Get Creative with Games and Puzzles

Playing classroom games is an excellent Monday morning starter or a Friday afternoon wake up. Games can help build student relationships and create a relaxed and comfortable learning environment. Games can also help to review and improve vocabulary and grammar points and enhance listening and speaking skills. However, getting everyone on board to play classroom games is not always an easy task, but if you are enthusiastic and encouraging, most students will want to join in on the fun.

Using puzzles such as crosswords and word searches is also another way to add some fun and liven up the classroom. Challenge students looking to build on their vocabulary and spelling skills or use puzzles as a way to review and reinforce  previous lessons or themes.

Here are some recommended sites for classroom game ideas as well as some online (which can be projected on the board for the whole class to participate) and printable quizzes and puzzles for all ages and levels. Some of these sites' worksheets can also be modified for ESL learners.

TELFGames - Printable games, activities and quizzes
ESL Games - Games and activities for ESL learners
FunEnglishGames - Instructions for a variety of ESL games for all skills
EnglishClub - Online vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation games
ESOL Courses - Online crossword puzzles
ESLGamesBox - Instructions for classroom games with some printable material
Iteslj - Instructions for a variety of classroom games
ESLKids - Instructions for ESL games and activities
ESLGalaxy - Printable crossword puzzles for beginner to high intermediate
ELCivics - Printable crossword puzzles for beginner to advanced
ESLPuzzles - Online games and activities for ESL learners
PuzzleMaker - Make your own wordsearch and crossword puzzles 
CrosswordPuzzleGames - 20 word crossword puzzle maker
Wise Old Sayings: The Ultimate Word Games Guide 
ESLLounge - Riddles for intermediate and advanced learners 
RinkWorks - Logic puzzles for intermediate and advanced learners 
FreePuzzles - Logic puzzles with 3 levels of difficulty 
BogglesWorldESL - Riddles to teach problem solving  
Internet4Classrooms - Brain Teasers
FunTrivia - Flash and HTML quizzes and trivia games 
ISLCollective - 34 printable puzzle worksheets   *free membership - donations only

Feel free to comment or to send us any link or resource you would like to share so that we can continue to be part of this exciting and ever growing field of English language teaching!