Classroom English Games for Every Age Group (2024)

The lessons you learn in English are constantly applied, both in and outside of school. Students will develop their critical thinking skills in addition to developing their mastery of the language enough to become effective communicators across all their endeavours.

Utilising classroom games for English as part of your educational mix engages students in this incredibly important subject and could help to dramatically improve outcomes for children of all ability levels. Whether you’re playing a simple variation of a classic card game or investing in complex educational games for your interactive display,there are a huge number of games you can play to improve your students’ English abilities.

We’ve gathered some great classroom English games below:

English games for KS1

Key Stage One is a vital part of any child’s language development. During this period you will be helping students master their pronunciation of familiar and unfamiliar words using the phonics knowledge they’ve already gained while also building their reading, spelling and overall vocabulary.

Whilst children in key stage one are still young, the right English education can set them up to be great communicators and provide them with a huge boost in confidence to take forward throughout their education and life.

ABC Countdown

The building block of English education: the alphabet. This game gives students 30 seconds to put the letters in the correct order. Complete mastery of the alphabet will be required as students have to think fast and click faster to finish on time, and it’s much more fun than a simple recital!

Karate Cats

Your students can head to the dojo and train with the karate cats to become masters of spelling, grammar and punctuation in this fun interactive English game for KS1 students.

Students will complete sentences, spell words and choose the correct grammar to advance through levels and gain their black belt from the karate cats’ sensei. When learning to spell is this much fun, your students will become experts in no time.

Small Town Superheroes

Featuring a range of small town superheroes, students playing this game use their English skills to complete the missions. Over the course of the game they will:

  • Perfect their punctuation with MC Ernie
  • Gain confidence in compound words with Evergreen Ena
  • Tackle tricky spellings with Acrobat Annie
  • Grow their grammar skills with Sporty Steve
  • Find information with Undercover Ursula
  • Sail through sounds with Sally Tape and Percy Painter

With 18 mini games to play, the Small Town Superheroes provide your KS1 students with a great way to develop all of their English skills and showcase what they’ve learnt.

English games for KS2

Building on the basics developed in key stage one, Key Stage 2 English sees students master more complex spellings and begin to understand the difference between verbs, adjectives, nouns and more. All of this will further hone their communication skills and help students construct much more complex, descriptive sentences while understanding the right time to use certain words or phrases.

Eerie Nouns and Adjectives

Develop your students’ ability to properly use nouns and adjectives in this game which tasks them with transforming a dull story into a best-selling horror tale.

Students will need to apply their understanding of everything they’ve learnt in English so far to choose the best words to use to spice up the story and the right place to use them.

As well as working alone, students can gather into groups to discuss their ideas and create the best story possible. After this introduction, why not task them with stretching their imagination and writing their own horror story from scratch?

Crystal Explorers

Use your knowledge of grammar, punctuation and spelling to protect the valuable crystals from the sneaky pirate, Salty Dan.

Students can play as one of four brave explorers as they navigate through five fantastic maze worlds, solving puzzles as they go. Alternatively, you can task students with solving the most challenging puzzles straight away as they jump over snapping crocodiles and swing across waterfalls on their way to victory.

Adjective Detective

When he’s not out solving crimes, the Adjective Detective uses his powers of observation to help spot adjectives.

Over the course of this game, your students will work with the Adjective Detective to learn everything they need to know about adjectives and play games in which they’re tasked with identifying the adjectives used in a range of sentences.

English games for KS3

During Key Stage 3 English, students are guided through increasingly challenging reading and writing tasks and they develop an ability to think critically about texts; write fluent, complex pieces for a variety of audiences and build on the knowledge of vocabulary and grammar to study their use in more detail.

Boggle

As well as being a classic for a family games night, Boggle is an ideal way for students to test and improve their vocabulary while improving their pattern recognition.

This version allows you to pause the timer, so students can compete to find as many words as possible as quickly as possible, or work together to find every possible combination. Upon completion, the game will show you every possible word so you know any you’ve missed. A simple way for students to work together to build their vocabulary.

Sentence Construction Dice

Building increasingly complex sentences is a vital part of the evolution of any child’s development as a communicator. However, it’s easy for students to slip into old habits and stick to simpler sentences if they’re not confident in their abilities.

Sentence construction dice help build your students’ confidence and encourage them to use complex sentence structures and punctuation. By removing the focus on decision making, they help students focus on the fundamentals of sentence construction and truly understand how to put them together in an effective manner.

Against the Clock

Are your students good spellers? Get them to test their skills in a race against the clock!

