Playing classroom games is a great way to create lasting memories. Aside from encouraging teamwork, it also gives your students a chance to develop and practice important skills. And the best part? They’re fun too!
If you’re looking for exciting games to play with students, it’s key to understand the purpose behind each activity so you can make the most of them. Let’s find out why in the next section.
Why Play Games with Students?
Shifting from traditional teaching methods to game-based learning brings many benefits to your students. By gamifying their learning experience, you boost motivation, enhance cognitive skills, and create an engaging classroom environment.
New to gamification? Here are 4 Classroom Gamification Elements and Examples.
In addition, playing games taps into their natural inclination for curiosity. As they plan, organize, and problem-solve, they also develop crucial executive functioning skills, such as decision-making and strategic thinking.
Here are some of our favorite classroom games sorted by materials and resources.
If You Have a PowerPoint
1. Jeopardy
PowerPoint is a great tool to grab your students’ attention, but creating presentations from scratch can be time-consuming. If you’re tired of this usual headache, it’s time to use a tool that actually turns your traditional slides into an interactive learning experience for your students. No fuss, no frills.
ClassPoint, an add-in for PowerPoint, easily lets you design interactive quizzes like a Jeopardy-style quiz, complete with categories such as History, Science, or Vocabulary. Choose from a library of pre-made activity templates or customize your own categories with varying levels of difficulty.
During your presentation, students can then submit responses directly from their devices by simply joining your class, and voila! Their responses are displayed live on the screen.
Another feature you might love is its built-in gamification. Teachers can reward students with stars for correct answers, let them level up and earn badges, and climb the leaderboard, turning your plain jeopardy game into a competitive and fun sport.
Check out our full How to Make a Jeopardy Game on PowerPoint (Playable Template) guide.
| Category | Level 1 (Easy) | Level 2 (Medium) | Level 3 (Hard) |
|---|---|---|---|
| History | Who was the first U.S. president? | Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? | What year did World War II end? |
| Science | What is the chemical symbol for water? | What is the process by which plants make their food? | What gas do plants take in during photosynthesis? |
| Vocabulary | What is the opposite of ‘happy’? | What is the synonym for ‘large’? | What is the antonym for ‘ancient’? |
2. Wheel of Fortune (10–15 minutes)
For a virtual wheel you can spin in PowerPoint, use ClassPoint’s Name Picker spinning wheel. Let your students take turns spinning the wheel to select a category, and then they answer related questions. They also guess letters in a word or phrase to fill in the blanks.
This game mixes learning with an element of chance, helping to keep students engaged while reinforcing their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Want a comprehensive guide? Here’s the Wheel of Fortune PowerPoint Template and Tutorial (Free DIY Template & Step-by-Step Guide).
3. Family Feud (10 minutes)
For creating a list of questions with multiple answers, use ClassPoint’s Multiple Choice Questions. You can create categories and make multiple correct answers for which students will guess the most popular ones.
Reward each correct answer with stars and let teams compete on the live leaderboard. The team with the highest total wins.
Don’t start from zero! Here’s a Free Family Feud PowerPoint Template and Step-by-Step Tutorial for you.
4. Quiz Show (10 minutes)
With ClassPoint’s Quick Poll, you can instantly ask true/false questions or yes/no/unsure questions without switching screens or apps. Begin by dividing your class into teams, and each team takes turns answering questions. If they answer correctly, they earn points.
If you want to bring in more excitement, you can up the ante by using a timer. For added interactivity, you may include bonus rounds or “steal” opportunities where the opposing team can attempt to answer if the first team gets it wrong. This promotes active participation, teamwork, and quick thinking.
Here are some examples to test your students’ knowledge:
- The Earth revolves around the Sun. (True)
- Water boils at 50°C. (False)
- Shakespeare wrote “Romeo and Juliet.” (True)
Adding more questions? Here's 500+ True or False Questions for Kids of All Ages (With FREE Downloadable PDF!).
5. Flashcard Challenge (10 minutes)
Create flashcards with terms or concepts on one side and definitions on the other. Show the flashcards to the class and ask students to guess the term or definition. Use interactive buttons to flip the card and reveal the answer. Students earn points for correct answers. This helps reinforce key concepts and vocabulary.
Looking for Quizlet alternatives? We've compiled the 9 Must-Try Quizlet Alternatives in 2025 That Offer 10x More Interactivity.
If You Have a Blackboard
Teaching Hack: Want to use blackboards online? Here’s a fully customizable whiteboard for you that comes with ready-made templates.
6. Hot Seat (10 minutes)
One student sits with their back to the board while their team gives clues to help them guess the word or concept written on the board. The student can ask yes/no questions, but they must rely on the clues from their team.
This exciting game encourages collaboration, communication, and quick thinking as students work together to help their teammate guess the correct word.
7. Pictionary (5–10 minutes)
Divide the class into teams. A student from one team draws a lesson-related concept on the board while their teammates try to guess what it is. Each round is timed, typically to 1 minute.
Pictionary helps reinforce vocabulary and key concepts while promoting creativity and teamwork. It also engages students’ visual learning and recall skills.
8. Word Ladder (5–8 minutes)
Write a starting word on the board (e.g., “cat”) and have students change one letter at a time to form a new word (e.g., “bat” to “bet”). Each new word must be valid, and students take turns suggesting new words.
