5 Killer games for your ESL kindergarten class

As ESL teachers we're always looking for ESL games to fill our classes! They help students learn and make class fun for us too. So, I've put together a list of my 5 favourite games to use in my ESL classroom. 1. Knock, knock spider!

This game is very simple and has NEVER let me down. The only materials you’ll need for this one are: -A cut out spider -4-6 flash cards Lay the flash cards out on a table or on the floor and place the spider under one card. You then proceed to choose a student to come up and answer a question. “What’s your favourite fruit?” for example. They then choose from the cards before them and hope there isn't a spider. If there is a spider you then chase them back to their seat! The students love this one, especially if you build the tension up once they have chosen the card by acting as if there is a spider when there isn't really one there. Works every time. 2. Chinese whispers

A classic from my childhood and what’s particularly great about it is that no materials are needed, just points as an incentive to win. Chinese whispers is perfect for making sure each student has a chance at saying the vocabulary or sentences learnt. However, rather than the basic game, where you pass the word around the class with no real goal in mind, split the class in 2, tell the first two students the word and then have them race to see which child at the end of each team can stand up and shout out the word first. With this variation of the game it’s important to change around the teams at the end of each round so that lots of different students are shouting it out, rather than just one. Also be sure to keep the volume down as you wouldn’t want the end player over-hearing the word and shouting out, that’d be cheating. 3. Ball race (Similar to Chinese whispers) Materials needed are: -2 balls -Lots of flash cards/a PPT A great game for a revision class especially, if you want to review vocabulary as the students have to go through many different words and shout out the correct one. Split the class into 2 teams, and mark the teams by splitting the class down the middle. Nominate a runner in each team and make sure they are sitting at the split in the middle. You then give the ball to the first student in each team and they pass the ball along the team one by one. When the ball reaches the runner they run to the front of the class and shout out the card shown/slide of the PPT. Swap the runner in each team and repeat. For maximum effect make the first player in each team race to get the ball rather than giving it to them. Be sure to watch out for cheating, i.e. skipping people, throwing the ball etc. One final tip, try swapping the ball for a balloon, children love new things in their classes, things they don’t often see. So by changing the ball to a balloon, you've spiked their interest tenfold. 4. Seat swap Materials needed: -Lots of flash cards This one is a great time filler and also good for reviewing lots of vocabulary. Have everyone sit in a big circle on the floor and then give each student a flash card and tell them to show hold it with the picture facing out, but they must remember their card. Then you stand in the middle of the circle and shout out any 2 cards, the students holding these cards must change places as quickly as possible as you will try and snatch their seat. If they sit down before you then you call out 2 more cards. If you beat them to the other seat they change places with you and continue the game. To make the game more challenging/exciting, add more cards in 1 turn. I personally find that 4-8 cards per game is the most fun! 5. Dice madness Materials needed: -5 flash cards -A scary animal (on paper) -A big dice Dice madness is a great game for reviewing new vocabulary. You start by placing 5 of the new flash cards on the on the board and among them place your scary animal. Number each card like this:

Then call out 2 students and throw the dice. Whichever number the dice lands on the students must run to the corresponding picture on the board and shout out the word. If it lands on the number with the scary animal however, they must get back to their seats before you catch them. This game is very fun and children love it! Try it in your class and when things die down change the scary animal for a student, so the students are running away from a classmate. These games seem to work in every young learners institute and school I've ever worked in. They're quick, simple and take very little time to explain.