The teacher can create a matching game for rhyming vocabulary using a file folder. The teacher prints out a page with two columns. One side is a list of words, and on the other side of the page, the rhyming words are listed in random order. The teacher pastes the paper to one side of the folder and repeats the process for the other side using other words. Glue on yarn to the original side, and put a hook and loop on the other side by the words, so that if students make a mistake, they can remove the yarn and correct the problem.
File folders can have word opposites put on the page. For word opposites, teachers might use images or pictures to show the word while also using the written word beneath, so students are able to understand the meaning of the word and determine the opposites even when they are just starting to read.
File folders made into board games have game pieces separate, and the board is made into blocks spanning both sides. When the students roll a dice or spin the wheel to move the piece, the students can pick a card with various vocabulary words listed. The students should read the word, and then explain the meaning of the word. If the answer is wrong, the child loses a turn. Teachers can use this to help students understand the meaning of class vocabulary words. The game is better for older students who are already able to read.
Students who are learning the differences between verbs and nouns can benefit from a file folder game. The students should have a list of words, and should have the directive of finding which words do not belong. For example, if the list of words are primarily verbs, the nouns do not belong, and the students need to cover the nouns. The other side might have the opposite where nouns are dominate and the verbs do not belong. This game helps students determine the differences between different words.