This activity strengthens spelling and vocabulary while fostering critical thinking and problem-solving as students work to find new words.
For more vocabulary exercises, here are 7 Fun Vocabulary Games for Kids to Build Stronger Word Skills.
9. Guess the Word (5–8 minutes)
Write a word on the board with blanks for each letter and have students guess letters until the word is fully revealed. For each correct guess, fill in the letter, and for incorrect guesses, students lose their turn.
| Word | Hint | Question |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | A fruit that keeps the doctor away, often red or green | _ p p _ e |
| Banana | A long, yellow fruit that monkeys love to eat | _ a _ a _ |
| Elephant | A large mammal with a trunk | _ _ _ p _ _ _ |
10. Spelling Bee (5–10 minutes)
Call out words related to the lesson (e.g., vocabulary words, historical terms). Students take turns spelling the words aloud. The student who spells the most words correctly wins. This reinforces their spelling, vocabulary, and concentration, and it encourages them to recall lesson material while participating in a friendly competition.
Want more spelling bee ideas? Here are 50 Surprisingly Hard Words to Spell (Even for Adults!).
If You Have a Pen and Paper
11. Word Search (5–10 minutes)
Create a word search puzzle with terms from the lesson (e.g., vocabulary words, historical figures, or scientific terms). Students work individually or in teams to find the words as quickly as possible.
This exercise is a relaxing yet engaging way to reinforce key vocabulary and concepts. It also promotes word recognition and helps students familiarize themselves with important terms.
12. Crossword Puzzle (5–10 minutes)
Design a crossword puzzle with clues related to the lesson. Students fill in the answers by solving the clues. Solving a crossword puzzle strengthens students’ understanding of the lesson material while improving problem-solving and critical thinking skills as they work to complete the puzzle.
13. Story Chain (5–10 minutes)
One student begins a story by writing a sentence related to the lesson (e.g., a historical event, scientific discovery). Each subsequent student adds to the story, continuing the narrative.
This storytelling activity promotes creativity, collaboration, and communication, as students work together to build a cohesive story while reinforcing lesson content.
14. Drawing and Guessing (5–10 minutes)
Students draw a concept related to the lesson (e.g., a historical event or scientific concept) on paper while others guess what it is. This reinforces visual learning, vocabulary recall, and creativity. It encourages active participation and teamwork, helping students engage with lesson topics in a fun way.
15. Word Scramble (5 minutes)
Write scrambled words on the board or paper, and have students unscramble them to form valid terms related to the lesson. The first student or team to unscramble all words correctly wins.
This challenging game boosts vocabulary and spelling skills while encouraging quick thinking and friendly competition.
If You Have No Materials
16. Simon Says (5–10 minutes)
In this classic game, students only follow instructions that begin with “Simon says.” You can add lesson-related commands (e.g., “Simon says, clap your hands and spell ‘science’”) to make the game educational and fun. This helps reinforce listening skills and focus while providing a fun way to learn.
17. Charades (5–10 minutes)
Students act out a word or concept from the lesson while their classmates guess what it is. This promotes creativity, teamwork, and vocabulary recall. Plus, it encourages non-verbal communication and quick thinking.
18. This or That (5 minutes)
Ask students to choose between two options (e.g., “Do you prefer winter or summer?” or “Would you rather be a scientist or an artist?”). This encourages quick thinking and decision-making, allowing students to express their opinions while engaging in critical thinking.
Running out of questions? Get inspired with this 600+ Perfect This or That Questions for Kids (Complete List).
19. Human Knot (10 minutes)
Students stand in a circle, grab hands with two different people, and try to untangle the knot without letting go. This promotes teamwork, problem-solving, and communication as students work together to solve a physical puzzle.
20. Two Truths and a Lie (5 minutes)
Each student takes turns saying two true statements and one false statement about themselves. The rest of the class guesses which statement is the lie. This cultivates rapport among students, fosters communication, and encourages them to think critically about what others share.
Want more fun and creative games to play with students? Try…
- 150 Fun Fill in the Blank Game Questions Across Different Categories (Free Downloadable Template Available!)
- 9 Fun Classroom Games Guaranteed To Keep Students On Their Toes
- 5 Interactive PowerPoint Game Templates for Unforgettable Lessons
- 4 Classroom Gamification Elements and Examples
- Game On! How to Easily Create and Play PowerPoint Games
FAQs
What are some quick classroom games to play with students?
Some quick classroom games to try include Jeopardy, Pictionary, Wheel of Fortune, Charades, and Simon Says. These games are fast to set up, easy to play, and help keep students engaged while reinforcing important concepts.
How do games help students learn?
Games make learning more fun and interactive. They boost student engagement, promote teamwork, and help students develop important skills like critical thinking and communication.
Can I use games to reinforce what I’m teaching?
Absolutely! Games like Jeopardy, Flashcards, and Word Ladder can easily be customized to fit your lesson content, making them a great way to reinforce key concepts while keeping things exciting.
Do I need special materials to play these games?
Not always! Some games, like Simon Says, Charades, or Human Knot, don’t need any materials at all. Others, like Jeopardy or Pictionary, might need a whiteboard or paper, but nothing too complicated.
Why are games so effective for keeping students motivated?
Games create a fun, competitive atmosphere that keeps students involved and excited to learn. They add an element of challenge and reward, which encourages students to participate actively.
