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21 Online Classroom Games, Activities & Ideas

By: Jessica Chen | Updated: February 26, 2024

You found our list of online classroom games.

Online classroom games are fun activities that teachers can play with their students over the internet. For example, Digital Scavenger Hunts, Virtual Pictionary and Online Bingo. The purpose of these games is to educate and entertain students, which also helps build friendships. These activities are also known as “online activities for students.”

These activities may include interactive games for kids , team building games for students , online art classes , online group games , team building exercises for students , and video call games .

Specifically, this list includes:

• fun games to play at school online
• online games to play at school
• online activities for students
• motivational activities for students online
• online class games
• interactive games for online class
• online games for high school students

Let’s get into it!

List of online classroom games

Competitions are a great motivator that gets people excited and invested in lessons. From creative challenges to debate-based matches, here is our list of online classroom games.

1. Digital Scavenger Hunt

Digital Scavenger Hunt is a game where the teacher compiles a list of items and activities that students complete by a given time. For an educational spin, teachers can match the items and activities to the lesson. For example, if you are a science teacher, consider adding simple experiments to the Digital Scavenger Hunt, such as putting Mentos in Diet Coke.

Here are some free virtual scavenger hunt templates and scavenger hunt puzzle ideas . We also have a list of apps for scavenger hunts .

2. Virtual Pictionary

Virtual Pictionary is an online version of the classic game, where one player illustrates a word, while teammates attempt to guess it. Split your class into two teams, and text the word to the illustrator using Zoom’s private chat feature. The illustrator can then use the video conference software’s screen share abilities to show their drawing, while the other team members guess. Teachers can use Virtual Pictionary to teach vocabulary, and develop creative skills.

Here is a list with more fun Zoom games  and virtual Pictionary games .

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• icebreaker games
• bingo cards

3. Virtual Trivia

Virtual Trivia is a fun way to test your class’s knowledge on a particular topic. First, amass a list of trivia questions and answers. Then, divide the class into teams, who will compete to answer the most questions quickly and correctly. Virtual Trivia is a fantastic online classroom game because it is an exciting way to confirm whether your class retained the knowledge they need.

Check out this list of virtual trivia games to get started.

4. Virtual Musical Chairs

Sitting in front of your computer all day to attend class can be draining. However, teachers can get their class moving through Virtual Musical Chairs, which adapts the idea behind the in-person game for a remote class. To play, broadcast a song, and have your students get up and dance. Then, periodically shut off the music. Once the music stops, students should rush to sit down. The last person to get to their seat loses the round.

Musical Chairs is an example of a virtual minute to win it activity .

5. Ambassadors

For classes that miss Model UN, Ambassadors is an educational game where students act as ambassadors of a randomly assigned country . Great for geography classes, players describe their country with facts, as everyone else guesses what country they represent. The winner is the student who guesses the most countries correctly. After a few rounds, your students will learn all sorts of fun facts about nations of the world.

6. Summer Book Club

To keep your students occupied over the summer, enlist your reading class for Summer Book Club, an activity where students log the number and a brief summary of pages they have read. The winner of Summer Book Club is the student who reads the highest number of pages by the end of the summer. To make winning more appetizing, prepare rewards for the winner. Teachers can also compile a suggested reading list to keep students on track.

7. Geography Puzzles

Another game for geography class, Geography Puzzles tests your class’s knowledge of the world. Send students a blank copy of a world map. Then, ask students to fill out the map as completely and accurately as possible. To make Geography Puzzles a collaborative effort, teachers can also pair up students and reward the team that finishes filling out their map first.

8. Virtual Game Show

Virtual Game Show is an online version of the popular show Jeopardy, where students attempt to guess the answer to questions. Using this Jeopardy builder or Google Slide template , assemble your board. Then, split the class into teams and share your screen to display the board. The team that collects the most points by the end of the game wins. Teachers can use Virtual Game Show as a lively way to quiz the class’s familiarity with a variety of subjects.

Check out our list of virtual game show ideas and this resource on how to play team building Jeopardy .

9. Alphabet Chain

Alphabet Chain is a terrific online classroom game for expanding students’ vocabularies. To play, choose a category. Your students then name words that fit that topic, except that every proposed word needs to start with the last letter of the previous word. If a student is unable to think of another word, then they are out. The last student standing wins.

10. Class Limericks

Limericks are a whimsical poetry form with a specific rhythm. Class Limericks is a wonderful game for online English classes that asks students to compete to write the most amusing limerick. Teachers can choose a particular subject or let students choose what they would like to write about.

For help explaining limericks to students, here are some guidelines on how to write a limerick .

11. Virtual Show and Tell

Suitable for younger classes, Virtual Show and Tell is an online version of the classic classroom activity, where students share an item with everyone and explain its significance. Teachers can set a theme for your show and tell to help students decide what to bring. This online activity can be educational, and also bring the class closer as each session reveals more of your students.

12. Would You Rather

Would You Rather is a simple icebreaker that gets students talking. To play, compile a list of prompts. Then, open the online lesson by asking students what they would rather do.

Here are some examples of great Would You Rather questions:

• Would you rather go back in time and experience the Revolutionary or Civil War?
• Would you rather live without gravity or the laws of motion?
• Would you rather go back to the dinosaur age or explore the depths of the ocean?
• Would you rather be a character in Bram Stoker’s Dracula or Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein ?
• Would you rather go on a pilgrimage with the characters from Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales or Wu Cheng’en’s Journey to the West ?

Would You Rather gives students an opportunity to divulge more about themselves, and liven up discussions. Because these prompts rely on prior knowledge learned in class, teachers can use Would You Rather to check students’ retention of information as well.

Here is a list of this or that questions for inspiration.

And here are more icebreaker questions for students .

13. Desert Island Intelligences

For teachers running an online psychology course, Desert Island Intelligences borrows from Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences , which include:

• Visual-spatial
• Linguistic-verbal
• Interpersonal
• Intrapersonal
• Logical-mathematical
• Body-kinesthetic
• Naturalistic

The premise of this activity is that a natural disaster strands eight people representing each intelligence on a desert island. Due to limited resources, the class must vote one person from the island each round by determining the intelligence’s value for survival. Teachers love Desert Island Intelligence because it adapts well virtually, and serves as a fun conversation starter.

Here are more problem solving games to try .

14. Rube Goldberg Off

Rube Goldbergs are intricate machines that people program to complete a simple task. Rube Goldberg Off is a challenging online classroom game for science classes that asks students to compete to design the most inventive machine. Teachers can set the parameters of the activity by instructing students to create machines to complete a certain task.

Building the machine is an example of a  hybrid activity .

15. Utilitarian Test

According to the University of Texas , utilitarianism is a philosophical concept that values the choice that brings the greatest amount of good to the group. Utilitarian Test is an online classroom activity, where students discuss the ethical nuances of famous utilitarian questions, such as the trolley problem , fat man, transplant surgeon, and Heinz dilemma . Teachers can use Utilitarian Test to get students to reveal the logic behind their decisions, and see if students truly understand the concepts.

Online instruction is a completely new experience than in-person lessons. To help bring your plans to the virtual classroom, here are some online classroom ideas to maintain your students’ productivity level, despite the distance.

16. Virtual Field Trips

A great way to have fun with an online classroom is to get out of the classroom. You can take your students on a virtual adventure of places like the Great Wall of China, Taj Mahal and Machu Picchu. Some locations of live facilitated options, while others are fully digital. Either way, virtual field trips provide an excellent and engaging learning opportunity for students.

Here is a list of the best virtual field trip ideas , and one with virtual tours for kids .

You could also participate in take your child to work day online .

List of online classroom tips

Here are some tips to improve learning and engagement in online classrooms.

17. Use entrance and exit cards

When students and teachers are apart, it may be difficult to keep students on track. To help set the tone of your lesson, use entrance and exit cards at the beginning and end of class. These cards consist of questions regarding the lesson’s content. The entrance cards prep students for your lesson, while exit cards check comprehension.