This game features incomplete sentences with a narrator reading out the word students have to fill in, they then have to act quickly and spell the word properly. By not giving students the time to think through and sound the word out, you’ll quickly identify particular areas of weakness in their spelling. You can either play this game on your interactive whiteboard or have students write their answer down for each spelling to provide you with a better understanding of each student’s ability.

English games for KS4

As GCSEs approach and students start thinking about their future beyond school, English skills become more important than ever. Effective writing becomes important for applications which have a huge impact on their future alongside helping pass exams, while advanced analysis of literature is expected as critical thinking skills further develop and are put to the test.

Ultimately, any learning activities for key stage four English need to both help students develop the abilities they’ll use outside the classroom while fulfilling their primary purpose of helping maximise exam grades.

Connectives SNAP!

The classic games of snap, updated to include different types of connectives.

In this variation, a SNAP is valid when two cards show connectives that are synonyms, rather than when identical connectives appear. Your students will need to be completely clear as to which connectives perform the same function if they’re to win, while you can also include the opportunity to build sentences using the connectives for bonus points.

GCSE English Language Techniques

Do you students know their similes from their metaphors or their opinions from their facts? This quick Sporcle quiz is your chance to find out.

With a time limit of just five minutes, this quiz tasks students with identifying the language techniques used in the hints and is a great way to start a lesson in which you discuss the different techniques. What easier way is there to discover exactly which techniques your students are unsure of so you can tweak your lesson accordingly?

Shakespeare Glossary

Studied by GCSE English students for decades, understanding the works of Shakespeare and the techniques used within is vital for student success at GCSE level English.

In this simple drag and drop game, your students are tasked with matching the relevant description of a technique with the name of the technique itself. Again, this is a great way to establish where students may be struggling and help to guide you as you further their understanding of Shakespeare’s works.

And if you don’t like match-up games, you can simply change the format to a crossword puzzle or quiz format the whole class can easily collaborate on.

Use games to improve your English outcomes with Promethean

Keeping students involved in the process is important, regardless of your teaching style. When your students come to a classroom and feel like an active participant, they’re sure to benefit. Promethean creates world leading interactive displays, often referred to as interactive whiteboards, designed with the classroom in mind. Not only that, but we set the standard on educational software to help you get the most out of your smart technology.

Interested in learning more? Visit the virtual demo page to request a live demo of the Promethean ActivPanel interactive display.

If you have enjoyed this guide, why not check out some of our other expert interactive whiteboard resources.

Classroom English Games for Every Age Group (2024)

FAQs

What games can you play during class? ›

These top 10 classroom games provide fun ways to engage your students in academic learning, without them even realizing it!
  • Charades. ...
  • Hangman. ...
  • Scatter-gories. ...
  • Bingo. ...
  • Draw swords. ...
  • Hot potato. ...
  • Pictionary.
2 Mar 2018

How do I make English class fun for kids? ›

7 Simple Ways to Make Learning English Fun for Your Child
  1. Teach them through songs. ...
  2. Use word games. ...
  3. Use interactive games. ...
  4. Storytime. ...
  5. Cartoons. ...
  6. Let them mingle with English-speaking friends. ...
  7. Let them play video games done in English.
25 Apr 2018

What are the activities for English club? ›

Your club can see an English-language movie together at a theater, go on a hike, or attend a concert to watch an English-language band. Another idea is to visit a museum with an English-speaking guide. If club members enjoy writing, collect English-language essays, stories, or poetry that they write.

What is a fun classroom game? ›

1. Charades. In the game of charades, students can study vocabulary words and learn public-speaking skills by doing physical exercise. One student performs actions or movements associated with a word while their classmates guess it out loud. The person who guesses the correct option receives the next word to perform.

What are the five educational games? ›

Check out these five active educational games for kids:
  • Sylla-balls. ...
  • Letter Sound/Sight Word Road. ...
  • Letter Sound Hopscotch. ...
  • Sight Word/Letter Stomp. ...
  • Numbers Bowling.
16 Apr 2015

What is simple English game? ›

countable noun. A game is an activity or sport usually involving skill, knowledge, or chance, in which you follow fixed rules and try to win against an opponent or to solve a puzzle. ...

