that represents different adverbs.
Or they could incorporate the words themselves into the picture.
Adverb Simon Says
Play a game of Simon Says, incorporating adverbs into the commands.
“Simon says, “Sing loudly!”
Adverb Board Game
Create a board game where players move around the board by answering questions about adverbs.
Websites like Storyboard That! allow you to adapt gameboard templates and customize them with your content.
Adverb Puppet Show
Have kids put on a puppet show where the puppets use adverbs in their dialogue.
You can create a “Mad Libs” type script where they provide the adverbs.
Adverb Word Search
Create a word search puzzle with adverbs for kids to solve.
Adverb Yoga
Incorporate adverbs into yoga poses, such as “stretch slowly” or “breathe deeply.”
Adverb Bingo
Play a game of bingo using adverbs as the called-out words.
Adverb Role Play
Assign each child an adverb and have them act out different scenarios using their assigned adverb.
For example, have them create a scene that explains why they would “eat quickly,” “talk quickly,” and “quickly explain.”
Adverb Jigsaw Puzzle
Create jigsaw puzzles where the pieces contain adverbs, and kids have to put them together correctly.
You can even turn this into a relay race where two teams compete to grab pieces and complete identical puzzles.
Adverb Trivia Quiz
Test kids’ knowledge of adverbs with a fun trivia quiz.
You can use light-up buzzers to make it more like a quiz show.
Adverb Cooking
Have kids follow recipes and incorporate adverbs into their cooking instructions.
For example, “Slowly mix the flour and liquids,” “Gently beat the eggs,” and “Lightly coat the pan with cooking spray.”
Adverb Activities That Will Help Kids Learn
Sure, you can teach adverbs with worksheets. But is that any fun?
These 20+ adverb activities not only make grammar an enjoyable subject but also help students remember what they have learned.
Try some adverbs activities today! (When should you try them? Today!)