Shiri Tori
This is a popular Japanese game. Have everyone sit in a circle. The teacher says a word and each student must add a word that begins with the last letter of the word just spoken e.g. apple-egg-girl-lion-neck-etc.
Shoot The Basket
This can be done in teams or individually. Ask a student a question and if the student answers correctly then he/she gets a shot at the basket. Variations include rolling a ball between 'posts', throwing a ball to knock a stuffed animal off a box, bouncing a ball into a bucket, etc. Award points.
Shopping
Use plastic fruits, vegetables or corresponding flashcards. Gather the students around you and let them ask for what they want using a dialog such as: "What do you you want?", "An apple, please.", "Here you are.", "Thank you.", "You're welcome." Then the teacher calls back the objects from the students, "Apple, please". Then the students put the fruit back into the basket.
Simon Says
Play Simon Says as a review using "touch" body parts, classroom objects, etc., or with actions. E.g.
"Simon says touch your toes" = Students touch their toes. "Touch your eyes" = Students don't move. When a student makes a mistake, he/she must sit out until the next round.
Slam
Have the students sit in a circle with their hands on their heads. Spread the flashcards face up in the middle. The teacher calls out a flash card and the students race to touch it. The first student to touch it gets to keep the flashcard. In the case of a tie, have the students 'Rock, Scissors, Paper'.
Slow Motion
Put a flashcard in a bag or behind something. Pull it out very slowly showing only the top part of the picture at a time. Reward the first student who can guess it correctly.
Spelling Bee
This can be done with the whole class or in two teams. The first player on team one is given a word to spell orally. The teacher writes the letters on the board as they are spelled out loud. If correct, the team gets a point. If you do a class competition, line the students up and give them words one by one. When they make a mistake they must sit down. The last student standing is the winner.
Spelling Game
Put a name or word on the board and have teams or individuals make as many words as possible from those letters, e.g. Brad Pitt = bat, rat, bad, at, etc.
Spin The Bottle
Use the bottle to ask each student questions. The teacher spins the bottle and asks the student it points to a question. First ask basic warm-up questions and then move on to target structures or review structures.
Ten
Students stand in a circle and chorus counting from 1-10. Instruct the students to each call out one, two or three of the numbers in numerical order. The student who calls out 'ten' must sit down. Continue until only one student is standing. That student wins the game. E.g. "one, two", "three, four, five", "six", "seven, eight, nine", "ten (sits down)", "one".....
Try playing it backwards as an extra challenge.
Tongue Twisters
Use these tongue twisters with older students. They work well as an extension activity.
1) She sells seashells by the seashore.
2) Rubber baby buggy bumpers.
3) Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
4) How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
Topic Tag
Give a topic, e.g. fruit. The students must run around the room trying to avoid the teacher's tag. If the student is tagged, he/she has five seconds to name a fruit. If no fruit can be named or the fruit has already been said, that student should sit out until the next round.
Touch
Order the students to touch various objects around the classroom e.g. "Touch your book", "Touch something red".
Vocab with Rock, Scissors, Paper
Lay the flashcards in a straight line on the floor. Assign two teams and have them line up at each end of the flashcard line. When you say 'Go' the first member from each team starts to walk from their end of the line, straddling the flashcards, reading the vocabulary out loud as they walk. When the two students meet they have to Rock, Scissors, Paper, the losing student goes to the back of his/her line and the winning student continues along the flashcard line. The second student from the losing team starts walking and reading the vocabulary until the two students meet and Rock, Scissors, Paper, and so on. Give points for reaching the opposite end of the line.
What's Missing?
Scatter 8-10 flashcards face up on the table. Give the students a minute to look at them, then have them close their eyes and take away one flashcard. Tell the students to open their eyes and ask, "What's missing?". Reward the student that guesses correctly.
What Time Is It, Mr. Wolf?
Have the students line up against the back wall. The teacher should stand with his/her back turned to the class. The students must ask the teacher "What time is it, Mr. Wolf (or teacher's name if easier)?". The teacher answers with a random time, e.g. "It's four o'clock" - the students take four steps toward the teacher. The students should move the corresponding number of steps. If the teacher says "It's lunch time!", the students must run to safety at the back wall. The teacher chases the students and if tagged, the student must sit out until the next round.
Who's Got What?
Have the students sit in a circle and secretly pass a few objects or flashcards from hand to hand under the table or behind their backs. Say, "Stop", and ask "Who has the (apple)?" The students should point to who they think has the (apple) and say "He/She does." The first student to guess correctly should be rewarded.
Winner Says M
A variation on the activity 'Ten'. Write a big 'M' on the board and have the students take turns reciting the alphabet, saying one or two letters each. The student who says "M" is the winner. E.g. "A", "BC", "DE", "F", "G", "HI", "J", "KL", "M" (winner)! Variations: Numbers 1-21 (winner says 21), Days of the week (winner says Sunday), Months of the year (winner says December).