How can I make my English class fun? ›

Here's how to make learning English fun for your students:
  1. Get to know your student. Set a target or a goal. ...
  2. Make the lesson interactive by using props and telling stories.
  3. Be mindful of body language and play with the tone of your voice.
  4. Reward the student and play games.
  5. Don't take it so seriously. Have fun!
3 Jun 2020

What games do English people play? ›

  • 5.1.1 Association football.
  • 5.1.2 Cricket.
  • 5.1.3 Rugby football. 5.1.3.1 Rugby union. 5.1.3.2 Rugby league.
  • 5.1.4 Field hockey.
  • 5.1.5 Ice hockey.
  • 5.1.6 Gaelic games.
  • 5.1.7 Shinty.
  • 5.1.8 Australian rules football.

How can I make my students enjoy English? ›

Here are three strategies for motivating ESL students.
  1. Trigger Their Interests. Make English learning personal. ...
  2. Integrate Fun Activities and Technology. Games and fun activities offer several benefits to students. ...
  3. Encourage Language Experiences Outside of the Classroom.

How can I get students excited about English? ›

Motivating Students to Learn English with 5 Smart Tactics
  1. Make Class Communicative. One way to encourage your students' intrinsic motivation is to make class communicative. ...
  2. Make English Practical. People don't like doing things that are pointless. ...
  3. Make Class Fun. ...
  4. Forge Relationships. ...
  5. Give Feedback.
25 Jan 2021

How do I teach English to shy students? ›

Here are some tips for teaching shy kids to help you get them out of their shell and participating in class.
  1. Identify why they don't want to speak up. ...
  2. Don't put them on the spot. ...
  3. Don't push them too much. ...
  4. Build a relationship. ...
  5. Highlight small victories. ...
  6. Be very delicate about correcting them.
27 Apr 2015

What activities can be done on English day? ›

How to celebrate English Language Day
  • Watch a film based on one of Shakespeare's plays, or another famous English novelist such as Charles Dickens, Jane Austen or Roald Dahl.
  • Play a word game, like Scrabble or Hangman.
  • Get your students to research fun facts about English and present them to the class.
  • Host a book club.
23 Apr 2022

What are the warm up activities for students? ›

Warm-up activities for all levels
  • Photo sharing mingle (10-20 minutes) ...
  • Asking correct questions (10-15 minutes) ...
  • Vocabulary race (15-20 minutes) ...
  • As many uses for a potato (20 minutes) ...
  • Special word detectives (30 minutes) ...
  • The thing of my dreams (25-30 minutes)
7 Oct 2021

Why activities are important in English classroom? ›

Activities help students to make and sustain the effort of learning. They provide practice in the basic language skills – listening, speaking, reading and writing. They encourage students to interact and communicate.

What can I do in 5 minutes in class? ›

So, what can you do to fill those pesky minutes? Here are my top ten favorite things to do:
  • Play “Or”
  • How Many Can You Name? ...
  • Do Some Whiteboard Art. ...
  • Show a Short Video. ...
  • ABC Game. ...
  • Do a Brain Teaser. ...
  • Play Pico, Fermi, Bagel. ...
  • Play a Quick Review Game. I love to play learning games in my classroom, and the kids LOVE them too. ...

What are the examples of language game? ›

Language games are used primarily by groups attempting to conceal their conversations from others. Some common examples are Pig Latin; the Gibberish family, prevalent in the United States and Sweden; and Verlan, spoken in France.

What are the 16 play types? ›

There are 16 different play types. These are: Communication Play, Creative Play, Deep Play, Dramatic Play, Exploratory Play, Fantasy and Imaginary Play, Locomotor Play, Mastery Play, Object Play, Recapitulative Play, Role Play, Rough and Tumble Play, Social Play, Socio-Dramatic Play, and Symbolic Play.

What are the 4 basic types of games? ›

Games can be used for practice/self-testing skills, cooperative play or competitive play. There are four basic types of games: invasion/territory, net/wall, striking/fielding and target.

What are 4 target games? ›

Sports that use target game objectives include archery, bocce, croquet, golf and ten pin bowling. Target Games provide fun and engaging ways to develop physical literacy across the four domains as outlined below.

What is the 5 minute game? ›

5-Minute Dungeon is a chaotic, co-operative, real-time card game in which players have only five minutes to escape the randomized dungeon. Communication and teamwork are critical to survival because there's no time to form a carefully considered plan — and no predicting what dangers lie ahead.

What is the 3 minute game? ›

The basic gist is this: you touch your partner how they want to be touched for 3 minutes (head scratching, skin stroking, light massage, still pressure etc.), then you let them touch you for 3 minutes how THEY want to touch you (this is what THEY want to experience by touching you, while you communicate your boundaries ...

What is indoor game in English? ›

Indoor games and sports are a variety of structured games or competitive physical exercises, typically carried out either at home, in a well-sheltered building, or in a specially constructed sport venue such as a gym, a natatorium, an arena or a roofed stadium.

