PLAY GAMES with your family & friends!
Games provide the opportunity to use speaking abilities in fun and natural situations. YOU CAN HAVE FUN LEARNING ENGLISH! You can feel success not only in playing the games, but also in your English speaking abilities. Playing games in ENGLISH will improve your confidence and your English skills while you have fun with your family and friends. I have used games in English classes for many years and I have seen great success with big improvements in speaking skills.
Board games can be purchased and you can choose from thousands. You can find these games online or normally at toy stores. Prices for board games are normally reasonable and can provide hours of fun English practice.
Do-It-Yourself (DIY) games are a good way to make your own custom games if board games are not available. You can be creative and design your own game.
I have had people tell me their English improved by playing games for only 1–2 hours. It is very effective and you can have fun while practicing your English.
Individual Games
TV Quick Reply Game (DIY)
Watch a television show or a movie with good conversations (No news or documentary videos). When an actor asks a question, pause it and respond in English. You can also pause before an actor finishes a sentence and complete it yourself. This is a great way to practice conversational English.
The Tour Guide / Translator Game (DIY)
Act like a tour guide in your city and describe everything in English. If you live in a tourist city, volunteer as a translator. Write down any translation issues and study them. Great for real-life practice.
The Alphabet Game (DIY)
Find things that begin with each letter of the alphabet during the day. Great for vocabulary and thinking in English.
The Tourist Game (DIY)
Research attractions online in English, then visit them and evaluate the accuracy of the English information. Practice understanding and critical thinking in English.
Board Games
Story Cubes – Roll the cubes and tell a story using the pictures. Excellent for individual or group speaking practice.
Taboo – Classic Hasbro game. Try to guess a word without saying five “taboo” clues. Great for large groups. Taboo Link
Catch Phrase – Similar to Taboo. Give clues to help teammates guess a word or phrase. Catch Phrase Link
Balderdash – Bluffing game with crazy trivia. Try to get others to pick your (wrong) definition. Balderdash Link
Scrabble – Classic game for building words and practicing vocabulary. Scrabble Link
Would You Rather … – Crazy choice game that sparks conversation and laughter. Would You Rather Link
Scattegories – Name items in categories that start with the same letter. Improve vocabulary. Scattegories Link
What is Yours Like? – Guess the mystery word by asking others to describe theirs. What is Yours Like Link
Loaded Questions – Players guess answers from others about various topics. Loaded Questions Link
FLUXX – Card game where rules constantly change. Great for listening and adaptability. Fluxx Link
Apples to Apples – Match adjectives and nouns and persuade the judge. Boosts vocab and communication. Apples Link
Jeopardy – Trivia game based on the TV show. Players answer with questions. Jeopardy Link
DO-IT-YOURSELF Games
Trivia – Make your own trivia game. Host trivia night in English with friends.
YES and NO Game – Have conversations without using “yes” or “no”. Get others to slip up. Great for quick thinking in English.
What Would You Do If … – Ask and discuss wild hypothetical questions. Excellent for conversation practice.
Dangerous Definitions – Make up believable definitions for strange words. Guess the correct one. Builds vocabulary and critical thinking.
Pictionary – Draw and guess words in teams. No letters or numbers allowed. Great for speaking practice.
Charades – Like Pictionary, but use body language instead of drawing. Improves expression and teamwork.
Ring of Fire – Use a deck of cards and custom actions to spark conversation and fun English questions. Easy to set up and fun to play.
