Eleven Plus Games

“I try to make every session with my child into a game. I don’t want it to get all too serious. I know that I would really like my son to get in grammar – but I don’t want to push him. If he gets there he gets there. It is up to him.”

We can just visualise an Eleven Plus session in that house. Mum and her son mark out two lines on the carpet. Two verbal reasoning books are open behind one line while two separate sets of Eleven Plus mathematics questions are behind the other line.

Mum and son get down on their knees. Each has a large onion. The rules are simple. Push the onion with your nose over the line. Answer the question and turn around. This time push a cucumber back. Answer the mathematics question. The first person to complete the task wins.

A different type of Eleven Plus game could be `Woof Woof’. Sit the family and any friends in a big circle on the floor. The first player says: “One dog, two eyes, four legs, goes woof on a roof in Dulwich.”

The next player has to add another dog. “Two dogs, four eyes, eight legs, goes woof on a roof in Dulwich.”

Another dog is added: “Three dogs, six eyes, twelve legs, goes woof on a roof in Dulwich.” Anyone throwing scorn on this activity as an Eleven Plus game will need to play it to understand the value of the exercise.”

I am not sure what the mother had in mind when she talked about, “Making the Eleven Plus a game.”

I would, however, be grateful for any suggestions.