The document provides descriptions of 12 games that can be used in an English language classroom with young learners. The games aim to develop a variety of English skills such as vocabulary, grammar, listening, and speaking. They include games like "Against the Clock" which reviews vocabulary through timed description, "Alpha Toss" which combines letter sounds to form words, and "Close Your Eyes!" which practices describing physical appearance through questions. Set up, materials, level, time, and aim are outlined for each game.

1. GAMES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS
Against the Clock
Skills: verbal description; vocabulary review
Group Size: 2-20
Time: 5-15 minutes
Materials Needed: Vocabulary word or picture cards
Interest Level: 5-young adult
Ability Level: upper beginning to advanced
Keep a box of vocabulary cards in the classroom. (I usually write out each week's vocabulary
words on index cards at the beginning of a week, then add these to the box as I teach them.) As
an end of the week review or a filler for those last five minutes of class, I select a student, hand
him or her the box and set a time limit of thirty to sixty seconds. This student draws a card from
the box, then proceeds to describe the object, action, emotion, etc. written thereon to the class.
As soon as the class guesses the word, the student proceeds to the next card, and so forth. One
point is given for each word guessed by the class. If a student does not know the meaning of a
vocabulary word he or she draws, he or she may skip it; however, one point is deducted for each
skipped card. This activity works well as either a team or an individual exercise. For added
practice, you may randomly ask students to use reviewed words correctly in sentences at the
end of each timed turn.
Alpha Toss
Skill: identifying initial sounds; combining sounds to create words
Group Size: 4 to 30
Prep Time: >1 hour
Playing Time: 5-20 minutes
Interest Level: ages 4 to 12
Ability Level: beginning to intermediate
Print each letter of the alphabet on a separate A4 sheet. In the lower right hand corner, assign a
point value to each letter. (I use the letter values from Scrabble.) If at all possible, laminate these
for prolonged life.
Purchase half a dozen bean bags, or create bean bags by filling old socks with dried beans,
sand, etc., then tying them shut.
Place letters in four rows, six in the first, seven in the second, six in the third, and seven in the
fourth. Students then stand at an assigned line and toss a bean bag onto the playing area.
Beginning students must think of a word beginning with the letter upon which the bean bag
landed, then use the word in a sentence. Intermediate students should toss two to three bean
bags, think of words that began with all letters, then use all words in one sentence. For more
advanced students, you might have them toss all six bean bags, then create a word using as
many of the letters as possible. Points are assigned for each letter used.

2. Close Your Eyes!
Skills: Describing physical appearance; asking and responding to questions; visual
discrimination
Group Size: 4 to 24
Prep Time: none
Playing Time: 5-20 minutes
Interest Level: ages 3 to adult
Ability Level: beginning to intermediate
Language used: "Look at _________." "Close your eyes!" colors, shapes, positions, articles of
clothing
Game: Choose a student to begin. Tell the student, "Look at _______." Allow the student to
examine the person or object for about five seconds, then direct the student, "Close your eyes!"
After the student's eyes are closed ask him or her a question about the person or object
examined. For example, you might ask, "What color is Sung-ho's shirt?" or "Is there a box of
crayons on my desk?" If the student responds incorrectly, direct him or her to open his or her
eyes and inspect the object for five more seconds. Direct the student to close his or her eyes
again and ask another question. Depending on class size, you may allow students up to three
turns. If the student correctly answers the question, he or she chooses a player as well as a
person or object and asks the next question.
I'm Going to the Supermarket...
Skills: naming food items, listing items in alphabetical order, identifying initials sounds, recalling
items in a series
Group Size: 2 to 36
Prep Time: none
Playing Time: 5-15 minutes
Interest Level: ages 3 to adult
Ability Level: beginning to lower intermediate
Choose a student to begin. This student will say, "I'm going to the supermarket to buy [food item
beginning with "a"]." The next student will then say, "I'm going to the supermarket to buy [food
item beginning with "a" named by first student] and [food item beginning with "b"].
Play continues, with each student recalling all previously mentioned items and adding another
item in alphabetical sequence. If a student misses an item or cannot think of an item to add, he
or she is out. The last remaining student wins.
If play continues after all letters have been exhausted, students repeat all previously named
words, then add a new word beginning with "a" and continue through the alphabet once more.
For example, "I'm going to the supermarket to buy apples and . . . zebra meat and apple juice . .
."
Note: The letters "q," "x," and "z" may be ommitted if you like. Or you may encourage creativity--
quiche, a xylophone-shaped cake, zebra meat, etc...

