Classroom Game Ideas for Primary School Teaching

1. Bingo

The absolute classic, this works a treat every time. There are quite a few online bingo card generators, otherwise you can make them yourself using images from your flashcards. This came is great to cement vocab learning.

Each child has a card with a different selection of pictures on it. The teacher reads out the word for each picture one at a time and if the student has it on their card they cross it out. The first to cross out all their pictures is the winner and shouts 'BINGO!'. The student then has to read out loud the names of each picture they crossed out.

Bring prizes for the winners (stickers are always a good shout). Game can also be altered to the first to get 3 in a row, for example, which makes it last a bit longer.

2. Hangman

A great way to revise the alphabet. Tell the students they are only allowed to say letters in English!

Think of a word (I often play hangman at the start of a lesson to introduce the topic), then draw spaces on the board for each letter of the word. Students have to guess which letters are in the word. If they say a word that is, fill in the space. If not, start drawing a hangman (you might need to include a face for some classes so they can get the whole word)!

3. Simon Says

An absolute favourite for all my classes, this is also a great time filler if you've run out of things to do and still have 5 minutes to spare at the end of the lesson. Also a great game to play when teaching parts of the body.

Tell all the students to stand up. Tell them to do an action, such as clap your hands, touch your head/nose/shoulders etc. If you say Simon Says before the action, everyone should do it. However, if you just say the action and they do it then they are eliminated and have to sit down.

Some students get really good at this game so some tips for the end would be to try harder actions e.g. put your left hand in the air. Tell the last 5 students to go to the front of the class so everyone who's been eliminated can easily call out their classmates!

4. Pictionary

Another great game to play at the end of the lesson to reflect on the vocabulary you've just taught. The students love the chance to come up to the front and draw on the blackboard!

Draw a picture on the board and the children have to guess what it is (in English of course). Whoever guesses first gets to come up and it's their turn to draw. You can print out cards with words for them to pick out a hat or they can just come up with them on their own.

5. Charades

Very similar to pictionary, only instead of drawing the words they have to act them out! This is fantastic for teaching animals and sports. It can be very funny as some of them get really into it. I've found it works best if you have the cards in a hat for them to pick.

6. Eleven / Twenty One

Great for learning numbers, everyone stands up and you go round the class. Each person is allowed to say up to three numbers. The first person starts, for example saying 1,2,3 therefore the second person can say either 4, 4,5, or 4,5,6. If someone makes a mistake they are eliminated and have to sit down and you restart from number one. This carries on until number 11 (or 21 for older classes). Whoever says 11 (or 21) is eliminated.

For really good classes you can add in extra rules: two numbers changes direction and three numbers skips a person.

Flashcard Games

1. Splat
Put all the flash cards in the middle of the board. Split the class into two teams (girls vs. boys is usually easiest) and ask for a volunteer from each team. The two team members stand at either side of the board with their hands behind their backs. When the teachers calls out one of the flash cards, the students must touch the right card as quickly as they can. The first one to do so wins a point for their team. Then switch round for two more people so the whole class gets a turn.

2. True or False
Tell the students you are going to have a competition, you vs. them (this will make them get very competitive)! The teacher holds up a flash card and says a word. If what they say is on the card, and therefore true, the students put their hands up. If it is false, they do nothing. If one person makes a mistake the teacher wins the point, but if the whole class gets it right then they win. First to 10 points usually works for this one.

3. Gimme
Very simple - simply ask the class to raise their hand if they know what's on the card. Get it right and you give them the card. This encourages the whole class to get involved as they have an incentive to answer the question. Once you have handed out all the cards, tell the students with a card to pass it on to a friend. Say the words and whoever has the right card brings it up to the front.

4. Vanishing Act
This will also test their memory. Arrange all the flash cards on the board and jumble them up. Tell the students to close their eyes then take one card away. Tell them to open their eyes and ask them to tell you which card is missing. Can also carry on class competition.

5. Lucky Dip
Put all the flash cards in a bag. Pick a card and ask the class to raise their hand if they know the word. Pick a student and if they get it right they can come to the front and choose a card for someone else to  answer. Continue until all you run out of cards.