ESL Game of the Day: "Meteor”

If you are teaching English to children this weekend, then this ESL game for kids will be perfect to get your students standing up and reviewing vocabulary in a fun way. Your kids will have to remember the words you’ve taught them quickly! This ESL game isn’t so good for kindergarten as they have slower motor skills and have trouble throwing and catching, but this activity is a perfect choice for kids aged 8 and upwards.

The Meteor: What to Do in English Class

Bring a soft ball or soft toy to English class and move all the chairs back to make a large space in your ESL classroom. Get your students to stand up making a large circle with one student standing in the middle.

The TEFL teacher calls out a topic, for example, 'colours'. The student in the middle then throws the ball to one of the students in the circle. The student needs to catch the ball and say a word associated with the topic i.e. 'blue'. This student then throws the ball to another student in the circle.

As the ball is being thrown, the student in the middle must try to catch the ball in mid-air. If he/she can do so, then the thrower is out and must sit down on a chair on the outside. Keep the ball moving around the circle, with words being called out each time.

Words cannot be repeated, either. Any student who repeats a word is out. Any student catching a ball, but not saying a word is out.

If the ball is dropped by a student in the circle, then both the thrower and the catcher must say a word (or sentence, depending on English ability level) associated with the topic, or both are out of the game!

After every elimination, change the topic and also the person in the middle. Keep going until there are only three students remaining. These three are the winners!

Need more ESL Game Ideas for Children? Try these for size!

Wonder Words - good reading and early phonics activities for kindergarten ages and primary

Running Dictation - One of the best ESL games you can play with either children or adults. All four speaking skills will be practiced in this TEFL gem!

Match - In a nutshell, you'll be giving a piece of paper to each student with a colour, shape, word, whatever, and have to walk around the class looking for the student whose paper matches their own.

Ball and Sack - For this activity, you'll need a sack (any bag will do really), a ball of any size, bits of paper and a pen. A super-simple ESL review activity for a class of children.

Volcano - a superb ESL flashcard game for kindergarten. Review your flashcards with the class and then tell the class that the floor is lava and very, very hot! Bend down and touch the floor and pretend to burn your fingers to show your kids and to raise a laugh with them.