Are your students losing focus during online classes? We know how challenging it can be to keep them engaged in a virtual environment. But what if we told you there’s a way to make learning fun and interactive?
Classroom games online can transform your virtual teaching space into an exciting hub for learning. This post will share entertaining online games that capture your students’ attention and boost their involvement.
These online classroom games are designed to make lessons more enjoyable while meeting your educational objectives.
From interactive quizzes to virtual escape rooms, these engaging activities will help you create an online classroom that students look forward to joining. Are you ready to revolutionize your teaching approach with classroom games online?
Fun Online Games for Classroom Engagement
Heighten your virtual classroom experience with these 19 engaging online games designed to delight students’ attention and boost participation.
From interactive quizzes to virtual escape rooms, these activities offer a perfect blend of fun and learning, transforming your online lessons into exciting educational adventures.
1. Digital Scavenger Hunt
A Digital Scavenger Hunt is a fun and interactive way to engage students in a virtual classroom. In this game, students search for items around their home that match a list provided by the teacher. It’s a great way to encourage movement and creativity, and it can be tailored to fit the lesson theme, making it both educational and enjoyable.
How to Play
- The teacher compiles a list of items or activities that relate to the lesson. For example, if you’re teaching a science class, include items like a leaf that floats or a light source.
- Share the list with students through the chat or screen share.
- Set a time limit (e.g., 5 minutes) for students to find as many items as possible from the list.
- Once time is up, students return to the screen and show the items they found, explaining how they relate to the lesson.
2. Virtual Pictionary
Virtual Pictionary is an online version of the classic drawing game. One student draws a word or phrase on a virtual whiteboard while others try to guess what it is. This game helps students develop their creative thinking and vocabulary skills while having fun.
How to Play
- Divide the class into two teams and select a student from each team to draw.
- Privately message the drawing prompt (e.g., “dog,” “sun,” “happiness”) to the selected student using your video conferencing platform’s chat feature.
- The student shares their screen and starts drawing the prompt using an online whiteboard tool.
- The other team members guess the word or phrase being drawn. The team with the most correct guesses wins.
3. Quiz Games
Quiz Games are perfect for testing students’ knowledge in a fun and competitive way. They can include general knowledge, vocabulary, or subject-specific quizzes. Students answer questions in real-time, competing to see who knows the most.
How to Play
- Prepare a set of quiz questions on a platform like Kahoot! or Google Forms.
- Share the quiz link with students and have them join the quiz session.
- As the teacher, read out each question and give students a set amount of time to select their answers.
- After each question, review the correct answer and discuss why it’s correct. At the end, announce the top scorers.
4. Simon Says
Simon Says is a classic game that can be easily adapted for an online classroom. It’s a great way to get students moving and paying attention, as they must follow the teacher’s commands only when preceded by “Simon says.”
How to Play
- Ask students to stand up and ensure they have enough space to move around.
- Begin by giving commands like “Simon says touch your head” or “Simon says jump in place.” If you give a command without saying “Simon says,” students should not follow it.
- If a student follows a command without hearing, “Simon says,” they are out for that round.
- Continue until only one student remains, who then becomes the winner.
5. Word Association Game
Word Association Games are simple yet engaging activities in which students say words related to a given topic. This game can help students build vocabulary and quick-thinking skills.
How to Play
- Choose a topic (e.g., “animals,” “foods”) and start with a word related to the topic (e.g., “cat” for animals).
- Go around the virtual classroom, with each student saying a word associated with the last word mentioned.
- If students repeat a word or take too long to respond, they are out of the game.
- Continue until one student is left standing as the winner.
6. Describe and Draw
Describe and Draw is an activity that tests students’ listening and comprehension skills. The teacher describes an object, and students must draw what they think it looks like without seeing it.
How to Play
- Select an object to describe, but keep it off-screen so students cannot see it.
- Describe the object in detail, giving clues about its shape, size, and other characteristics.
- Students listen carefully and draw what they believe the object looks like.
- After everyone finishes, show the object on camera and compare it with the students’ drawings to see who got the closest.
7. Virtual Bingo
Virtual Bingo is a simple and engaging game that can be customized to fit any lesson. Students fill in a bingo card with words or concepts from the lesson and mark them off as they’re discussed.
How to Play
- Use an online bingo generator to create bingo cards with words or concepts related to your lesson.
- Distribute the bingo cards to students via email or a shared link.
- As you go through the lesson, students mark off the words on their cards when they hear them mentioned.
- The first student to get a full row or column yells, “Bingo!” and wins a prize or recognition.
8. Would You Rather
Would You Rather is a simple icebreaker that helps students express their preferences and learn about their classmates. It’s a great way to spark conversation and debate in a virtual classroom.
How to Play
- Prepare a list of “Would you rather” questions related to fun or educational topics (e.g., “Would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?”).
- Ask the questions one by one, either verbally or by sharing them on screen.
- Students can respond by raising their hands, typing in the chat, or using reaction emojis.
- After each question, encourage a brief discussion on why students chose their answers.
9. Mystery Box Game
The Mystery Box Game is a fun and suspenseful activity where students answer questions and decide whether to keep or give away a box that could contain positive or negative points.
How to Play
- Prepare questions related to your lesson, and create virtual “mystery boxes” with different point values (e.g., +500, -200).