18. Collaborate both synchronously and asynchronously

An important virtual classroom idea is that learning is not restricted to the time when your students are online. Students can collaborate synchronously, which is when they are all online at the same time, or asynchronously, which is when they are not necessarily online at the same time.

Examples of synchronous learning include:

• Discussion in breakout rooms
• Listening to the same lecture
• Giving presentations together

Examples of asynchronous learning include:

• Discussions in forums or message boards
• Readings that students complete on their own
• Pre-recorded video content that students view on their own

Using both of these methods helps enrich your students’ learning experience, and lets students continue thinking about the lesson, even after the class video call ends.

19. Break up your lesson into manageable chunks

When people are not in person and rely on video for connection, their attention span shortens. To prevent students from becoming disengaged in class, break up your lesson into manageable chunks. As a teacher, try to avoid speaking to students for extended periods because your students will become disengaged. Instead, pepper in activities or challenges throughout your lesson to encourage participation.

20. Check understanding with the chat feature

Another way to maintain student engagement is to periodically ask students to answer simple questions through the chat feature on the class’s video conferencing software. Teachers can use these questions to check comprehension among students, and see who is still actively listening to the lesson.

21. Think, pair, share

For teachers, think, pair, share may already be a familiar concept since it is a learning strategy that is used in in-person classes. However, with video conferencing software’s breakout rooms feature, teachers can capitalize on this characteristic by having students collaborate in small groups before sharing answers to discussion questions. Using think, pair, share in an online classroom maximizes participation and keeps students focused on the lesson.

Final Thoughts

Teaching online is a tough adjustment to make that requires teachers to think deeply about how to best adapt their methods for distance learning. With these online classroom games, activities, and ideas, you can take your lessons to the next level and increase student productivity.

Next, check out our list of free online group games for more fun ideas.

We also have a list of virtual graduation tips , and virtual birthday party ideas for when it is time to celebrate a student’s birthday.

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FAQ: Online Classroom Games

Still stuck on how to engage your students virtually? Here are some frequently asked questions about online classroom games, activities and ideas.

What games can you play in a virtual classroom?

Adapting in-person games for a virtual setting is entirely possible with some resourcefulness. Some examples of games you can play virtually are the digital versions of scavenger hunts, Pictionary, trivia, and Jeopardy.

How do you make a virtual classroom fun?

To make a virtual classroom fun, break up your lesson into manageable chunks with exciting online classroom games and activities. By mixing things up, you prevent your class from becoming bored and disengaged.

What are the best virtual classroom activities?

The best virtual classroom activities are extensions of ideas you have already taught in class. By tying in your lesson to the activity, students can play, while also applying principles you taught them. This method leads to a better absorption of the lesson.

Author: Jessica Chen

Content Expert at teambuilding.com. Jessica has a double major in English and Asian Studies, and experience working with teams across cultures; including 3+ years in Taiwan.

Some wonderful ideas here Jessica! Thank you for sharing this with the world 🙂

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10 Teacher-Approved Online Review Games

Online review games for the classroom are wonderful modern education tools. They provide an engaging way for students of all ages to study essential lesson material while remaining active participants, often in a positive group setting. Additionally, digital games are familiar to students and teachers alike and can be easily introduced into classroom pedagogy. In today’s tech-driven environment, 99% of boys, 94% of girls, and 62% of teachers play video games. 1

This guide to 10 teacher-approved review games will help you learn more about the different classroom review games available and select which of these gaming programs will best fit your curriculum, your budget, and your students’ educational needs.

If there is one review game platform on this list you’ve heard about before, it’s Kahoot!. Kahoot! is popular and boasts millions of users and more than 100 million ready-to-play games, according to its website 2 . Kahoot! launched in 2012 and is designed for social learning. 3 Kahoot allows you to create multiple-choice games, polls, and quizzes quickly for an exciting gaming classroom experience. Teachers can host live review games during class time, or display their “kahoots” on a shared screen to remote students participating from home. Students can play in classic mode, or team mode with shared devices. Kahoot! requires registration with a login. Once you’ve gained access there’s a basic, free version and a premium version to choose from.

Teacher Tip: Check out Kahoot!’s “curriculum aligned collections” to find games created by teachers.

For those interested in a free classroom review game that's made by students, for students, Gimkit is the answer! Gimkit’s Kahoot!-style gameplay is supercharged by delivering virtual dollars to players for correct answers. As an added bonus, players can get more money per correct answer as they level up. Gimkit “streak bonuses” deliver even more money for sequences of correct answers meaning student players are rewarded for their overall efforts. Gimkit’s increasing virtual rewards, based on question level and willingness to take risks, encourages strategic play among students and teams. Other features include “insurance,” “multiplier,” and “money per question.” 4 It’s easy to get started with Gimkit. Just create a new “kit,” add an appropriate title, add your choice of cover image, create your questions, and go live. Paid versions of Gimkit allow you to edit your questions after your quiz has been created. Once your Gimkit review game is underway, it’s up to students to build value for their teams. They will be encouraged to do so with Gimkit’s exciting, monetized gameplay features.

Teacher Tip: Turn off Gimkit’s clapping feature to minimize distractions at the end of games.

3. Flipgrid

Flipgrid is perfect for discussion-based style classroom reviews or reviews which require a bulletin board style program to facilitate learning. Acquired by Microsoft in 2018, 5 Flipgrid describes itself as a free video discussion platform that promotes social learning that’s both “fun” and “supportive.” 6

Educators start a Flipgrid by creating topic grids, setting sharing and access guidelines, and lastly, opening up grids for student participation. Students can create short video responses to grids that last anywhere from a short 15 seconds to five minutes in length. This online review tool also provides an accessible forum for students who are less talkative in a traditional classroom setting. With Flipgrid, all students can share at their own pace. To turn your grids into a game, have students post responses to practice quiz questions. In summary, Flipgrid is an easy-to-use conversation starter for students who are middle school age or older, including high school and college students.

Teacher Tip: Press the “disco grid” button to get already-created assignments by other educators that you can customize to your classroom needs.

Launched in 2015, Quizizz bills itself as “the world’s most engaging learning platform,” 7 and is a great way for educators to create tech-based exams, pre-test reviews, unit tests, and impromptu tests for their online review activities. Educators can choose from Quizizz’s presenter-led or student-led setting options. Students have more autonomy with Quizizz and can work at their own speed on a variety of personal electronic devices. This online review program also allows teachers to see student performance data. As of late 2020, Quizizz has more than 65 million global users across 150 countries. 8

5. Flippity

Flippity enables educators to turn their very own Google Sheets spreadsheets into different online reviews games including flashcards, crosswords, trivia games, and board games. Flippity is free to use, though some additional features are ad-supported. Flippity works on most browsers but does require Javascript to function. Each student can have his or her own version of the Flippity review game and teachers can have student results emailed to them for quick classroom progress tracking. A web connection is needed for each page to load, but no special application is needed to get the program.

6. Quizlet Live

Quizlet helps students build their soft and hard skills while they use this collaborative classroom game to solve quiz questions. You’ll need at least six students to run the game and both the students and the classroom education will need an electronic device to participate. To get started, teachers should divide students into groups. With Quizlet, only one student’s device has the correct answer, per group. This ensures student teams must cooperate and communicate in order to find the correct answer and progress to the finish as a group. Teachers can track each team’s progress along the way. The more effectively teams work together, the faster they can win. Wrong answers put teams back to the start to collaborate together again. Students do benefit from Quizlet’s method of group learning and seven different study modes. According to Quizlet, 90% of students who use Quizlet report higher grades. 9

Teacher Tip: Quizlet Live can be accessed from a browser or the Quizlet downloadable app.

Padlet is recommended for Grades 2-12 and is a great way for your students to share their ideas and their work with the entire class. Padlet has a free basic version that provides three “padlets,” or bulletin boards, and comes with an ample amount of storage space for classroom use. If you need more padlets or storage space, select the paid pro version. Any type of file can be posted to Padlet and students can type in responses to a question as well as share work files from external applications. Classroom educators can customize Padlet backgrounds and content to keep material visually interesting and conducive to classroom learning. To get started with this online review game, create a new Padlet, decide on the layout, and give it a name and description. Further customize it as you like to your classroom needs. For classrooms that need more monitoring, select “require approval” for each student comment to review that material before it is posted for the group. Padlet’s approval option works best if you want more control over classroom content and if you have time to check Padlet regularly to prevent content approval backlogs. Lastly, have your students sign in to free Padlet accounts to launch their experience and you’re ready to go.

