Top 15 Educational Games for Elementary Students

Games are captivating activities that attract many students due to the lively atmosphere they bring. In addition to intense study hours, to make students feel excited and engaged in every class or reinforce lessons, teachers cannot help but incorporate games into the educational content. Here, ThuaThuatPhanMem.vn presents the top 15 educational games for elementary students.

1. Capture the Flag

Preparation: A flag, a circle, and a starting line.

How to Play:

• The game master divides the class into two teams, each with an equal number of players. Each team lines up at the starting line. Each player must remember their position in line.
• When the game master calls a number, the players at that position from both teams quickly run to the circle to capture the flag.
• When the game master calls a number back, the corresponding player must return.
• The game master can call two or three numbers at a time.

Rules:

• While holding the flag, if a player is touched by an opponent, they lose.
• If a player successfully runs back to the starting line without being touched by anyone on their team, they win.
• If a player is about to be touched, they can drop the flag to avoid losing.
• Players can only touch opponents corresponding to their position in their team. If touched by a different number, they won't lose.
• Once a player is touched (loses), the game master won't call that number to play anymore.
• Players are not allowed to hug or hold each other to prevent flag capture.
• Players must find ways to deceive opponents to bring the flag back.
• The circle must be large enough to avoid the risk of the flag leaving the circle, and flag capture is only allowed within the circle.
• The distance from the starting line to the flags of both teams is equal.

2. Sack Race

Objective: Improve health, agility, and cleverness. Create a fun and relaxed atmosphere for learning.

Preparation: Sacks, large enough for two people to stand in. The number of sacks should be half the number of players.

How to Play:

• The organizer will divide the group into teams with equal numbers, ensuring a mix of genders. Each pair will stand in a sack, arranged vertically behind the starting line, awaiting the command.
• Upon the organizer's signal, each pair or team will hop towards the designated finish line until the last team reaches.
• As the first pair hops, the second pair advances to the starting line.

Game Rules: The team that reaches the finish line first wins.

Note:

• If someone falls, they can get up and continue playing.
• Choose a suitable playing area with safe ground or grass.
• The distance can vary based on age.

3. Who's Faster

Purpose: Reviewing learned knowledge. Improving quick reactions, observational skills. Fostering self-awareness and competition among teams.

Preparation:

• The teacher prepares a set of questions and answers.
• Students will use True/False cards.

How to Play:

• Divide the class into 4 teams, corresponding to 4 groups. The 4 group leaders will act as referees and supervise diagonally, with one person recording the results.
• The teacher will read each question aloud, and then students will use cards (True or False) to answer.
• Anyone who violates the rules will result in disqualification.
• After answering, the teacher will score each team.
• Scoring Method: Each correct answer earns 10 points, and each incorrect answer deducts 5 points.

Rules:

• The winning team is the one with the highest score.

4. Hand Smash on the Board

Purpose: Help students practice reading and listening to the words they have learned, aiding in vocabulary retention.

How to Play:

• The teacher organizes the class orderly in their seats, then introduces the name of the game and draws various shapes on the board, such as a circle, square, triangle, rectangle, rhombus, ellipse, etc.
• The teacher writes down some newly learned words on the corresponding shapes.
• The teacher has students stand in a prepared position.
• Students stand in front of the board, listen to the teacher, and quickly smack the word being called.

Rules:

• Played in pairs, the teacher divides the class into 2 teams and names each team. Each round, each team selects a member to compete with a member from the opposing team.
• Two participants stand in front of the board at a certain distance. After hearing the teacher read, they quickly smack their hands on the word the teacher just read on the board. The one who slaps quickly and accurately earns 1 point for their team.
• The game stops when the teacher has written enough words on the board.
• The winning team is the one with the highest score.

5. Quick Solve

Purpose: Train mental math skills for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division within the table. Develop quick calculation skills.

Preparation: Two competing teams, each team names itself.

How to play:

• Representatives from both teams will draw lots or play rock-paper-scissors to determine which team presents the math problem first.
• The presenting team will state a multiplication, division, or addition and subtraction problem involving multiples of ten or hundred. The second team will provide the answer.
• After answering, the second team will reverse the question for the first team to answer.
• After 5 minutes, the team with more correct answers wins.

6. Magical Crossword

Purpose: To review and reinforce the end of the lesson. Stimulate students' interest in learning.

Preparation:

• Whiteboard or pre-drawn crossword puzzle on a flip chart.
• Questions and answers content.

Implementation:

• After the teacher organizes an activity to review the lesson content, the teacher organizes this game for students.
• The teacher divides the class into 2 - 4 teams (depending on the number of students).
• The teacher presents a crossword puzzle with horizontal and vertical rows. Each horizontal box contains the studied content along with hints.
• Each team, after hearing the hints, thinks and raises a flag to answer. The team that raises the flag first and answers correctly earns 10 points. If a team answers incorrectly, they pass the answering right to another team. While the teams answer, the teacher records the words on the board for students to compare with the existing crossword and the learned content. If both students and the teacher agree, the teacher writes the answer on the 'Magical Crossword.' The winning team is the one with the most points.

7. Word Matching

Purpose: Used to teach lessons with activities illustrated by pictures or diagrams in textbooks. Helps students reinforce their knowledge.

Preparation: Words to be matched into two diagrams of teaching activities.