How can I make class exciting? ›

Try and think outside the box when it comes to presenting material in class. This is how to make class interesting, both for you and for the students. Offer choices, get the students involved, invite guest speakers, go learn outdoors, take a field trip or look at other methods to keep your students engaged.

How many games do English teams play? ›

Seasons typically run from August to May with each team playing 38 matches (playing all 19 other teams both home and away).

Are there any British games? ›

Many major video game franchises are developed in the UK, including Grand Theft Auto, Tomb Raider, Burnout, LittleBigPlanet, Wipeout and Dirt, making Britain the third largest producer of video game series behind Japan and the United States.

Which is the traditional game of England? ›

One of the most popular traditional games in the UK is called Go Fish. This game is typically played with a deck of cards and can be enjoyed by players of all ages. The objective of the game is to collect as many pairs of cards as possible.

How do you challenge students in English? ›

5 tips to put challenge at the heart of your primary classroom
  1. Learn more about your students. ...
  2. Ask open questions and let them think. ...
  3. Encourage them to share opinions. ...
  4. Provide high level differentiation tasks. ...
  5. Offer choice.
15 Aug 2018

What are engaging activities? ›

Here are 14 creative ways to engage students in discussions, problem-solving, critical thinking, and more:
  • Assumption Busting. ...
  • Brain-sketching. ...
  • Brainstorming. ...
  • Concept Mapping. ...
  • Exaggeration. ...
  • Fishbone. ...
  • Laddering. ...
  • Negative (or Reverse) Brainstorming.

How do I become a creative English teacher? ›

6 Illuminating Ideas for Teaching English Creatively
  1. Teach Through Play. Have you ever participated in a three-legged race, where one of your legs is tied to one of your partner's and you run awkwardly to the finish line? ...
  2. Incorporate Students' Interests into Your Lessons. ...
  3. Celebrate Student Accomplishments.
8 Feb 2022

How do you deal with quiet students in class? ›

Encourage and Support Shy Students in Your Class
  1. Remember They're Not Doing This on Purpose. ...
  2. Start with Non-Verbal Communication. ...
  3. Let Them Move at Their Own Pace. ...
  4. Use Positive Reinforcement. ...
  5. Learn Their Triggers. ...
  6. Avoid Labeling Them. ...
  7. Create Safe Spaces With Friends. ...
  8. Give Them a Job.
8 Jun 2022

How can we solve talkative students? ›

Tips for Dealing with a Talkative Class
  1. Don't Teach Over Student Talking. ...
  2. Less Teacher Talk. ...
  3. Give Students Opportunities to Talk Regularly. ...
  4. Keep Students Engaged and Moving. ...
  5. Have an Attention Getter and Practice the Procedure. ...
  6. Change Up Your Positive Behavior Program. ...
  7. Be Firm and Fair With Discipline. ...
  8. Noise Isn't the Enemy.
23 Sept 2019

How do I teach my 7 year old English? ›

How to teach a kid to speak English at home [12 tips from experts...
  1. Sing songs with them.
  2. Use English in daily life.
  3. Set a regular learning routine.
  4. Play with your child in English.
  5. Ask them to act out something they see on TV.
  6. Read comics together.
  7. Praise them!
  8. Ask them open-ended questions in English.
12 Sept 2022

What are five warm-up activities? ›

Some other examples of warm-up exercises are leg bends, leg swings, shoulder/ arm circles, jumping jacks, jumping rope, lunges, squats, walking or a slow jog, yoga, torso twists, standing side bends, lateral shuffle, butt kickers, knee bends, and ankle circles.

What is a warm-up activity in English? ›

A warm up activity is a short, fun game which a teacher or trainer can use with students. The purpose of a warm up is to: • encourage the students • wake them up – first thing in the morning and after lunch people are often a little sleepy • prepare them to learn by stimulating their minds and/or their bodies.

What are 3 warm-up activities? ›

These are our favorite quick warm-up exercises that can help you prevent an injury during your workout!
  • Marching in place while swinging your arms.
  • Jumping jacks.
  • Walking jacks.
  • Arm circles and shoulder shrugs.
  • Mountain Climbers.
  • Swinging toe touches.
  • Leg swings (forward)
  • Leg swings (side to side).
2 May 2022

How are games used in the classroom? ›

5 Steps to Implementing Game-Based Learning in the Classroom [+ Game Examples]
  1. Determine the Purpose of Game-Based Learning. ...
  2. Play the Game Yourself, Making Sure It Is Aligned with Learning Goals. ...
  3. Ensure It Meets Expectations from Parents. ...
  4. Dedicate Time to Consistent In-Class Play.
3 Nov 2016

What are examples of student activities? ›

Types of student activities
  • Academic.
  • Civic Engagement.
  • Diversity/Cultural.
  • Honor Societies.
  • Leisure.
  • Recreational.
  • Religious/Spiritual.
  • Student-Run Event Planning Board.