Teacher Tip: Turn on Padlet’s “attribution” feature to see what each student has shared. Turn on comments to get students engaging with one another. Keep “reactions” off to tamp down on student competition over who has the most “likes.”

8. Quizalize

Quizalize is your tool to help create and share your online review quizzes while conducting formative assessments. 10 Quizalize allows teachers to track individual student progress accurately and to see which students have mastered which skills. Tailor each quiz to your curriculum’s needs or utilize the application’s existing quizzes, designed by fellow educators, that are tied to common curriculums. Quizalize motivates students individually but also on the team level and can be played from a variety of devices (laptop, cellphone, tablet) that are internet-connected. To get started with Quizalize, select from their free, teacher-made quizzes or create your own review quizzes. You can add images to your quiz and correct answer explanations. Next, choose quiz length and then save. With Quizalize, you have the ability to add as many questions as you’d like and you can customize the quiz delivery options for students. Once all of your preferences are set for your classroom needs, your Quizalize quiz is ready to launch!

Teacher Tip: Select “mastery mode,” to have students receive individualized questions based on information they need to show improvement with.

9. Bamboozle

Need to boost your students' vocabulary skills? Bamboozle is a great online review game option for vocabulary building. It’s also free. Bamboozle is easy to launch, is great for all classroom levels, and has the ability to be replayed in the same classrooms as its games are randomized. To get started quickly, search for games in a category, preview the questions and pictures, pick the number of teams, and the number of questions. Next, set up scoring and additional game options and you're ready to launch. You can also set up your own Bamboozle games from scratch.

Teacher Tip: Once your game is ready to play, increase the fun levels in class by calling on your students individually, asking them to pick a numbered card and answer the question that appears. Click and show the correct answer after each individual student has participated to review answers and reinforce group learning.

10. Bookwidgets

No online classroom review games list would be complete without Bookwidgets. With more than 40 exercise templates to choose from, Bookwidgets empowers teachers and curriculum developers to evaluate, grade, and give valuable feedback to students. 11 Bookwidgets can interface with Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, Canvas, Schoology, and Moodle. Games you can create with Bookwidgets include flashcards, quizzes, bingo, crosswords, and math exercises. Customize your tests for a variety of devices including tablets, PCs, and Chromebooks. Create your very first widget and follow the series of prompts to get started. Though free for students, Bookwidget does have a cost for teachers. Pricing plans start at $49 for a year-long subscription for individual educators. Discounts apply for group purchases. For those who want to try Bookwidgets before committing to a full purchase, a 30-day trial version is available.

Teacher Tip: Share your newly created widget with students and other teachers via Bookwidgets’ customized, shareable links.

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• Retrieved on July 6, 2021, from thetechedvocate.org/the-positive-connection-between-games-and-online-learning/
• Retrieved on July 6, 2021, from kahoot.com/schools/how-it-works/
• Retrieved on July 6, 2021, from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kahoot !
• Retrieved on July 7, 2021, from gimkit.com/
• Retrieved on July 6, 2021, from venturebeat.com/2018/06/18/microsoft-acquires-education-focused-video-platform-flipgrid/
• Retrieved on July 6, 2021, from blog.flipgrid.com/gettingstarted
• Retrieved on July 6, 2021, from quizizz.com/
• Retrieved on July 6, 2021, from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quizizz
• Retrieved on July 6, 2021, from quizlet.com/features/live
• Retrieved on July 6, 2021, from app.quizalize.com/
• Retrieved on July 6, 2021, from bookwidgets.com/

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On the first slide of your launched event, you'll see an auto-generated QR code and a URL link. Tell your players to get their smartphone and open their camera. They just need to hold their camera up to the QR code, and they'll be taken to a join page. If they don't have a phone or are having trouble with the QR code, they can use the link displayed on that page, which goes to the same page. On this page, they'll be able to select an avatar, enter their name, and click "Join Event"! You'll see each person appear on your main screen, as they join. From there they can send in responses, photos, and fun sound reactions.

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You can use this tool to make your lessons interactive, Socratic, and (most importantly) fun. Build your own classroom games that energize your students, based off of your own teaching material. It's easy to get started — use SlidesWith like a typical slide deck builder (that has interactive super powers).

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Active games, team-building games.

What do all kids around the world have in common? They love to play.

Classroom games are a great way to harness the power of play and use it to enhance your students’ learning experience. Not only are games fun and engaging, they can also:

• Help students focus better 
• Present educational material in a new and interactive way
• Give the whole class an opportunity to get to know each other better

Keep reading for 21 fun games to play in class , then build them into your lesson plans for more learning!

When it comes to new math concepts, students usually need lots of practice to master them. Use these math games for kids to make math practice engaging and effective – all while building their problem-solving skills!

1. Prodigy Math

Best for: 1st to 8th grade

Be your students’ math classroom hero with Prodigy Math, an online role-playing game (RPG) that turns math into an adventure. 

As students explore the Prodigy world, complete quests and earn rewards, their success depends on answering curriculum-aligned math questions . Prodigy’s adaptive algorithm meets students where they are and tailors questions to their learning needs. 

Plus, you can align Prodigy to your classroom lessons ! You’ll get tools to help you:

• Differentiate content for every student
• Engage your learners with a new and fun way to practice math
• Gather insights to inform the teaching strategies you use every day

Sign up for your free teacher account today and start making math class fun.

2. Math baseball

Best for: 3rd to 8th grade

Divide your class into two teams to play math baseball — another activity that gives you full control over the questions students answer. Here’s how:

• One team will stand at the front of the room and start at bat , scoring runs by choosing questions worth one, two or three bases.
• “Pitch” the questions using flash cards, which range in difficulty depending on how many bases they’re worth.
• If the at-bat team answers incorrectly, the defending team can respond correctly to earn an out. 
• After three outs, switch sides. 
• Play until one team hits 10 runs.

3. 101 and Out

Best for: 2nd to 6th grade

101 and Out is a fun and effective way to end math class! The goal is to score as close to 101 points as possible without going over.

Divide your class in half and give each group a die, piece of paper and a pencil.

Groups take turns rolling the die, using their best strategic thinking skills to either count the number at face value or multiply it by 10. For example, if the first person rolls a six, they can keep that number or turn it into 60.

This game gets competitive quickly, and boosts excitement levels in your math class!

4. Get the Math

Best for: 6th grade and up

Make math come to life with Get the Math , a site that prompts your students to solve challenges related to math in different careers and real-world situations. 

The website contains videos with young professionals in fields like fashion design or video game development, explaining how they use math every day. You can assign challenges to your class after watching, some of which involve playing fun games. 

For example, one of the activities challenges students to use different materials and measurements to design a shirt for less than $35. 

5. Fraction War

Always a classic, the card game War can help students practice basic math skills in a more engaging way than traditional worksheets. 

This version teaches students the basics of fractions. Each student is dealt two cards, one numerator and one denominator. Once they calculate which fraction is larger, the person with the larger fraction wins and gets all four cards! Keep playing until all the cards are gone. 

Not teaching fractions? No problem! Use War to give students practice multiplying or dividing with two cards, or challenge students to practice place value and build a number bigger than their opponents’.

Make english class F-U-N with these games that boost reading and writing skills. Use them to practice the week’s vocabulary words or give ESL students more practice.

Can your students solve the puzzle before the hangman is complete? Use this classic game to introduce new sight words to the class or review vocabulary. 

Divide students into small groups with pads of paper, or stand up at the front and play as a class. Think of a word and put down one blank space for each letter. Have students guess letters, and write them in the blank spaces if they’re correct. If they’re incorrect, add another part to your stick figure.

