Classroom word games for learning English vocabulary

Read and Match!

classroom games tips and ideas

learning and teaching resources

Our read-and-match worksheets are very easy matching activities that focus on spelling and reading. If your students enjoy this activity, you could expand it by playing related word games.

Fun, interactive, great tools for learning. Who doesn't like to play classroom games? Here are some ideas to inspire you. These activities can be used in any topic!

The suggested games focus on spelling, writing and vocabulary building. They require minimal preparation and can be used just to practise any vocabulary.

Below you will find descriptions of the following classroom games:

• name the words
• colour the objects
• write the words
• draw the words
• take the pictures

To browse all of our read-and-match worksheets sorted alphabetically by topic, use this resource guide. Also, we offer a variety of online word games that go well with these printables.

ideas for extra classroom games

Below you will find some classroom games that go well with our read-and-match worksheets. Any game can be used in any vocabulary topic.

name the words

  • Use a set of flashcards.
  • Hold up or point to the pictures.
  • Kids name them in chorus, then individually.
  • Go faster and faster.

colour the objects

  • Use the read-and-match worksheets for colouring.
  • Tell your students, for example, The ball is red. The kite is blue.
  • Kids colour the objects.

write the words

  • Write your vocabulary words on the board. Then use flashcards (one of our flashcard sets).
  • Hold up or point to the pictures.
  • Name each picture, for example: a cow, a goose, etc.
  • Ask students to take out a piece of paper and write the words on it.

draw the words

  • Divide students into two teams.
  • The first student from each team comes to the board. Give them a word in a secret.
  • On the count of three, each student tries to draw the word as fast as he/she can.
  • The first team to guess their drawers word gets a point.

take the pictures

  • Place the flashcards with pictures on the board (or wall).
  • Divide kids into two teams. Each team forms a line.
  • Say a word matching one of the pictures on the board.
  • The first child on each team goes up to the board, takes the right picture, then moves to the back of his or her team’s line.
  • The group gets one score for each picture taken. The winner is the group that scores best.