Mad Libs for Spanish Class Spanish: Un Día Loco en la Escuela
A Fun and Creative Language Activity
Mad Libs are a simple and entertaining way to get students thinking creatively in Spanish while reinforcing vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension. This activity works well as a warm-up, a brain break, partner work, or a low-prep substitute plan. Students create their own surprising and often hilarious stories by filling in the blanks before seeing the final passage.
How the Activity Works
Students first complete a list of prompts by supplying words such as nouns, adjectives, verbs, and emotions. Once their list is complete, they insert their answers into the Spanish story and read it aloud. The results are always unexpected and highly engaging.
Step 1: Fill in the Blanks
Students write their own words for each category without looking at the story.
A person’s name: ____________________
An adjective: ____________________
A noun (thing): ____________________
A verb in the infinitive: ____________________
Another noun: ____________________
A number: ____________________
A place: ____________________
A food item (plural): ____________________
An emotion: ____________________
A verb in past tense (pretérito): ____________________
Step 2: Read the Story Out Loud
Un Día Loco en la Escuela
Hoy, mi amigo/a [1] llegó a la escuela muy [2].
En su mochila había un/a [3] extraño.
Durante la clase de español, empezó a [4] con un/a [5] en la mano.
Después de [6] minutos, todos salimos al/a la [7].
Allí, comimos [8] y nos sentimos muy [9].
Finalmente, el/la profesor/a [10] y nos mandó a casa.
Why This Activity Works
• It encourages creativity and humor, which lowers anxiety and boosts participation.
• Students practice vocabulary and grammar in a meaningful context.
• It reinforces reading comprehension as students compare their completed version to the original.
• The activity is easy to differentiate for any level.
• It works well individually, in pairs, or as a whole-class activity.
Variations and Extensions
• Create themed versions (home, travel, food, family, weekend, school).
• Have students trade word lists with a partner before filling the story.
• Ask students to illustrate one sentence from their final version.
• Turn the completed stories into a gallery walk.
• Have advanced students write their own original Mad Lib story.
Final Thoughts
Mad Libs in Spanish are an excellent tool for bringing laughter, creativity, and meaningful language practice into the classroom. This activity works across levels and can be reused throughout the year with new themes and vocabulary.
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