You can also replace the hangman with a snowman for more festive (and kid-friendly) fun.

The game ends when students have either guessed the correct word or the hangman is complete!

You can even let your students take the lead in the game by asking one of them to choose the word, while the rest of the class attempts to solve their puzzle.

2. Bananagrams

Best for: 3rd grade and up

A portable take on Scrabble, Bananagrams is a fun way for kids to practice their word-building skills. 

Using a set of tiles with letters on them, students have to create interconnected words and use up all their tiles. The group that finishes first with correctly spelled words is the winner! 

Challenge students to play one on one or in groups to practice teamwork and cooperation. 

You can purchase official Bananagrams tiles online, but you can also find printables to make your own or use Scrabble tiles. 

3. Pictionary

Another classic game, Pictionary, helps students attach meaning to words that might be unfamiliar to them. Plus, they’ll get to flex their art skills!

Divide students into two teams or groups, then give each student a pad of paper or a whiteboard with a marker. Have one student stand at the front of the room and draw a word you show them. While they draw, the team has to guess the word. If they guess correctly, their team gets a point!

4. Spelling bee

Best for : 2nd grade and up

Inspire a little competition with a classwide spelling bee. Using your list of vocabulary words, give the first person an opportunity to spell the word. If they need it, give them the definition or use it in a sentence.

If the student is correct, they get to stay standing and move on to the next round. If they’re wrong, they sit down and the next person gets a chance to spell. The student left standing at the end is the winner. 

5. Beach ball analysis

Best for: 4th to 8th grade

Keep students engaged and active during reading comprehension lessons with a summer-inspired activity. 

Get a beach ball with colorful stripes and write a question on each section about the story’s:

As students catch the ball, they have to answer the question their fingers land on. Once they’re done, they can throw it to the next student!

6. Charades

Best for: 1st grade and up

Whether you’re working with ESL students or reviewing vocabulary ahead of a quiz, charades can help students connect meaning to new words.

As a class or in small groups, divide into two teams. Invite the first student up to the front of the room. Give them a word or phrase they can act out in front of their team without speaking. If the team guesses correctly in the allotted time, they get a point! Once the first team’s time is up, the second team can go.

Repeat for as many rounds as you’d like. The team with the most points at the end is the winner!

Do your students have ants in their pants and fingers that won’t stop fidgeting? These active games are great for getting out extra energy, taking brain breaks or even indoor recess activities . 

1. Scavenger hunt

Best for: All ages

Send intrepid explorers on a mission to find hidden treasures! For an interactive learning experience, create a scavenger hunt that challenges students to find or collect:

• Items or facts during a class field trip
• Objects with different shapes around their house
• Different leaves and animals in their neighborhood
• Things hidden around the classroom linked to a vocabulary or language lesson

Whether it’s educational or just for fun, scavenger hunts are a fun way for the whole class to engage with the world around them. 

2. Freeze dance

Best for: Kindergarten to 3rd grade

Sometimes you just need to dance it out. For a quick brain break, put on some fun music and encourage your students to stand up and dance away — the sillier the better. 

When the music pauses, they have to freeze in place. Any student who unfreezes before the music starts again is out!

3. GoNoodle

Best for: Kindergarten to 5th grade

GoNoodle is a tried-and-true favorite of many teachers. Colorful videos and engaging activities promote social emotional skills , active living and academic success! 

Whether you need activities for indoor recess or just fun ways for students to get moving more, GoNoodle worked with child development experts to create content that’s engaging and appropriate for young eyes and ears. Students can also complete activities at home to stay mindful and focused, even when they’re not at school.

Teachers can sign up for a free account, or upgrade to a GoNoodle Plus account starting at $10 USD/month.   

Not only does yoga help students stretch out the wiggles in their body, it can also help cultivate mindfulness!

Lead your class through some easy stretches as a fun mid-day break or to get them energized first thing in the morning. Whether it’s downward dog or just stretching towards the sky, they’ll benefit physically and emotionally.

5. Minute to Win It

Best for: 4th grade and up

Based on the game show, Minute to Win It games challenge the whole class to complete simple (or not-so-simple) tasks in under a minute. These interactive games help promote a little healthy competition in your classroom and provide hours of fun. 

Some challenges include:

• Speed stacking paper cups
• Rolling a coin between the tongs of a fork
• Building a tower out of spaghetti and string
• Getting an Oreo from your forehead to your mouth without using your hands

Set up a couple different stations and divide the class into small groups. Rotate groups through each activity so the whole class gets a chance to participate.

Want to inspire some classroom unity and get students to work as a team? These games encourage students to put their heads together and solve problems.

1. Icebreaker games

Best for: 5th grade and up

If you have a new class or a group of students who need to get to know each other, icebreaker activities can help:

• Boost morale and motivation
• Get students working together
• Build a rapport between students

Short and easy, icebreaker games are a fun way for students to introduce themselves. Ideas include:

• Get students to line up by height, birthday, shirt color or any other characteristic
• Play bingo, where each square represents a characteristic and students have to interact and learn more about each other to fill out squares
• Start off the class with a short sentence. The next person has to add to the story without repeating information or getting stuck, so see how long you can keep it going!

2. Jeopardy!

Turn your classroom into the set of a gameshow and bring out your best host impression! Divide the class into two teams and challenge each to answer questions and earn points. 

Whether you’re reviewing concepts from class or just testing their trivia knowledge, Jeopardy! encourages teams to work together to answer questions. Plus, there are lots of free templates to help you build your game quickly.

3. Human knot

This is a simple game, but great for teaching students the importance of communication and working together. 

Have students stand in a close circle with their arms out in front of them. Each student must randomly grab someone else’s hand (but never the same person twice). The goal is to organize themselves into a perfect circle without letting go. For an extra challenge, time your students to see how long it takes them to untangle their knot!

4. Hula hoop chain

This game also promotes coordination and teamwork! Students stand in a circle and join hands with the person next to them. 

Before the circle is closed, place a hula hoop around one student’s arm. The objective of the game is to communicate with team members and pass the hula hoop around the circle without letting go. 

Have students close their eyes or blindfold them for more difficulty, or divide the class into two teams and race. 

5. Hands-free cup stacking

For this activity, you’ll need:

• 6 paper cups
• A rubber band
• 6 equal pieces of string

Tie the strings around the rubber band and divide your class up into small groups of six (or whichever number words best). Each student holds one string and has to help their team stack the cups into a pyramid by using the rubber bands to grab the cups. 

Remember — no hands allowed, so students will have to communicate and work together to complete the task.

Classroom games enhance teacher and student experiences

Every classroom is different, so keep trying new classroom activities and customize them to what your students need. 

Whether you want to engage your students during a lesson, occupy them during an indoor recess or build teamwork skills, classroom games can help you keep activities educational and fun. That sounds like a win-win to us!

Prodigy Math and Prodigy English help teachers engage students through the power of digital game-based learning . Success in Prodigy requires students to correctly answer curriculum-aligned questions adapted to their learning needs, and gives teachers more ways to make math class fun! Sign up for your free teacher account today to get started. 

This is a game built with machine learning. You draw, and a neural network tries to guess what you’re drawing. Of course, it doesn’t always work. But the more you play with it, the more it will learn. So far we have trained it on a few hundred concepts, and we hope to add more over time. We made this as an example of how you can use machine learning in fun ways. Watch the video below to learn about how it works, and

Built by Jonas Jongejan, Henry Rowley, Takashi Kawashima, Jongmin Kim, Nick Fox-Gieg, with friends at Google Creative Lab and Data Arts Team.

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• Social Studies Resources

A Lesson Plan for Teachers

Top 10 websites for online games in the classroom.

U sing Games in the Secondary Social Studies Classroom has always been a favorite tool from my teaching toolbox. However, I was always a teacher that wanted rigor in my classroom, so finding appropriate online games was always a challenge.  To help those of you still looking for the perfect sites, here are my Top 10 Websites for Online Games in the Social Studies Classroom .

