Barrier games are a great way to work on a variety of different skills, whether that's vocabulary, articulation, turn taking, following directions, prepositions, or whatever else you might think of.
They're also great for a wide variety of ages and abilities. Especially when the scenes and game pieces are fairly simple like this free printable space themed barrier game.
So, if your child is easily overwhelmed visually and/or you need a simpler barrier game, then this one should work well for your needs. After all, it uses fewer items.
Also, it's a great game to play with hyperlexic kids who have an interest in space (it is a common interest for these kids after all!).
What is a Barrier Game?
Barrier games are a way to practice speech and social skills concepts by creating and describing scenes to another player and having them recreate the scene on their own game board. An example of a barrier game that you might be familiar with is Battleship.
We personally use barrier games to work on skills such as:
- Following directions
- Listening skills
- Prepositions (on, under, above, beside, next to, etc.)
- Expressive speech
- Vocabulary
- Turn taking
- Comprehension
But, of course, that's not all! You can use barrier games to practice a wide variety of different speech, language, and social skills. You can learn more about barrier games and their benefits here.
How to Use the Free Space Themed Barrier Game
To prep this barrier game, you will need at least two players. Simply download, print two copies of both the scene and the items (one copy for each player), cut the individual items, and laminate all pieces for durability (optional).
To play this barrier game, have all players sit at a table and set up a barrier. A file folder or book works great! The goal is to make sure that all players cannot see each other's materials.
Each player takes turns placing an object on the scene and describing to the other player where to place the objects. It's important to give clear and specific directions on where to place the objects.
The objective of the game is to have identical pictures at the end. That is, all players should have matching scenes with the items placed in the same spots for all players.
Download the Free Printable On the Moon Barrier Game
Want More Barrier Games?
You'll find even more themes in the barrier games bundle!
Click here to get your copy of the barrier games bundle
