Keeping a class engaged is one of the most persistent challenges educators face. A study published in Educational Psychologist found that students who participated in game-based learning showed significantly higher engagement and retention compared to those in traditional lecture formats [1]. Games are not a distraction from learning. They are a proven delivery mechanism. The activities below are versatile, require minimal preparation, and work across grade levels from elementary through high school.
Why games belong in your classroom
Games create conditions that are difficult to replicate with direct instruction alone. When students are competing, collaborating, or solving a puzzle, they are actively processing content rather than passively receiving it. The stakes feel real, which keeps attention sharp.
Five reasons to use them:
- Attention: Game formats require students to track information, respond quickly, and stay alert. Passive drift is much harder when there is something at stake.
- Motivation: Students who look forward to class activities come in with their heads already in the material.
- Collaboration: Team formats teach students to negotiate, share knowledge, and build on each other's answers.
- Confidence: Low-stakes game formats let students take intellectual risks without fear of judgment.
- Retention: Memories formed during emotionally engaging activities, including fun ones, are easier to recall. This is especially useful for review sessions before assessments.
Games for online classrooms
1. Live quiz
Gamified quizzes are one of the most reliable tools for lesson review. Students join on their devices using a room code, answer questions simultaneously, and watch a live leaderboard update after each round. The competitive pressure motivates students who typically disengage during review.
AhaSlides lets you build a quiz in under two minutes, or import one from a template. It is free for up to 50 participants, with the Essential plan starting at $4.95/month for larger groups.
2. Charades
Charades works in person or on a video call. Students are given a word or phrase to act out using only physical gestures, no speaking. Teammates guess before time runs out. Playing in pairs or small teams works best, and the format generates genuine energy even in virtual sessions.
For a subject-specific twist, restrict words to vocabulary from the current unit.
3. Word cloud race
Give the class a category and ask everyone to submit as many examples as they can before the timer runs out. A live word cloud fills in as answers arrive, with the most popular responses appearing largest. The visual result becomes an instant discussion anchor.
AhaSlides word clouds update in real time and are free to use with any size group.
Games for ESL students
4. Baamboozle
Baamboozle is a game board platform with a large library of pre-made language games. Divide students into two teams and have them take turns selecting questions from the board. Correct answers earn points. The format works particularly well for vocabulary review and grammar practice because students see the correct answers displayed after each round.
5. Tell me five
Divide students into groups and give each group a category (for example: types of weather, kitchen utensils, or things you find in a hospital). Each group has 20 seconds to name five things belonging to that category. The fastest group to call out five correct items wins the round. The constraint of the timer removes overthinking and encourages spontaneous recall.
6. Show and tell
Students choose or are assigned a topic and bring an object or image that relates to it. Each student presents the item and tells a short story or memory connected to it. For added engagement, have the class vote on the best story or the most unexpected object. This format builds speaking confidence and vocabulary in context.
7. Word chain
Start with any word. A student must respond with a word that begins with the last letter of your word. Play passes around the room. Any student who hesitates too long or repeats a word already used is out. For a more advanced version, restrict submissions to a single category, such as animals or cities.
8. Word jumble race
Prepare sentences by cutting them into individual words. Divide the class into small groups and give each group a set of word cards. On your signal, groups race to assemble the sentence in the correct order. This works well for practicing grammar, syntax, and word order. For digital classrooms, the Correct Order slide type in AhaSlides replicates this format automatically.
Vocabulary games
9. Pictionary
One student draws a word or phrase on the board (or in a shared digital whiteboard on a video call) while the rest of the class guesses. Drawings are timed, typically 20 to 30 seconds, to prevent overthinking. Play individually or in teams. Use subject-relevant vocabulary to keep the game tied to lesson content.
10. Word scramble
Prepare a list of scrambled target words and give students a set amount of time to decode them. Themed rounds work well: for example, scramble science vocabulary after a unit on ecosystems, or scramble historical terms before an exam. The first student to unscramble the full list wins.
11. Guess the secret word
Think of a target word and give students a series of related words as clues. For example, if the secret word is "migration," you might say "birds," "season," "pattern," and "route." Students call out guesses as clues accumulate. This format teaches vocabulary through association rather than definition, which improves recall.
12. Stop the bus
Divide the class into teams. Choose a letter and reveal a set of categories (for example: countries, food items, sports). Teams race to write one word per category beginning with that letter. The first team to complete every category shouts "Stop the bus!" Correct entries earn points. Rotate letters and categories across rounds.
Board-game style activities
13. Hedbanz
Print cards featuring animals, objects, or vocabulary items and affix them to students' foreheads (or have them hold the card against their forehead without looking). Students ask yes/no questions to guess what is on their card before time runs out. The format builds questioning strategy and is consistently popular across age groups.
14. Boggle
Display a 4x4 grid of random letters and give students three minutes to write down as many words as they can find. Words must be formed from adjacent letters, moving in any direction. Longer words score higher. This works as a quiet individual activity or as a team competition. Free printable grids are widely available.
15. Apples to Apples
One player (or the teacher) draws a description card with an adjective. All other players select from their hand the noun card they think best matches that adjective. The judge picks the most interesting match. The player whose card is chosen collects the description card. The player with the most description cards at the end wins. This is an excellent vocabulary and reasoning game for secondary students.
Math games
16. Would you rather
Present two mathematical scenarios, such as: "Would you rather have 12 cookies for $3.00 or 10 cookies for $2.40?" Students choose an option and justify it with math. All students can submit responses simultaneously using a poll. The follow-up discussion surfaces different reasoning strategies.
17. 101 and out
Groups take turns spinning a spinner (or rolling a die). Each spin gives a number. Players can use the number at face value or multiply it by 10. The goal is to reach exactly 101 or as close as possible without going over. Groups that exceed 101 are out. For older students, use decimal values or require division decisions to increase the challenge.
Try the free spinner wheel template
18. Guess my number
Think of a number between 1 and 100. Students ask yes/no questions to narrow it down: "Is it odd?" "Is it greater than 50?" "Is it a multiple of 7?" The student who correctly guesses the number picks the next one. This develops number sense, logical deduction, and mathematical vocabulary without any materials or setup.
Get started with AhaSlides
Several games on this list run directly on AhaSlides: live quizzes with leaderboards, word clouds, polls, open-ended questions, Q&A boards, and the Correct Order activity all work without downloads. Students join using a room code on any device. AhaSlides is free for up to 50 participants, with the Essential plan at $4.95/month for larger groups.
Frequently asked questions
Are these games suitable for all grade levels?
Most of the games above work from elementary through high school. A few, such as Boggle and Apples to Apples, suit older students better. Each game can be adapted by adjusting vocabulary difficulty or time limits.
Do I need special materials?
Most games on this list need only a whiteboard, printed word cards, or a free digital tool. None require purchasing physical board games; classroom versions of Hedbanz and Boggle are inexpensive if you want them.
Can I use these games for icebreakers?
Yes. Charades, Show and Tell, Guess My Number, and Word Chain all work as icebreakers at the start of term or when introducing a new class group.
How do I manage behavior during games?
Set rules before the game starts: explain how points are earned, define what counts as unsportsmanlike conduct, and clarify what happens if a dispute arises. Most behavioral issues during games stem from unclear rules, not from the game format itself.
Sources
[1] Plass, J. L., Homer, B. D., & Kinzer, C. K. (2015). Foundations of game-based learning. Educational Psychologist, 50(4), 258-283. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2015.1122533
