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Every English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher knows: games are essential for the classroom! ESL games for kids are especially important to keep the littlest learners happy and engaged.
Of course, knowing that games are essential is different from coming up with games your students will love! Nowadays, many teachers have classes fully online, or partially online—and games are important in online lessons, too!
English language games for single players are also beneficial to know. Students can use these to practice English in their own time, in a way that doesn’t feel like homework and gain real-life examples from these apps.
Read on for 16 fun and exciting ESL games for kids: for the classroom, for online lessons, and in the form of gaming apps for individual learning.
Benefits of playing games to learn English
Games don’t just pass the time or re-engage the students. There are a lot of benefits to using games to teach English (or teach anything).
Studies show that learning in a relaxing and fun way improves overall language acquisition. Games motivate learning, are a safe way to practice English (especially for shy students), and can promote communication among peers.
Teachers can use ESL games for kids (and adults!) for revision, to teach new concepts, to break the ice, to promote teamwork, and to practice all aspects of learning English (writing, reading, speaking). Games can also be tailored to all levels, students, interests, class sizes, and lessons.
Also read: How to Teach English to Kids: 10 Effective Methods
See what I mean? Games are the best! Now that you know why we use games in our English lessons, here are some games you can implement yourself in your lessons.
Games for the classroom
The following list covers some of the best face-to-face ESL games for kids (and bonus: most of them can be customized to adult English learners, too!).
1. Simon Says
Let’s start with a classic: Simon Says!
Simon Says is great for all teachers: it’s customizable, so you can change the language depending on the focus of the day. It can also be very energetic if the kids need to get out some wiggles.
For those who don’t know, Simon Says has the teacher (“Simon”) giving commands following this sentence structure: “Simon Says…jump up and down!” The students must listen closely, as when you give a command without saying “Simon Says,” the students aren’t supposed to do anything! If they do, they must sit down/stop playing the game.
2. Board Race ESL
The Board Race ESL game is a flexible, entertaining way to practice vocabulary or grammar and promote teamwork. The class is broken up into teams (depending on the number of students) and the teacher assigns a theme with a set number of words, i.e., days of the week, first ten numbers, and parts of speech.
The students then race to write the set words down first—but they must take turns! Each teammate must write a single word, to ensure everyone participates, and teamwork is taught.
3. ESL Charades
ESL Charades is an ideal game for developing both vocabulary and speaking skills. This is also one of the most fun ESL games for kids! In charades, the players choose a piece of paper with a target word, then act out said word for their team to guess—without speaking!
This game is easily customizable for the teacher, and the students can be involved by drawing or writing potential action words on slips of paper. Students will practice reading, speaking, and working as a team. In addition, pairing movement with language has been shown to promote fluency and acquisition.
4. Telephone
In the Telephone ESL game, players (students) pass words, phrases, or sentences down a line (or in a circle) by whispering them to the person next to them. At the end of the circle or line, the last student must say what they heard out loud.
Kids love coming up with silly phrases (make sure to monitor for appropriateness, although this usually isn’t as big of a deal with ESL learners), and it’s always entertaining to see what the final words become!
The teacher can assign a certain topic the students must use, make a list of target vocabulary, or use it to introduce new vocabulary and/or themes.
5. Student vs Teacher
Kids of any age (and let’s be real, many adults, too) just love to compete with their teacher! Therefore, Student vs Teacher is an especially fun game for the classroom. A T-chart is written on the board, with one side reading “Students” and the other “Teacher.”
The teacher then asks a question, and if the students get it right, they get a point. If the students get it wrong, the teacher gets a point!
Bonus: many teachers use this game when establishing class rules, to help students listen and stay on task.
6. Hangman
Hangman sounds much more violent than it is, I promise!
Draw a gallows on the board, then think of a word. The students must take turns guessing letters. Every incorrect letter adds a new body part to the rope in the gallows. Players try to guess the word before a fully formed person is hanging—otherwise, they lose!
Hangman is best for students who have the basics of letters and reading down, but otherwise, can be widely used across the various levels
Online games for individual learning
Don’t be afraid to use technology! Many of these English learning apps are great companions to help a child (or student) practice English at home or on the go. You can also check this comprehensive list of English learning resources.
