When children play they forget about everything else. They want to win, no matter what.
The teacher is smiling as the boys are running around in the classroom with some scissors in their hands while girls are acting out Hannah Montana on the top of their desks. How fun is that or is it not?
Well, we have all experienced scenes like that but to be honest it doesn't really improve the English skills of any students and at the end of the day we are there to teach them this new language. Luckily, there are educative games for the classroom out there or games for kids which could be used for teaching certain topics, structures or vocabulary.
Health and safety is priority. Nobody wants broken bones not even a plastic one belongs to the skeleton of the class falling apart, accidentally. Advisable to play ESL games after you have gained control over the class. Let's say after the first month. By this time, you know your pupils. Who you can trust, who needs special attention and who are the troublemakers or the leaders of the class.
Playing a game in the classroom gives a false impression that it is a free activity.
Well, it must be better controlled and supervised than anything else if you decide to do something which involves any mingling around in the classroom.
So when you decide to play with your students, you have to plan it wisely and well beforehand. Think about the room what they can use and how to organise children. Would you like them in groups, in pairs or individually to participate? If you decide to make them play in groups or in pairs, try to mix students with different abilities so they will be able to help each other. Games are needed to be explained clearly otherwise you might face some unexpected problems. It is also has to be taken to account what you do if children don't like the game and don't want to play it. Always have a plan B in your purse.
This list of ESL games for kids saves you some time and struggle any time of the year. You can use them and make sure children enjoy the time in English class and parents are satisfied with the improvement, they see. Let your students play at least 5 minutes every ESL class. It can be a warmer at the beginning of the lesson, just to put kids in the mood, a little gap filler to have a break from a difficult exercise or a cooler at the end of the lesson, so children can leave the class with a smile on their faces and an 'I want to come back' attitude.