Top 10 Websites for Online Games in the Social Studies Classroom

• Teaching Geography (even in the History classroom) requires practice.  There is no better online source for basic Geography review than Sheppard Software .  From studies capitals to countries to landmarks and more, this site has everything you need for fun content practice!
• Middle School U.S. History can often be boring and mundane.  Spruce up reading about America’s beginnings with the PBS Learning Mission US Video & Game Series .  Students play to learn about the start of the nation and its significant players.
• If you want to learn even more about Early America and the creation of the American Government, take a walk with Ben Franklin through time with Ben’s Guide to the U.S. Government . This fun-filled adventure uses primary sources and age-appropriate explanation of key features of our national government.
• For older students, or those who like to debate , The Replica Times is a Games for Change product where fact-based debate is played out in 15 minute sessions.  Address current issues or events of the past with this student-centered activity. Don’t let the basic (aged) image of the site scare you off; the game itself will keep students playing.
• If you are teaching a civics course, iCivics has so many great resources at your fingertips. Among their best is Argument Wars , a game where students play out arguments based on Supreme Court cases. Play to learn as you play to argue!
• Also found at iCivics, Executive Command is a simulation game where students play the role of the president to make decisions for the nation.  While this game is not as rigorous as it could be, the premise does help students evaluate the role of the executive office.
• Weebly often provides great lists, and this offering of Interactive Sites for Social Studies courses is no exception.  Link through your content area for great activities from deciphering hieroglyphics to creating a Melting Pot of American immigrants.
• National Geographic is another go-to place for content-strong review games .  From studying the Greek Gods to the Features of the World, National Geographic has fun activities for individual students or small groups.
• While Learning Games for Kids was created for the primary grades, there are a number of fun activities for simple review or for students with academic challenges. Immerse your students in jigsaw puzzles or have them play word games, but all the while they will be learning the desired Social Studies concepts.
• Limiting this list to just 10 websites for fun, engaging games for Social Studies is a great challenge.  This leads me to cheat on this #10 spot.  Both Game On Learning and the Utah Education Network offered great listings of games for upper grades students.  Take your pick and you won’t be disappointed!

Benefits of Online Games in the Classroom A s mentioned above, I am a long-time advocate of a rigorous, content-based classroom .  Still, there is room in that curriculum equation for appropriate games and play.  Creating the ideal Interactive Classroom require a great mix of teaching methods and instructional platforms.  Don’t feel like you need to always do the one thing that works; instead mix it up to find the greatest benefit for all students in your secondary classroom.

Want more? B e sure to read through all of my other posts on game play in the interactive classroom.  Creating a classroom culture where play is still acceptable and even encouraged creates a climate where students want to learn.

A nd if you are looking for ready to go games and fun activities for your Social Studies classroom that are printable, visit my TpT Store Games Section .  Look through content-based games or my very popular Human Game Boards for any review!

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At Starfall, children have fun while they learn.

Starfall was founded by Dr. Stephen Schutz, who had difficulty learning to read as a child due to dyslexia. He was motivated to create a learning platform with untimed, multisensory interactive games that allow children to see, hear, and touch as they learn. read more...

Starfall was developed in the classroom by teachers and opened in August 2002 as a free public service to teach children to read. Since then it has expanded to include standards in language arts and mathematics for preschool through fifth grade and above. The program emphasizes exploration, play, and positive reinforcement—encouraging children to become confident and intrinsically motivated. Due to the engaging content that “feels like play,” Starfall serves as an educational alternative to other entertainment choices for children. read more...

Starfall activities are research-based and align with state learning objectives for English language arts and mathematics. Its emphasis on phonemic awareness, systematic sequential phonics, and common sight words in conjunction with audiovisual interactivity is especially effective for teaching emergent readers, children of all ages with special needs or learning difficulties, as well as ELL (ESL) students. It is widely used in schools and homeschools.

Starfall’s low-cost membership program expands the free content to include additional animated songs, mathematics activities, and reading. Membership supports the production of new books, educational games, and movies.

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Free end-of-year letter templates to your students 📝!

32 Amazing Free Sites and Apps To Use With Google Classroom

Share, collaborate, communicate, and so much more.

Google Classroom is a handy and free way to keep your students on track and organize learning and lessons plans. Even better, there are lots of programs and apps designed to work with Google Classroom, making it easier to assign work, track progress, and communicate with students and parents online. Check out our favorite Google Classroom apps and programs. A few offer paid options too, but their free versions have plenty of fantastic included features worth exploring!

1. ASSISTments

ASSISTments is a free site that works with many existing math curriculum programs. Assign practice problems using Google Classroom apps, and students receive on-the-spot feedback. Plus, teachers get analytic reports to help them identify those students who are struggling and which problems are causing the most trouble. It makes homework more meaningful for students and teachers alike.

Try it: ASSISTments

2. BookWidgets

BookWidgets is a content creation tool. It allows teachers to create 40 different types of interactive activities and assessments and assign them to their Google Classes. What sets BookWidgets apart is that you can do all of that without ever having to visit another site. BookWidgets is a Google Chrome Extension that works right in your Google Classroom. Every feature (including an extensive image library) is already included. Plus check out these four ways to use BookWidgets in the classroom .

Try it: BookWidgets

3. Adobe Express for Google Classroom

Adobe Express is now available in Google Classroom, which makes it easier than ever to incorporate more opportunities for creative thinking and communication into your assignments. It’s an easy-to-use tool that allows students of all ages to create posters, infographics, slideshows, webpages, and videos. We love it because it saves teachers prep time with its library of thousands of templates organized by grade level and subject area.

IT admins from schools or districts that have the Teaching and Learning Upgrade and/or Education Plus editions of Google Workspace for Education can now install Adobe Express directly into Google Classroom from the Google Workspace Marketplace . This new feature allows teachers to create, customize, assign, view, and grade Adobe Express projects from their existing Google Classroom workflow.

Try it: Adobe Express for Google Classroom

You won’t believe the incredible amount of free resources available on CK-12. Every subject, every grade—it’s all covered in videos, exercises, lessons, and even complete textbooks. It’s a cinch to assign any of these items in Google Classroom using this app, and completion and grades are recorded in your online Gradebook.

Try it: CK-12

5. Classcraft

Motivate even the most reluctant learners when you gamify your lessons with Classcraft. Turn your Google Classroom assignments into learning quests, and provide rewards for academic and behavioral achievements. The free basic program gives you lots of fun options; upgrade for even more features.

Try it: Classcraft

6. ClassTag

Google Classroom apps make it incredibly easy for students and teachers to collaborate. They don’t really have any built-in tools to make parent communication easier, though. That’s where ClassTag comes in. This completely free app lets you send notes to one parent or a whole class. You can send home documents, schedule meetings, and more, all without giving parents your personal contact info. Oh, and did we mention you can earn real-life rewards like classroom supplies just for doing what you need to do anyway?

Try it: ClassTag

7. DOGOnews

The kid-friendly news articles on DOGOnews make it easy to assign reading for current events discussions. Each article is marked with reading/interest-level guidelines and offers lesson plan ideas for use with Common Core and National Curriculum Standards. It’s free to assign articles for reading; paid plans provide discussion questions and quizzes too .

Try it: DOGOnews

8. Dreamscape

Here’s another fun (and free!) learning game, focused specifically on reading skills for grades 2-8. Assign learning quests through Google Classroom, and kids will clamor to do their homework! In addition to all the learning, students get cool rewards that build their digital profile and world.

Try it: Dreamscape

9. Edpuzzle

Turn any video anywhere into an interactive lesson, or even upload your own. Add questions, audio, or notes, so students can watch and learn at their own pace. The tracking features allow you to monitor their progress and comprehension and integrate easily with Google Classroom. The robust free plan includes storage for up to 20 videos at a time.

Try it: Edpuzzle

10. Explain Everything

Explain Everything is a whiteboard app, and you can use it just as you would an  interactive whiteboard in the classroom . Even better, it allows you to record your interactions and share them via Google Classroom for students to view later. The free version has some limitations but provides plenty of cool features. Premium education plans are available .

