If you’re looking to create some fun and excitement in your classes, then consider some of these fun classroom games. They’re the best class games to play with students. Keep on reading to find out all the details you need to know about these fun games to play in class when bored.
Games to play in class
Fun Classroom Games to Try Out
Let’s get into the best education classroom games to try out with your students! Keep on reading for the best options to consider if you want to have some with students of all ages.
#1: Concentration Memory Game
Concentration is one of my favourite classroom games for kids, teens, and adults. It’s a challenging memory game that can be used to review just about anything. It’s one of my favourite guessing games!
Students have to find matching pairs before their classmates do. Learn more about it:
#2: Mystery Box Classroom Game
Try out this fun game for children! Put some items into a box and then cover the lid so that just a small hand can fit through. Then, students have to feel things inside the box to be able to identify what the objects are just by touch.
Try it out for Halloween too, for a spooky experience! Find out more details about it here:
#3: Name 5 Things Vocabulary Quiz
#4: A to Z Game
Try out this simple activity to help students use their creative powers! It’s possible to adapt this to any topic that you’re teaching that day. Students have to work together to think of a word for each letter that fits into a certain topic. Check it out:
#5: Flyswatter Game
This is a fun game that can be used to review any sort of grammar or vocabulary in an exciting way. Write down a bunch of words on the board and then give hints about one of them. The two students at the board race to slap the correct word with their flyswatters.
There are a bunch of different options, depending on the age and level of the students. Find out more about them here:
It’s certainly one of the most fun games to play in class when bored so be sure to give it a try.
#6: Running Dictation
#7: Odd One Out
This is a quick game that can be used to review vocabulary or focus on logic. Write down 4-5 words, in groups. One of the words should be different from the others. Here’s a simple example:
apple, cucumber, banana, watermelon
The obvious answer is cucumber because it’s a vegetable, not a fruit. However, I allow any answer as long as students are able to support their decision. Try it out for yourself:
#8: Error Correction Relay Race
Try out this fun game that has a ton of educational value. It takes something kind of boring (error correction) and makes it new again by turning it into a relay race. It’s ideal for English classes or for second language ones. Check out this article for more details:
#9: Get to Know you Bingo
I love a good Bingo game! However, it’s not the most educational game when you simply call out words and students have to cross them off their Bingo card. This is a game with a twist, where students have to talk to their classmates to find people who can answer yes to certain things, such as having a dog or living in a certain neighbourhood.
Find out how to do it here:
#10: Dialogue Substitution
#11: Password Game
Try out this fun game to play in the classroom. Students have to describe secret words to a classmate who has to guess what the word is. It’s a nice way to review things from science or social studies classes. Find out more:
#12: Charades and Pictionary Classroom Games
These are classic class games that most students really enjoy. I’m sure you’ve played both of them before.
Charades is where you have to act out a certain word or phrase in order to get your teammates to guess what it is. Pictionary is similar except that you have to draw instead of acting it out.
Have some fun with your students by trying out Charades or Pictionary. They are some of the most fun class games!
#13: Board Games
#14: Who Am I/What Am I?
This is a classic party game that can easily be adapted for the classroom. Each student gets a secret thing or person taped to their back. Then, they have to ask other students yes or no questions to try to find out who or what it is. Learn more about it here:
#15: Information Gap/Jigsaw Activities
#16: Word Challenge Spelling Game
Try out this fun whiteboard class game with your students if you want to focus on spelling. It’s interactive, engaging and students love the novelty of working together to make words on the board. Learn how to do it here:
#17: Even More Ideas for Fun Classroom Games
#18: Ball Toss Game
Try out this fun icebreaker game that students love. They have to toss a beach ball around the class, answering questions (or thinking of questions) as they go. It’s fun, interactive and students love the novelty of having a beach ball in the classroom! Try it out for yourself:
#19: Fun Things to do on the First Day of Class
#20: Casino
Give each group of students a certain amount of money. Then, write a sentence on the board with one or more errors in it. Students have to identify the error and bet a certain amount of money, depending on how confident they are on their answers.
Groups who are correct get that same amount of money back, while incorrect groups lose their bet. Continue until a group has a certain amount of money or everyone but one team has nothing left!
Fun games to play in the classroom
#21: Taboo
This is a fun party game that you may have played before. It’s also easy to adapt to a classroom game. Students have to describe a certain word but can’t use a set of related words.
It’s possible to use the actual game itself or to make your own version of it. Which option you choose depends on the age and level of the students.
#22: Hot Potato
#23: Apples to Apples
This is another fun game that’s ideal for helping students work on critical thinking skills. Students have to make associations between things and then say whey they think it’s a match.
It’s possible to buy the game online or in stores or to make your own. You could even get students to help you make the cards.
#24: 20 Questions Fun Classroom Game
I love to play this simple teaching game with my students. It’s ideal for working on critical thinking, in that students have to ask broad, general questions first before getting into the specifics.
If you want to focus more narrowly on something like jobs or animals, reduce the number of questions or it will be too easy.
#25: Vocabulary Auction
#26: Dictionary
Each group is given a word and a definition. Then, they have to come up with two more definitions, with the goal to fool their classmates into choosing one of the fake ones.
They read out all 3 definitions, then the other groups vote on which one they think is correct.
#27: Don’t Forget about Warmers!
Did you like these Classroom Games?
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Smith, Jennifer Booker (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 134 Pages - 03/31/2016 (Publication Date)
Yes? Thought so. Then you’re going to love this book: 101 ESL Activities for Kids. The key to better classes with children is a wide variety of engaging and interactive activities and games and this book will help you get there in style.
You can find the book in both digital and print formats. Pick up a copy to keep on the bookshelf in your office to use as a handy reference guide. Or, take the e-version with you to your favourite coffee shop for some lesson planning on the go. Either way, get ready for some ESL teaching awesome in your life with these games for the classroom.
Pick up your copy on Amazon today:
Have your Say about Fun Class Games
What do you think about these student games? Are they your favourites, or do you have another school teaching game that you’d like to recommend? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.
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Games to play during class
Last update on 2022-07-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