Procedure:

• Divide the class into two teams after working with the visual and text channels in the textbook.
• The teacher explains the rules of the game and clearly defines the time.
• After the teacher explains the rules and how to play, instruct the teams to perform (two teams perform with two paper groups).
• Students will perform by taking turns, and the two teams will compete to assemble words and use arrows to create a diagram.
• Each student in the group sequentially selects information from the paper to arrange.

8. Relay Race Game

Preparation:

• Mark the starting line and finish line about 6-8m apart. The finish line can be replaced with 2-4 small flags, each flag spaced 1-2m from the others.
• Short plastic tubes about 20cm in length.

How to Play:

• Gather students in the class into 2-4 rows behind the starting line. The number of people per team is equal.
• Upon command, the number 1 from each row runs quickly, loops around the flag, and then runs back to the starting line, handing the tube to the next person.
• Player number 2, upon receiving the tube, continues running like player number 1.
• Continue in this manner until one row finishes first, with fewer rule violations determining the winner.

9. Match Pictures with Corresponding Images

Objective: Assist children in quickly recalling learned words and their meanings to correctly match with illustrations.

Preparation: English vocabulary and a set of images illustrating the meanings of the words.

Gameplay:

• The teacher will distribute pictures and word cards to the groups.
• State the requirement for groups to compete in matching pictures with corresponding words.
• The group that correctly and swiftly matches the items will be the winning team.

10. Flower Passing

Objective: Create a cheerful atmosphere in the classroom, reinforcing knowledge through interactive questions.

Preparation:

• A flower
• Questions related to the lesson
• Prizes

Rules of the Game:

• The game master will set the rhythm to a song, and the whole class will sing along, passing the flower as they go.
• When the song ends, the student holding the flower will draw a question from the teacher and answer it.
• If the answer is correct, they receive a prize.
• If the answer is wrong, they pass the chance to someone else.

Note: Besides the flower, we can also use a gift box or a ball.

11. Listen, Read, and Guess the Song Title

Objective:

• Enhance the ability to read a passage clearly and accurately from the studied literature.
• Practice listening skills and recall the names of the learned reading exercises.

Preparation:

• Teachers instruct students to review the reading exercises studied in the Vietnamese language class to facilitate review sessions.

Procedure:

• The teacher organizes students into 2 playing groups, sitting opposite each other. The group leaders coordinate the team and draw lots to choose the group to read first.
• The selected group opens the textbook to choose a reading passage (as mentioned in some assigned reading exercises). The other group listens and guesses the name of the studied reading exercise. After guessing, Group 2 reads the selected passage, and Group 1 guesses the name of the reading exercise. Each group performs 3 rounds of guessing and reading.
• Both participating groups earn points for comparison when the game ends. The teacher selects the group with more points as the winner.

Note: When guessing the exercise name, neither group is allowed to open the textbook. The selected passage should be concise and not too lengthy.

12. Electric Spark

Note: If granted the opportunity to answer but failing to provide an immediate response and 'shock,' the teacher will appoint another student to start.

13. Singing Fast and Slow

Objective: Through the teacher's hand signals, students learn to sing quickly and slowly in response to the given commands.

Preparation:

• A selection of learned songs.
• The teacher needs to prepare standard hand movements.

Gameplay:

• The teacher will establish hand signals. When the teacher swings or moves hands quickly, students sing fast; when the teacher moves both hands slowly, students sing slowly.
• The teacher sets the rhythm for the learned songs and instructs students to sing following the hand signals.

Note: Students should not sing too fast or rush the rhythm but should focus on following the signals accurately.

14. Passing the Message

Objective: Enhance students' quick reflexes, precise memory, and team spirit.

Gameplay:

• The teacher divides the class into teams with equal numbers and arranges them in a vertical line.
• Each team selects a representative to receive instructions. Upon a signal, the chosen person runs to the teacher to collect information, memorizes it accurately, and quickly returns to convey it to their team's first member.
• The first person passes the message to the second person but must speak quietly. This continues until reaching the last person.
• The last person runs up to inform the teacher about the heard message.

Rules of the Game:

• The team that accurately and quickly conveys the information is the winning team.
• Information must be passed in order, not skipping team members.

15. Lucky Numbers

Objective: Create an exciting atmosphere and enhance the ability to maintain high concentration during class.

Preparation: The teacher will prepare a set of questions and answers closely related to the lesson content.

Gameplay:

• The teacher will draw a board with 15 squares and fill in 15 random natural numbers, including 12 squares with questions for students to answer and 3 numbers as lucky numbers without questions.
• Each lucky number is worth 10 points and has no accompanying question.

Rules of the Game:

• The teacher divides the class into 2 teams and assigns names to each team. Each team selects a team leader to engage in a rock-paper-scissors game to determine which team gets to choose first.
• Within each team, discussions take place on which number to pick. If the chosen square contains a question, the teacher reads it, and the entire team must discuss and find the answer. The team leader then reads and answers. If correct, the team scores 10 points; if wrong, the other team gets a chance to answer.
• In rounds 2 and onwards, the other team chooses a square. If they land on a lucky square, no question is asked, and they receive applause and 10 lucky points.
• At the end of the game, the team with more points wins. Choosing a Lucky Number square earns the team a round of applause.