Top 10 Classroom Games

1/6/2019 Top 10 Classroom Games - Quizalize Blog
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BEST T E AC HING PRACTICES
Top 10 Classroom Games

M ARC H 2 , 2018 - 8 MI N S R E AD
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Academic studies naturally coincide with rote teaching styles and textbook work.
However, it is important to make learning exciting for students with interactive
activities. Incorporating fun classroom games into your lesson plan offers a simple way
to motivate your students, and encourage them to draw on their creativity and
imagination.
https://www.quizalize.com/blog/2018/03/02/classroom-games/ 1/20
These top 10 classroom games provide fun ways to engage your students in academic

learning, without them even realising!
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1. Charades
This simple but classic game is a great way to encourage your student to get out of their
seats and participate in the lesson.
Resources: a list of people, actions or concepts related to the subject you are teaching.
Game: Select a student to stand at the front of the room and act out a word from your list
(no speaking allowed). The rest of the class must then guess what the student is
attempting to portray. Other students can shout out their guesses or put their hands up –
depending on your teaching preference! Whoever guesses correctly can act out the next
word.
Alternative: A more challenging version involves the student describing a subject-speci c


word but restricted by a list of forbidden words, e.g. describing ‘habitat’ without using
the words ‘home’ or ‘animals’.
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2. Hangman
A traditional but interactive game which improves students’ spelling and subject
knowledge, but is also enjoyable.
Resources: whiteboard and pen or interactive whiteboard, plus a list of subject-speci c

words to inspire your students.
Game: Divide your class into two teams then select a student to stand at the front of the
class and think of a word related to the lesson (or you could give them a suitable word).
The student must then draw spaces on the whiteboard to represent each letter in their
word. The rest of the class then guesses the word, one letter at a time (allow one student
from each team to guess alternately). Incorrect guesses result in a hangman being drawn
(one line at a time). The rst team to guess the word wins, unless the hangman is

completed. The game then repeats with another student thinking of a relevant word.
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Alternative: If you feel a hangman would not be appropriate then use a different image –
either subject-speci c or think creatively e.g. a spaceman or snowman.
3. Scatter-gories
This fun game will encourage your students to think ‘outside-the-box’ and draw on a
range of subject knowledge.
Resources: pieces of paper, pens/pencils and a list of subject-speci c categories e.g. Earth
and Space (topic): rocks, landforms, weather, and solar system (categories).
Game: Split students into small groups and ask them to note down the categories on
their pieces of paper. Choose a letter (A-Z) at random and give students 1-2 minutes
(depending on how many categories) to think of a word for each category, beginning with
that letter. Once the time is up, allocate points for unique answers, i.e. if two teams write

down the same word for a category then neither get any points. Repeat the game with
different letters.

Example: Letter M – Topic: Earth and Space

Rocks: Metamorphic
Landforms: Mountain
Weather: Mist
Solar System: Mars
Alternative: If you class only has a small number of students then they could ll in the
categories individually, rather than working in teams.
4. Bingo
A quick and simple game which never fails to motivate students in their learning.
Resources: whiteboards and pen or paper and pen/pencils, plus a list of subject-speci c

terms or concepts e.g. numbers, phonics, key vocabulary, scienti c formulae or historical
gures.

Game:Ask students to draw a 6 x 6 grid on their whiteboards or pieces of paper then

select 6 words or images from the given list to draw/write in their grid. You must then
randomly select a word from the list to describe, and students must guess the word in
order to cross it off on their grid (if present). Continue describing different words until
one student successfully completes their grid and shouts ‘bingo!’ (you can also award a
prize to the rst student who gets 3 in a row).
Alternative: Students can insert their own subject-related answers into the bingo grid,
but this makes it more challenging for you due to extensive word choice and ambiguity.
Also, if you have more time, then you could create your own bingo boards with speci c
vocabulary or concepts you are covering in that lesson (reusable).
5. Puzzles
This creative group game encourages students to work together and visualize academic
concepts in an abstract way.

Resources: images, words, calculations or concepts printed or stuck on card/paper and cut

into random shapes (puzzle pieces) e.g. maths calculations, chemical equations, subject
vocabulary, historical gures etc.

Game: Separate your class into groups (or simply use table groupings) then hand out a
puzzle for each group to piece together.
Alternative: Students can create their own puzzles on the computer or drawn onto
card/paper for their peers to complete.
6. Draw swords
This quick re game tests students’ ne motor skills and promotes quick thinking, as well
as generating some healthy competition.
Resources: Dictionary or textbook, plus list of key vocabulary.
Game: Split your class into small groups and choose a student from each group to start.

The nominated student then places the dictionary or textbook under their arm. You then
say a word or image which the students must then race to nd in their book (like drawing

a sword from under their arm!). The rst student to nd the word/image is the winner.
The game continues with different words/images until every student has had a turn.
Alternative: If you have enough textbooks or dictionaries for every student then the
whole class can compete against each other.
7. Hot potato
This fun classroom game encourages students to think on their feet and draw on a range
of subject knowledge.
Resources: a soft toy, object or item for each group to pass round e.g. bear or ball, plus a

list of subject-speci c themes e.g. numbers – prime, composite, rational, fractions,
decimals etc.