Try it: Explain Everything

11. Flip (formerly Flipgrid)

With Flip, students record short videos to respond to topics you assign. This is an especially cool app for students who are hesitant to speak up in front of a group—it gives everyone a chance to be heard. It’s easy to share your grids and assignments with Google Classroom.

Try it: Flip

12. GeoGebra

The tools on GeoGebra may not look fancy, but they provide the functionality to bring math concepts alive for students. From basic arithmetic to high-level calculus, this site has hundreds of resources math teachers will love, including an online graphing calculator. It’s a snap to share lessons, exercises, quizzes, and more with students.

Try it: GeoGebra

13. Kahoot!

We’re willing to bet you’re already using Kahoot! Students and teachers everywhere love it, and it’s easy to use alongside Google Classroom. Learn how to get the most from Kahoot! here.

Try it: Kahoot!

14. Khan Academy

Many teachers are already familiar with Khan Academy’s incredibly wide range of free online learning resources. They cover every subject and grade level and give students the extra practice they need to master important concepts. Create and integrate classes using your rosters from Google Classroom, and you’re all set to assign content.

Try it: Khan Academy

15. Listenwise

Listenwise regularly posts new  free current events podcasts  you can share with your students. These short audio lessons are great for morning meetings or starting general current events discussions.  Listenwise Premium  offers a large podcast library with lessons, quizzes, and interactive transcripts, currently free to try for 90 days.

Try it: Listenwise

16. MathGames

Elementary math teachers, this one is for you! Follow up your math lessons with these fun and free practice games. Assign them as an alternative to boring old homework worksheets or for kids who need extra practice.

Try it: MathGames

17. Nearpod

Nearpod is an easy-to-use collaboration tool that has so many applications for education. Teachers start a board and post a question or comment, then students add their own answers or thoughts. You can share pictures too. Nearpod is a cool way to introduce writing prompts, review for a test, collect virtual exit tickets, and a lot more, and it works seamlessly with Google Classroom. The free version has all the basic features and a decent amount of storage. Upgrades are available .

Try it: Nearpod

18. PBS Learning Resources

PBS has a huge variety of video resources on every imaginable subject, all of which are easy to share in your virtual classroom. Each standards-aligned video includes suggested grade levels and support materials to help you make the most of it with your students.

Try it: PBS Learning Resources

19. Quizizz

Quizizz is a nifty tool for helping students review what they’re learning in class. Use one of the thousands of quizzes already available, or create your own. Host live online quiz games in class or assign them as homework using Google Classroom. Customize each assignment to indicate how many times a student may attempt each question and whether they see the correct answers when they’re done—instant feedback that makes learning more meaningful.

Try it: Quizizz

20. Quizlet

This is one of the most popular online flash-card apps for use with Google Classroom, and it’s entirely free. Find the flash cards you need in their extensive library, or create your own to support any kind of lesson. Share the flash cards to Google Classroom to give students instant access to these practice tools in school or at home.

Try it: Quizlet

21. Science Buddies

This site is every science teacher’s best friend. It’s packed with free videos, lesson plans, and experiments, all searchable by grade level and subject. This is also a terrific go-to during science fair season, with scientific method resources galore, science fair planning tools, and an enormous repository of project ideas. When you use Science Buddies with Google Classroom, you get access to extra quizzes and assessments too.

Try it: Science Buddies

22. Wakelet

Think of Wakelet as a collaborative tool for organizing and sharing information. Use it to create and share lessons with your students by collecting media all in one place, with your own notes and explanations. Even better, have students use it to create presentations, book reports, newsletters, and more right in Google Classroom.

Try it: Wakelet

23. Boddle Learning

Boddle is a super-engaging math platform for K-6 (they recently launched ELA content!) that allows students to customize their learning through fun game play that’s fully aligned to state standards. Teachers can create customized assignments and assign them right into their Google Classrooms. Boddle’s resources are free, though a Premium version is also available.

Try it: Boddle

24. Flocabulary

With Flocabulary, your students (and probably your teacher neighbors) will think they’re attending a concert rather than engaging with high-quality educational content. With resources for a plethora of subjects and suited for grades K-12, you can try a free 30-day trial now. Teachers can create and assign whole-group or individual assignments using Google Classroom integration.

Try it: Flocabulary

25. Legends of Learning

K-8 teachers, you’ll feel like superheroes when you assign math and science content through Legends of Learning. Students can practice the skills they’re learning in class through interactive and fun games and simulations. Looking for more engaging ways for your students to master their math facts? Legends of Learning recently launched a fact-mastery practice game called Math Basecamp.

Try it: Legends of Learning

26. BrainPOP

Who doesn’t love Tim and Moby? BrainPOP has video lessons on all sorts of topics for grades K-8, including accompanying vocabulary, quizzes, and games. BrainPOP is a great resource to use to launch a new unit of study or to prepare for an upcoming assessment. Teachers can sign up for a 30-day trial and then explore a paid version from there. Seamless integration into Google Classroom? Check!

Try it: BrainPOP

27. WeVideo

WeVideo is a creative and unique way for your students to demonstrate their understanding of a unit of study. Plus, it introduces them to the multimedia world of video creation and editing. WeVideo is currently available as a Google Classroom add-on, and students can record a video and submit it alongside any assignment. Check out these WeVideo project ideas your students will love .

Try it: WeVideo

Calling all middle school math teachers! Desmos has free and completely customizable question sets that align with your standards and integrate seamlessly into your Google Classroom stream. Your students will be thinking deeply and practicing rigorous math concepts with interactive tools and virtual manipulatives.

Try it: Desmos

29. Duolingo

This 100% free app that helps students learn a new language is ACTFL- and CEFR-aligned and comes with fun and personalized assignments that can be pushed right to your Google Classroom. Students forget that they are actually learning because the gamification aspect is just so fun!

Try it: Duolingo

30. Newsela

With Newsela, teachers can choose from hundreds of thousands of articles to accompany their lessons. Teachers can assign a single text or a text set to their students through Google Classroom. With content ranging from SEL and science to current events and social studies, Newsela is a great classroom accompaniment. Here are some tips for using Newsela in any classroom.

Try it: Newsela

31. Pear Deck

Pear Deck uses proven formative assessment strategies to adapt instruction to meet student needs. Through its expansive catalog of interactive lessons, teachers can instruct whole classes or allow students to move at their own pace, which is perfect for virtual learning. Pear Deck Premium users can seamlessly integrate their Pear Deck lessons through the Google Classroom add-on.

Try it: Pear Deck

Tynker is an interactive coding program that teaches students the basic building blocks of coding and even transitions them to learning about JavaScript and Python. The program offers over 70 courses and thousands of lessons and is fully integrated with Google Classroom.

Try it: Tynker

What are your favorite Google Classroom apps? Come share on the  WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out google slides 101: tips and tricks every teacher needs to know ..

You Might Also Like

The Big List of Free Teaching Resources for All Ages and Subjects in 2023

Loads of fun and interesting lessons, videos, activities and more. Continue Reading

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• Math for Kids
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• ELA for Kids
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How to Teach Kids to Write in 9 Easy Steps

1. SplashLearn

3. coding adventure, 4. national geographic kids, 5. brainpop, 6. pbs kids, 7. adventure academy, 8. lightbot, 9. duolingo, 10. funbrain.

According to a survey, a significant 88% of teachers who use digital games in their classrooms report that it increases student engagement. This statistic highlights the effectiveness of game-based learning platforms in making education enjoyable and engaging. In this blog, we will explore the top 10 game-based learning platforms that combine fun with learning to enhance the educational experience for kids.

SplashLearn: Most Comprehensive Learning Program for PreK-5

SplashLearn inspires lifelong curiosity with its game-based PreK-5 learning program loved by over 40 million children. With over 4,000 fun games and activities, it’s the perfect balance of learning and play for your little one.

Who is it for: Pre-K to Grade 5

Subjects: Math , ELA , Early Skills

SplashLearn is one of the best game-based learning platforms for kids that excels in making foundational math, and reading skills engaging for kids. It offers interactive games that not only cover essential academic topics but also enhance early skills such as critical thinking, logic, problem-solving, creativity, and motor skills . 