What are the four types of learning activities? ›

The four core learning styles in the VARK model include visual, auditory, reading and writing, and kinesthetic.

Is it OK to play games during class? ›

Playing games in the classroom increases overall motivation. By playing games, students become more motivated to learn, pay attention and participate in set tasks. Games help students to become a part of a team as well as take responsibility for their own learning.

How can I entertain my class? ›

How to Have More Fun Teaching
  1. Discover new things together. ...
  2. Incorporate mystery into your lessons. ...
  3. Be goofy; show you care. ...
  4. Participate in projects. ...
  5. Avoid “going through the motions.” ...
  6. Flip your lessons. ...
  7. Review–but don't repeat–material. ...
  8. Share your passions.
10 Oct 2015

What are some in class activities? ›

12 Types of Classroom Activities for Adults | Examples to Engage Learners in Training Sessions
  • Quizzes.
  • Buzz Groups.
  • Snowballing.
  • Brainstorming.
  • Discussions and Group Learning.
  • Debates.
  • Presentations.
  • Role-play.
23 Oct 2022

What is educational games for students? ›

Educational games are those designed to teach people about a specific subject or a specific skill. They are made predominantly for kids and students of all ages, and can be used both inside the classroom and out. Educational games are a subset of serious gaming.

How do you create an educational game? ›

Guide to creating an educational game app
  1. Types of educational games. ...
  2. Think about setting and plot. ...
  3. Make it fun. ...
  4. Be creative but accurate. ...
  5. Follow school syllabi. ...
  6. Invest in quality art and sound. ...
  7. Let kids express themselves. ...
  8. Go for hyper-casual games.
9 Sept 2021

How do students learn best in the classroom? ›

Students learn by connecting new knowledge with knowledge and concepts that they already know, most effectively in active social classrooms where they negotiate understanding through interaction and varied approaches.

What can kids do in 15 minutes? ›

15 Minute Dates for quality time with your child
  • Go for a walk around the block. ...
  • Run an errand together. ...
  • Read a few picture books. ...
  • Play “Don't Eat the Goldfish.” We've been playing this game for years and years and my girls never get tired of it. ...
  • Color together. ...
  • Organize something. ...
  • Check on the garden. ...
  • Dance Party.

What can be taught in 15 minutes? ›

15 New Things to Learn in 15 Minutes
  • #1 Tarot Card Reading.
  • #2 Cooking or Baking.
  • #3 Sewing.
  • #4 Gardening.
  • #5 Calligraphy.
  • #6 Interior Design.
  • #7 Painting.
  • #8 Cocktail making.

How do I keep my students busy? ›

Read on for a list of activities to keep kids busy, learning and entertained while you work or study:
  1. Build a Fort. ...
  2. Gather Donations. ...
  3. Start a Journal. ...
  4. Learn to Draw. ...
  5. Hear a Story from Space. ...
  6. Build the Ultimate Paper Airplane. ...
  7. Put on a Play. ...
  8. Collect Broken Crayons.
18 Mar 2020

What are the most popular school activities? ›

Popular activities include sports, scouts, art, theater, music, and community service. Many children also join school-affiliated organizations (like student council), competitive academic clubs (like Model U.N. or math club), and affinity groups that help connect kids with shared identities.

What are classroom group activities? ›

Adding some fun and levity to your classroom helps your students build informal connections with peers.
  • 1) Pub quiz.
  • 2) Idea building blocks.
  • 3) Spaghetti tower.
  • 4) Scavenger Hunt.
  • 5) Newspaper fashion show.
  • 11) Think-pair-repair.
  • 12) Why am I here?
  • 13) Improv games.
26 Mar 2021

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Nicola Considine CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 5413

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (49 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Nicola Considine CPA

Birthday: 1993-02-26

Address: 3809 Clinton Inlet, East Aleisha, UT 46318-2392

Phone: +2681424145499

Job: Government Technician

Hobby: Calligraphy, Lego building, Worldbuilding, Shooting, Bird watching, Shopping, Cooking

Introduction: My name is Nicola Considine CPA, I am a determined, witty, powerful, brainy, open, smiling, proud person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.