Game: Divide your class into small groups and hand out an object/soft toy to each group.
The person with the object in each group will start. You name a title or theme, e.g. prime
numbers, and it is then a race against time for the student to give 5 correct responses,
e.g. 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, before the item/soft toy has been passed round everyone in their small
group and returned to them.
Alternative: With small classes you could play in one large group, however shy students
may nd this intimidating because of the the pressure to give correct answers.
8. Pictionary
An old classic but also a great way for students to visualize their understanding in a fun
team game.
Resources: whiteboards and pens or pieces of paper and pencils/pens, plus a list of

subject-speci c concepts.
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Game: Students work in small groups. One student from each group is chosen to start
and they must draw the subject-related concept you state, within a given time (30
seconds – 2 minutes). The rest of the group must then guess what he/she is drawing. The
rst group to correctly guess the word wins. The game repeats until every student has
had a turn/there are no more words on your list.
Alternative: Students could model concepts using playdough for their peers to guess.
9. Quizalize
This fun and engaging quiz game allows you to test your students’ knowledge, in any
subject, using a motivating classroom team activity.
Resources: interactive whiteboard, devices for your students or an IT suite and a


Quizalize quiz (create your own or choose from thousands of quizzes created by teachers
from around the world).

Game: Once you’ve created or found a quiz on Quizalize, simply assign it to your
students and they can access it from any device – no apps to install! Students visit zzi.sh,
enter their class code (shown on the ‘Launch Game View’ screen) followed by their name
and then they can play the quiz. Students’ results appear in real-time, so they can track
their score while they play (Click here to sign up and nd out more).
Alternative: You can also set Quizalize quizzes as an interactive homework.
10. Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
Although this game isn’t academic, it is an excellent behaviour management tool which
endorses hard work amongst students.
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Resources: n/a
Game: 3 – 4 students are chosen to stand at the front of the room. The rest of the class
then put their heads on the table and hold their thumbs in the air. The 3 – 4 students at
the front then carefully tip-toe around the classroom and gently pinch one thumb each,
from the students with their heads down. The 3-4 students return to the front of the
room, once they have pinched a thumb, and the class raise their heads. The students
whose thumbs were pinched then stand and have to guess who pinched them. If they
guess correctly then they swap with the student at the front, and the game continues.
Alternative: To make this academic you could ask subject-related questions to select the
students for each round.
Try out these exciting classroom games with your students and encourage them to apply
their knowledge in new ways. These simple but effective group games are a great
addition to any lesson plan.
What classroom games do you like to play? What do you and your students enjoy most

about playing classroom games? Comment below – we’d love to hear from you.


#CL A S S R OOM ACTIV ITIES #CL A S S R OOMGAME S #FUN G A M E #GRO U P G AME
#IND O O R GAMES #LES S O N PL AN #SM A L LG ROUPS
9    
sarah
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9 Comments
Imelda Mabale Bonje

 REPLY
10 M O NT HS AGO

Thisistruly
 amazing!
Sarah Moody PO ST AU T H O R  REPLY
10 M O NT HS AGO
Thank you!
Pingback: What Are The Best Classroom Management Strategies? - Quizalize Blog
Pingback: How to Improve Student Engagement in the Classroom - Quizalize Blog
preeti  REPLY
3 MO NT H S AGO
these are good examples of game but i think u can explain more by adding examples on academic topic
Quizalize Team  REPLY

2 MO NT H S AGO
Thank you for your suggestion Preeti, we will try to explain in a more speci c way on our future
articles.
Valentina  REPLY
3 MO NT H S AGO
Thank
 you
very much! Games are so interesting! I try to use them at my lessons.
hannah  REPLY
1 MO NT H AGO
i love this soo many ideas now I don’t know wick one to choose
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BEST T E AC HING PRACTICES

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Alternative: A more challenging version involves the student describing a subject-speci c

Resources: whiteboard and pen or interactive whiteboard, plus a list of subject-speci c

Example: Letter M – Topic: Earth and Space

Game:Ask students to draw a 6 x 6 grid on their whiteboards or pieces of paper then

Resources: Dictionary or textbook, plus list of key vocabulary.

Resources: interactive whiteboard, devices for your students or an IT suite and a

Alternative: You can also set Quizalize quizzes as an interactive homework.

10. Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

#CL A S S R OOM ACTIV ITIES #CL A S S R OOMGAME S #FUN G A M E #GRO U P G AME

#IND O O R GAMES #LES S O N PL AN #SM A L LG ROUPS

Succeeding in Failure is the Key to Success

How to Improve Student Engagement in the Classroom

What Are The Best Classroom Management Strategies?

Imelda Mabale Bonje

Sarah Moody PO ST AU T H O R  REPLY

Pingback: How to Improve Student Engagement in the Classroom - Quizalize Blog

Quizalize Team  REPLY

Enter your comment here..

Type and hit enter... 

12 Days of Christmas School Activities

How to use Mastery Mode on Quizalize

Video Competition Time!

6 Tips to Save Time Grading

Best Teaching Practices

QUIZALIZE HOME BOOK A DEMO! HELP SIGN UP LOG IN

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