Each game is designed to adapt to a child’s learning pace, ensuring they are both challenged and adequately supported. This adaptability helps keep the learning process dynamic and aligned with each student’s needs, promoting a deeper understanding of the subjects.

Why Choose SplashLearn?

• Comprehensive Curriculum: This game-based curriculum covers a wide array of essential early education topics:
• Math: Engages children with topics such as number sense , addition , subtraction , shapes , division , fractions , money , measurement , algebra , decimals , and more.
• Reading Skills: Develops crucial capabilities in reading , writing , grammar, vocabulary, and spelling.
• Early Skills: Introduces children to general knowledge , art & creativity , critical thinking, and motor skills.
• Flexible and Adaptive Learning Path: SplashLearn’s learning path is highly adaptable, allowing it to perfectly align with each student’s individual learning pace and needs.
• Extensive Resource Library: With a vast collection of over 5000 ELA and math games , SplashLearn ensures that learners always have fresh and exciting challenges available.
• Rewards and Motivation: To further engage students, SplashLearn incorporates rewards like coins and access to non-curricular games such as puzzles and quizzes. These games sharpen critical thinking skills and provide a delightful break from traditional learning.
• Multiplayer Games: The platform includes multiplayer games that allow children to compete and cooperate with peers, adding a social element to learning. 
• Progress Tracking and Insights : Provides detailed feedback on a child’s progress, helping parents and educators make informed decisions about the next steps in their educational journey.
• Cost-Effective with Free Trial: Offers a free trial period before committing to a subscription, and it is completely free for teachers.

Devices: Accessible on the web , iOS , and Android .

Who is it for: Grades K-12

Subjects: Wide range, including Math, Science, Languages, and Social Studies

Kahoot! is a gamified learning platform that turns quiz-based learning into a fun competition. Teachers can create their own quizzes or choose from millions shared by others, which cover a broad range of subjects. The interactive, game-like format encourages active participation and can be used to review material or introduce new concepts. Its engaging, fast-paced nature makes it a popular choice in classrooms worldwide.

Who is it for: Grades 2-9

Subjects: Computer Programming

Coding Adventure is a standout among gamified apps for education designed to teach kids programming through a series of fun and challenging games. The platform uses a story-based approach, where students help characters solve problems by writing code. It covers basic to advanced programming concepts, helping build logical thinking and problem-solving skills. Features include personalized learning paths and real-time feedback.

Who is it for: Grades K-6

Subjects: Geography, Science, Social Studies

National Geographic Kids is one of the most fun game-based learning platforms for students that offers a wealth of resources like videos, images, and games focused on the natural world. The content is rich with real-world geographical and scientific information that engages young learners’ curiosity about animals, ecosystems, cultures, and more. The platform is educational yet entertaining, making learning about the Earth enjoyable and memorable.

Devices: Accessible on the web .

Who is it for: Grades 3-12

Subjects: Science, Math, Social Studies, English, Health, Arts, and Technology

BrainPOP features a variety of animated movies, quizzes, and activities designed to make complex subjects understandable for kids. The content is presented by the engaging robot character, Moby, and his friends. It’s widely used to introduce new topics and deepen knowledge through interactive tools and tailored learning paths. BrainPOP also includes resources for teachers and parents to track learning outcomes.

Who is it for: Pre-K to Grade 3

Subjects: Reading, Math, Science, and Social Skills

PBS Kids offers a range of educational games and videos connected to PBS’s children’s television programming. The platform includes characters from beloved shows like ‘Arthur’, ‘Curious George’, and ‘Sesame Street’, making learning familiar and fun. The educational content is developed by experts to enhance children’s creativity and critical thinking.

Who is it for: Grades 3-8

Subjects: Math, Reading, Science, and Social Studies

Adventure Academy is a virtual world where kids can explore a wide range of academic subjects through interactive quests and activities. This gamified learning platform combines high-quality educational content with an engaging, multiplayer online experience. It allows children to learn at their own pace in an immersive, adventure-driven environment, which helps to build essential skills in a context that feels more like play than work.

Who is it for: Grades 2-8

Subjects: Computer Science, Programming

Lightbot is one of the best game-based learning apps that introduces children to programming concepts through puzzle-solving gameplay. It teaches basic programming logic, such as sequencing, overloops, and conditionals, all without typing or complex code. By guiding a robot to light up tiles and solve levels, children develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a fun, engaging way.

Devices: Accessible on the web , iOS , and Amazon .

Who is it for: All ages (including Grades K-12)

Subjects: Languages

Duolingo is a widely recognized gamified learning platform that teaches languages through short, interactive lessons. The app uses a combination of listening, speaking, reading, and writing exercises to enhance language learning. Its strength lies in its adaptive learning technology, which tailors lessons to the user’s pace and learning style , making language learning accessible and effective for everyone.

Who is it for: Pre-K to Grade 8

Subjects : Math, Reading, Literacy

Funbrain is a game-based learning platform that offers a variety of educational games, books, comics, and videos designed to develop skills in math, reading, and literacy. Each activity is crafted to be fun and engaging while providing valuable educational content that aligns with curriculum standards. Funbrain’s friendly and intuitive interface ensures that kids enjoy learning and gain confidence in their abilities through interactive play.

Devices: Accessible on the web , and iOS .

Why Choose Game-Based Learning for Your Kids?

• Games naturally capture children’s interest, keeping them engaged longer and making learning feel like play.
• Interactive elements in games encourage active participation, which can lead to deeper understanding and retention of information.
• Most game-based learning platforms provide instant feedback, helping children understand their mistakes and learn from them quickly.
• Many platforms adjust the difficulty levels based on the child’s performance, ensuring they are neither too easy nor frustratingly hard.
• Beyond academic knowledge, these games help develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Games often include elements like points, levels, and badges that motivate children to set goals and achieve them, enhancing their learning experience.

Game-based learning platforms offer a unique and effective way to engage children in their education. By combining fun with learning, these platforms help students develop a love for knowledge and a deeper understanding of various subjects. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the two types of game-based learning.

The two types of game-based learning are content-embedded games, where learning objectives are integral to the game mechanics, and content-adjacent games, where the game indirectly supports learning through engagement and critical thinking skills enhancement.

Which is the best educational game site for kids?

One of the best educational game sites for kids is SplashLearn. It not only teachers math and reading but also early skills through interactive games.

What is the game-based learning method of teaching?

The game-based learning method of teaching involves using games to deliver educational content, helping students learn and practice new skills through gameplay. This approach makes learning interactive, enjoyable, and often collaborative, enhancing motivation and retention of information.

How do you implement game-based learning in the classroom?

To implement game-based learning in the classroom, educators can start by identifying suitable games that align with their educational goals . They should integrate these games into the curriculum as supplemental tools, set clear objectives for what students should achieve through gameplay, and provide guidance and support as students engage with the games.

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100 ESL Games | Ready-To-Use Games To Teach English

Welcome to our ESL Games page, where you can find many games for teaching English. These ESL games are great for teaching English both in the classroom and online to kids and beginner English language learners. Our ESL games are absolutely FREE! Simply show them from this website or from our YouTube Channel. See below for all the latest ESL games available. And don’t forget to check out our other FREE resources including,  Flashcards ,  Board Games ,  Worksheets ,  Lesson Plans , and  PowerPoint Games .

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All ESL Games

Below you will find over 100 free ESL games on many different topics for kids and beginner English language learners. Browse through the games below, which are arranged alphabetically, or search our whole site for resources.