3. "I Spy With My Little Eye.."
Objectives: to describe common objects; to increase sensory perception; to verbalize sensory
detail
Group Size: 4 to 24
Prep Time: none
Playing Time: 5-15 minutes
Interest Level: ages 3 to 16
Ability Level: beginning
Language Used: Classroom objects; colors; "Is it ____?"; "Yes, it is."; "No, it isn't."
Game: Choose one student to be the spy. The spy looks around the room and selects and
object which he or she then whispers to the teacher. (With very young students, it might be better
to have them tell a teachers outside of the classroom.) He or she then announces to the class, "I
spy with my little eye something [color]." Students then take turns guessing the what the spy has
seen object (i.e. "Is it the teacher's shirt?") Whoever guesses correctly becomes the next spy.
In the City
Skill: Following oral directions to arrive at a specific locations
Group Size: 4-12
Prep. Time: 5 minutes [ready-made map]-1 hour [teacher-made map]
Time: 10-30 minutes
Interest Level: ages 3-adult
Ability Level: beginning
Materials: two identical city street maps listing sites such as school, post office, department
stores, hospital, churches, police stations, etc. (may be teacher created); two Matchbox cars
Game: Divide students into two groups. Student from each group places his car on map at a
prescribed location. Teacher gives directions to destination. (Example: "Turn right on to Main
Street. Go four blocks. Turn left at the church. Turn right onto the next street. Cross the railroad
tracks. Take the next left. The supermarket is two blocks down on your right.") Other students
should monitor to see that driver follows prescribed route. (In one class, I gave each student 10
tokens at the beginning of the game. Observing students were highway patrolmen who could fine
driver one token for directional violations. Students got to exchange tokens for M&M's at the end
of the game.)
In the Dark
Skill: Describing how a given object feels; associating descriptive terms with an appropriate
object
Group Size: 4 to 24
Prep Time: ~1/2 hour
Playing Time: 5-20 minutes
Interest Level: ages 3 to 14
Ability Level: beginning to intermediate

4. Language used: Common objects; words that describe texture/feeling--soft, hard, rough,
smooth, silky, light, heavy, small, large, cold, sharp, dull, etc.
Game: Fill a box with textured items--a piece of blanket, a feather, a square of sandpaper, a
rock, a small pillow, a bean bag, a coin, a ball, etc. Blindfold one student. Quietly choose one
item from the box and show it to the rest of the class. They must then give the blindfolded
student clues to help him or her find the object. For example, "it's small. It's round. It's cold. It's
heavy," and so forth.
Occupation, Please!
Skill: identifying and discussing occupations
Group Size: 4 to 20
Prep Time: > 20 minutes
Playing Time: 5-20 minutes
Interest Level: ages 5 to adult
Ability Level: beginning to lower intermediate
Paste pictures of people engaged in various occupations on 4 x 6 or larger cardstock, or write
occupations on cardstock (if students can read).
Select student to begin. The student draws a card and must assume that occupation shown.
Other students ask yes/no questions in order to guess occupation. Sample questions might be...
 Do you work inside?
 Do you treat sick people?
 Do you work with children?
 Do you work in an office?
 Do you travel a great deal?
Photographic Memory
Vocabulary Objective: to review and remember vocabulary.
Game Objective: to recall items, words, or pictures seen.
Group Size: 4 to 24
Prep Time: > 10 minutes
Playing Time: 5-20 minutes
Interest Level: ages 3 to adult
Ability Level: beginning to intermediate
Preparation: Place a variety of small items or flashcards (word or picture) face down on a table.
Cover these with a cloth or towel until playing begins.
Game: Uncover the objects and allow the players a set amount of time (1-3 minutes, depending
on students' ages) to memorize them. Players may not make any notes about the contents. At
the end of the time, objects are removed or recovered. If players can write, they are asked to list
as many of the items as they can remember. The student with the most detailed list wins. If
students cannot write, they are divided into two teams. Teams form two separate lines. The
student in the front of the first line tries to recall an item he or she saw. For recall, one point is