7. Mondly
One of the best English learning apps, Mondly uses real-life vocabulary in interactive (and fun!) quizzes and games to promote efficient English learning. Mondly is separated into varying categories, like grammar, travel, history, and conversations, so the app is easily customized for each player.
The Mondly English learning app has free daily lessons, but for more customizable options and content, check out Mondly Premium, using this Mondly promo.
8. ABCya
ABCya is a learning website brimming with interactive, entertaining ESL games for kids online, designed for kids of all ages. Although ABCya has games for a variety of subjects, the language arts section focuses on all aspects of English learning.
Select the correct grade, from pre-Kindergarten to 6th grade plus, and the students will be able to immerse themselves in everything from the ABCs and days of the week to more complicated topics like holidays and geography.
Experience ABCya ad-free on up to five devices with the premium family plan.
9. Akinator
Akinator isn’t a game, but a genie!
It’s ideal for practicing questions in English, especially, but also aids in fluency, parts of speech, vocabulary, listening skills, and so much more. The player thinks of a famous person, prominent figure, or fictional character. Akinator will then ask 20 questions in an attempt to guess who the player has in mind.
The best part? Akinator is stunningly accurate…maybe even actually a genie?
10. Drops
Drops is a vocabulary-focused language learning game that focuses primarily on visual aids to introduce new vocabulary. It also increases memory by using repetition and pattern-making—once you (or your student/child) get into a game streak, you won’t want to break it by missing a day! Repetition and patterns are very important in learning English.
Although Drops has quite a few free lessons on the app, Drops Premium is the best way to get the full ad-free experience, as well as unlimited playtime, offline access, and tons of new fun features.
English language games for the online classroom
I see you, online teachers! Your classrooms need ESL games for kids, too! Most of these lessons can also be used in a regular classroom but will be easy to adapt to online teaching.
11. Pictionary
Pictionary is a classic learning game and is especially helpful for ESL learners. In the Pictionary ESL game, students guess words, phrases, or sentences from their teammate’s drawings.
While this is a great classroom game, it can also be easily adapted to online learning with the proper tools. Many online classrooms will have screen-sharing capabilities, so the students can see each other draw. If not, you (as the teacher) can always hold up a drawing for your students to guess.
12. Two Truths and a Lie
Two Truths and a Lie is another game that can target speaking, reading, and writing skills, all in a fun and approachable way.
Everyone takes a turn (including the teacher, who can lead by example) either writing or saying three separate statements, usually about themselves. That catch? One of these must be false, and the other two must be true!
Then, the other students must guess which of the statements is the false one. Two Truths and a Lie is a great icebreaker, while also facilitating relationships and conversation.
13. Word Chain
In “Word Chain,” the teacher assigns a topic with a variety of theme words, such as food. One student will either say or write a word in that category, and their teammate or fellow pupil must think of another word that starts with the last letter of the prior word.
The catch is, that it must be within the original category! So, if Student A says “potato,” Student B must name a food that starts with “O,” such as “orange.”
14. Scattergories
In Scattergories, the students are given a list of categories. Then, a letter from the alphabet is picked (usually from a die), and the timer is set.
For each category, the players must come up with something that follows the given letter. If category one is “animals,” and the token letter is “A,” the student can list, for example, aardvark, anteater, or antelope, to name a few ideas!
There are many Scattegories templates online you can adapt to your lesson, or make up your own list of categories yourself.
15. Name 5!
Name 5! is a fun, easy, no-prep game for online ESL classrooms (and in-person classrooms) that’s also an ideal ice-breaker or warm-up. Although there are cards you can purchase, you can either toss out random categories, or have the students come up with them in pairs, or as a class.
Whoever is assigned the category, such as “Name five things in your school bag,” must name the five items in under 30 seconds (or whatever time frame you choose).
16. Odd One Out
For this ESL game, the teacher says (or writes) five to ten different words, which all have something in common—except for one! The students then must identify the word that doesn’t match, or is the “Odd One Out.”
This game is a good one that can be adjusted easily to different levels. For younger students, throw in a number amongst letters of the alphabet; for older students, list verbs that are all in the same tense—except one, of course.
Conclusion
Games are, if you ask me, essential for any classroom, and essential for language learning. It’s especially important to use a variety of games with younger learners, as it improves memory, confidence, and fluency.
Do you have any more ESL games for kids to add to this list? Share the wealth in the comments below!