Cards Games - Pelmanism

http://www.visual-idioms.com/

I recommend that you make a set of cards you can use for different games. Print out the images on an A3 or A4 sheet (each image about size 10 x10 centimetres), laminate them, and cut them up http://visualidioms.blogspot.com/
Also make cards with the idioms (the text); the word cards should be the same size as the image cards. The image cards should have a symbol on the back so that you can distinguish them from the word cards when you turn them face down.

With this set you can play Pelmanism: The cards are thoroughly mixed and spread face down on the playing surface - table or floor. The cards should not overlap, and can be arranged in a regular pattern or spread irregularly as desired. Players take turns to play. At your turn you turn face up two cards of your choice from the layout (always an image card and a word card). If they match, you take these two cards, store them in front of you, and take another turn. If they do not match, you turn them face down, without changing their position in the layout, and it is the next player's turn. To make the game more meaningful, ask your students to explain the idiom, translate it and/or make an example sentence if they want to keep the cards.

Although making the cards looks a bit time-consuming, it will pay off in the end. You can use them over and over again and if you laminate them, they'll last for long.