• Accessories Vocabulary Game
• Action Verbs Game
• Alphabet and Phonics Games – A to Z
• Alphabet And Phonics Games – The Phonics Train Game
• Animals – ‘What Am I? Quiz’
• Animals Vocabulary Game
• Animals Hidden Picture Game
• Animals – How Many..?
• Animals – Farm Animals Guessing Game
• Animals – Sea Animals Guessing Game
• Animals – Pet’s Guessing Game
• Bathroom Vocabulary Game
• Bedroom Vocabulary Game
• Body Parts Game For Kids
• Choose Your Gift Game – Adjectives
• Christmas Game – Guess The Christmas Food
• Christmas Game – How Many Snowmen?
• Christmas Telepathy Game
• Christmas Quiz – ‘What Am I?’
• Christmas Vocabulary Game
• Classroom Objects Game
• Clothes Vocabulary Game For Kids
• Clothes Guessing Game
• Color Games For Kids
• Comparative Adjectives
• Compound Words Game – Guess The Emoji
• Countries – Guess The Country From The Food
• Countries – Guess The Country From The Picture
• Countries – Guess The Country From The Map
• Daily Routine Activity
• Describing Appearance Game – Draw A Monster
• Directions Games
• Easter Game For Kids
• Emoji Game – Spot The Odd One Out
• Family Members Game
• Feelings And Emotions Game
• Food – Guessing Game 1
• Food – Guessing Game 2
• Food – Top Five Quiz
• Food – ‘What Am I?’ Quiz
• Fruit And Vegetables Guessing Game
• Future Tense Activity
• Hangman Alternative – Save The Teacher
• Halloween Find The Odd One Out Game
• Halloween Guessing Game
• Halloween Game – Pass The Pumpkin
• Hobbies and Interests Game
• ‘How Much Is It?’ Game 1
• ‘How Much Is It?’ Game 2
• ‘How Often Do You…? – Adverbs Of Frequency Game
• Idioms Guessing Game
• Jobs – ‘What Am I?’ Quiz
• Jobs Vocabulary Game
• Jobs And Occupations Guessing Game
• Jobs Telepathy Game
• July 4th Game
• Kitchen Vocabulary Game
• Living Room Vocabulary Game
• Logo Quiz – Odd One Out
• Magic E Words Game
• Musical Instruments Quiz – Guess The Instrument From The Sound
• New Year’s Resolutions Game
• Opposite Words Game
• Parts Of The House Vocabulary Game
• Past Tense Game – Mystery Box
• Past Tense Irregular Verbs Game
• Past Tense Regular Verbs Game
• Person Place Or Thing Quiz
• Phrasal Verb Quiz
• Places Around Town Game
• Prepositions Memory Game
• Prepositions Of Time Game – At On In
• Present Continuous Tense Activity
• Present Continuous Guessing Game
• Present Simple Tense Review Game
• Present Perfect Tense – Review Game
• Restaurant Vocabulary Game
• Riddles For ESL Students
• Rooms Of The House – Telepathy Game
• Rooms Of The House – Vocabulary Game
• Seasons Game For Kids
• Some or Any – Review Game
• Speaking Activity – Level Up Game
• Sports Vocabulary Game
• Sports – Winter Sports Vocabulary Game
• Sports Quiz
• Summer Quiz
• Superlatives Quiz
• Telling The Time Game
• Thanksgiving Game – Guess The Thanksgiving Food
• Thanksgiving Quiz – What Am I?
• There Is / There Are Game
• These / Those Game
• This / That Game
• This / That Telepathy Game
• Top Five Quiz 1
• Top Five Quiz 2
• Top Five Quiz 3
• Transportation Vocabulary Game 1
• Transportation Vocabulary Game 2
• Valentine’s Day Game For Kids
• Verb ‘To Be’ Activity
• Weather – How’s The Weather Game
• ‘What Am I?’ Quiz – Easy
• ‘What Am I?’ Quiz – Funny
• ‘Whose Is It?’ – O/X Game
• Winter Clothes Vocabulary Game
• Winter Top Five Quiz

More ESL Games

On Games4esl you can also find many other kinds of ESL games and lesson materials including PowerPoint Games , Online Quizzes , Board Games and Board Game Templates ,

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Skill-Developing Games for ELLs

These simple activities for high school English language learners can keep them engaged and having fun as they learn.

The other day, I brought a kickball-sized ball to class, and the students, grades nine through 12, were overjoyed and curious. The ball symbolizes play. And play is synonymous with fun. And fun, when appropriate, can be synonymous with learning. 

As we get closer to the end of the school year, I find myself increasingly using game-based learning to maintain engagement with my English language learners (ELLs). Students need to prepare for upcoming state testing, so I think of ways to integrate that with skills they need. I also must face the reality that at times students just refuse to do anything, or it’s hard for me to get them to work consistently for an entire class period. Unless, that is, we play a game.

Fun Games With Very Little Prep Time

20 Questions: This is my students’ favorite game. A student thinks of something related to a theme—something as simple as a person, place, or object. Or it could be related to a historical era, for example, like the industrial revolution. As students are questioning, and considering what word might be in their peer’s head, I write the words/questions that they generate on the board or on the computer and then project them on the board so that the students are continually seeing the language they’re producing. I also have one student keep track of the number of questions asked (yes/no questions only). At the end, I have students copy down the sentences and translate them into their native language.

If students struggle with the English language, they may also use their phones to find images and show peers or translate text from their native language. 

Endless Story: Students sit in a circle and take turns going around the circle telling a story. If it’s a small class, I do this as a whole class. As they talk, I encourage them to use a translator if needed, and after they share their contribution to the story, I type their sentences on the computer and project them on the board so they can see their words in text format. I fix the grammar as I type and have students read their sentences to reinforce the corrected text. At the end, I have students write the entire story in English (projected on the board) on a piece of paper. 

Here’s a more advanced option: If it’s a larger class, students can work in groups of five or six. Give them a list of literary elements like personification, foreshadowing, irony. They should include these elements in their story and identify where they used them. 

Word on My Head: Choose vocabulary words or topics (for example World War I) related to themes that students have been studying in one of their classes (science, history, English language arts). Or have students create a list of words or topics and write them on paper for you to collect and draw ideas from (this saves your own prep time and provides an opportunity for students to reflect on what they’ve learned in previous classes).

Give a student a card with a word on it, but don’t let them see the word. They can hold it over their head, or the word can be written on the board with the student sitting in a chair facing away from the board. Other class members should use English to describe the word that’s hidden from their classmate. The student has to guess what it is. Or the student who is guessing the word can ask yes/no questions about the hidden word, and the classmates answer without details.

I encourage students to use as many words as possible, along with gestures if needed. After the student with the word has answered correctly, add the word to a list on the board. 

Another alternative to this would be to put an image of something or someone on a student’s head or behind the student, requiring the other classmates to use English, either by speaking or inputting the text into a translator, to describe the image. Because my classes are small, I do this with a whole group.

If your classes are larger, however, split the groups up and monitor and guide them to ensure that they’re working on task. This game can also be timed or turned into a race to see which group can complete the most terms the fastest.

Themed Scavenger Hunt: Give students a hall pass, and have them find anything they see in the hallways or out the windows that is related to a theme. They should make a multilingual chart of the words in English and in their native languages. A group of three students, for example, may have English, Spanish, and Ukrainian.

If the students are newcomers, I have them make a list of words of what they find in the hallway—for example, student , window , door —within a particular time frame, using a translator, and then bring it back to me. I want them to discover the words that they feel are most useful and write them on their paper.

When students return, they can choose some of these newfound words and use them to create sentences, with my guidance or using their translators. The purpose is to frequently use language they come in contact with every day through speaking and writing.

Students love this because they’re moving around, exploring the school and getting more comfortable with it, developing relationships with their teammates, and using language to express what they see and do in their environment. As a follow-up, depending on their language level, I might have students write a list of sentences or a paragraph to describe what they saw and did on their scavenger hunt.

An alternative to this activity is to have the class first create a list of common things they see around the hallways—for example, a water fountain, lockers, doors, students. Then they take that list, and within, say, 20 minutes they explore the school and see how many times they can find each of those objects and include where that object is—that may be a particular corridor if it has a name (the 100 wing, for example)—or describe what this object is near, such as the library or the cafeteria. This is a good activity for prepositions and direction words. 

Not only does game-based learning activate eagerness to engage in academic material and create a joyful mindset about learning , but also it can cultivate relationships in the classroom and a joyous sense of community.

Now it’s your turn. What are your favorite games for English language learners? Please share in the comments.

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