5. awarded. If the student can also use the item in a sentence, a second point is awarded. The
student then goes to the back of the line. The student at the front of the second line repeats the
process. If a student cannot remember an item, he or she goes to the back of the line and no
points are awarded.
Variation: If you are teaching phonemic awareness, you might have the student name the letter
of the initial consonant sound instead of using the word in a sentence.
Silly Sentences
Skills: combining adjectives, nouns, and verbs to create sentences
Group Size: 4 to 24
Prep Time: > 20 minutes
Playing Time: 5-20 minutes
Interest Level: ages 6 to 15
Ability Level: beginning to lower intermediate
Create three sets of cards. The first should contain simple adjectives; the second, common
nouns; and the third, basic verbs. Following are lists of suggested words:
Place all three sets of cards face down on the table. Make sure that the three sets remain in
separate stacks. The first student draws the top card and from any stack he or she chooses and
reads the word on it. He or she then uses the word in a sentence. If the sentence is correct, the
student may keep the card.
Adjectives Nouns Verbs
[color words] boy run
[number words] girl walk
short man sit
tall woman stand
long dog eat
old cat shop
young bird sleep
new fish go
kind home stop
mean car write
good bus paint
bad truck sing
wet park jump
dry store dance
hot tree play
cold grass study
big flower bake
little game draw
ugly class color
pretty ball work
first doll wash
last pen clean

6. rich pencil cry
poor crayon laugh
smart book talk
The next student then draws a card from the stack of his or her choice and uses it in a sentence.
As before, the student wins the card if the sentence is correct. If the student can use both the
word he or she has drawn and the card previously drawn in a sentence, he or she wins both
cards.
The third student draws a card from the stack of his or her choice and uses the word correctly in
a sentence for the card. This student may win any of the previously drawn cards by using those
words in his or her sentence as well.
Play continues, until all cards have been disbursed. The student who has the most cards wins.
Variation: To use this game with younger students, you may substitute picture cards for word
cards; however, this greatly increase prep. time
Who Am I?
Skill: asking and answering personal questions
Group Size: 4 to 30
Prep Time: ~1 hour
Playing Time: 5-20 minutes
Interest Level: ages 4 to adult
Ability Level: upper beginning to intermediate
Paste pictures of popular characters on 4 x 6 or larger cardstock. With very young children, you
may want to use cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Simba, Nola, Snow
White, Donald Duck, and so forth. With older students, you may choose to use well-known
athletes, political leaders, actors and actresses, musicians, and so forth.
Call one student away from group. Show the student a card. (Make sure that the student
recognizes the individual on the card.) The student then stands in front of the class and his or her
classmates ask questions in order to guess who the student is. Students may ask questions like .
..
 Are you male or female?
 Are you a real person?
 Are you a child or an adult?
 How old are you?
 Do you like sports?
 How often are you on television?
 Where do you live?
 How much money do you make?
 Who likes you more, children or adults?
When a student correctly guesses who the student is, he or she becomes the next mystery
person.

7. Suggestion: Collect pictures from magazines and newspapers or print from internet (especially if
you have access to a color printer).
Variations:
 Ask each student to bring a picture of him or herself to class. Make cards for each class
using photographs of students in that class.
 Watch selections from a video. Create cards using characters seen in the video.
 Instead of using pictures, write out names for students who can read reasonably well.