- Divide the class into two teams and let each team take turns answering the questions.
- After answering, the team decides whether to keep the box or give it to the other team.
- Reveal the box’s contents and continue until all questions are answered. The team with the most points wins.
10. Alphabet Chain
Alphabet Chain is a vocabulary-building game where students name words within a category, each starting with the last letter of the previous word.
How to Play
- Choose a category (e.g., “fruits,” “countries”) and explain the rules to the students.
- Start the game by saying a word within the chosen category (e.g., “Apple” for fruits).
- The next student must say a word that starts with the last letter of the previous word (e.g., “Elephant” for countries).
- If a student can’t think of a word or repeats one, they are out. The game continues until only one student remains.
11. Virtual Game Show
Virtual Game Show is an online adaptation of popular quiz shows like Jeopardy, where students answer questions to earn points for their team.
How to Play
- Create a virtual game board using a template from platforms like Jeopardy Labs or Google Slides.
- Divide the class into teams and share your screen to display the game board.
- Each team takes turns selecting a question from the board, and they must answer it within a set time.
- Keep track of the scores, and the team with the highest points at the end wins the game.
12. Virtual Show and Tell
Virtual Show and Tell allows students to share something meaningful from their home and explain why it’s important to them. It’s a great way to build community in the classroom.
How to Play
- Ask students to select an item they’d like to share with the class from their home.
- Each student takes turns showing their item on camera and explaining its significance.
- The teacher can set a theme for the items (e.g., “Something that makes you happy”).
- After all students have shared, please encourage them to ask questions or comment on each other’s items.
13. Class Limericks
Class Limericks is a creative game in which students write humorous five-line poems with a specific rhythm. This activity encourages creativity and helps students understand poetic structure, and it can be easily incorporated into online classes.
How to Play
- Explain the structure of a limerick to the students (AABBA rhyme scheme).
- Provide an example of a limerick, and then ask students to write their own based on your chosen topic (e.g., “A day at school”).
- Give students a few minutes to write their limericks.
- Afterward, have each student turn on their mics, read their limerick aloud to the class, and vote on the funniest or most creative one.
14. The Telepathy Game
The Telepathy Game is a simple and fun activity where students guess which answer the teacher is thinking of, testing their “telepathic” abilities.
How to Play
- Create a set of questions with two possible answers (e.g., “Do you think of summer or winter?”).
- Ask a question, and write down your chosen answer on a piece of paper without revealing it.
- Students guess which answer you wrote by typing it in the chat or raising their hand.
- Reveal your answer and keep a score of how many students guessed correctly. The student with the most correct guesses wins.
15. Make a Story Game
This is a collaborative storytelling activity where each student adds a sentence to a story. This game encourages creativity and teamwork.
How to Play
- Start a story with an incomplete sentence (e.g., “Once upon a time, there was a…”).
- Call on a student to complete the sentence, then start the next sentence but leave it incomplete.
- Continue this process with each student until the story reaches a natural conclusion.
- At the end, read the entire story aloud and enjoy the often humorous and creative result.
16. Rube Goldberg Off
Rube Goldberg Off is a challenging game where students design complex machines to perform simple tasks. This activity promotes problem-solving and creativity.
How to Play
- Explain the concept of a Rube Goldberg machine to the students (a complex machine that performs a simple task).
- Assign a simple task (e.g., “Pop a balloon”) and ask students to design a machine that accomplishes it using household items.
- Students can work individually or in teams to create their designs.
- Students present their designs to the class at the end, explaining how their machine works.
17. Virtual Field Trips
Virtual Field Trips allow students to explore famous locations worldwide from the comfort of their homes. This activity can be both educational and engaging.
How to Play
- Choose a virtual field trip destination that relates to your lesson (e.g., the Great Wall of China for a history class).
- Share your screen with students and guide them through the virtual tour, pausing to discuss points of interest.
- Please encourage students to ask questions or share what they found most interesting during the trip.
- After the tour, assign a follow-up activity, such as writing a reflection or creating a virtual postcard.
18. Desert Island Intelligences
Desert Island Intelligences is a debate game where students must decide which “intelligences” are most useful for survival on a deserted island. This game encourages critical thinking and collaboration.
How to Play
- Introduce Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences concept to the class.
- Present a scenario where eight people, each representing a different intelligence (e.g., linguistic, logical-mathematical), are stranded on a desert island.
- The class debates which intelligence should be “voted off” the island each round based on their usefulness for survival.
- Continue until only one intelligence remains, and discuss why it was chosen as the most important.
19. Utilitarian Test
The Utilitarian Test is an online classroom activity where students discuss and debate famous ethical dilemmas. This game helps students develop reasoning and ethical decision-making skills.
How to Play
- Present a classic ethical dilemma to the class (e.g., The Trolley Problem).
- Divide students into small groups using breakout rooms and ask them to discuss their opinions on the dilemma.
- Each group presents their decision and reasoning to the class.
- Facilitate a class-wide discussion to explore different perspectives and the implications of practical thinking.
Conclusion
Classroom games online offer a dynamic approach to teaching and learning in virtual environments. These 19 engaging activities can transform your lessons, making them fun and educational.
Integrating classroom games online creates an interactive space where students eagerly participate, leading to improved comprehension and retention of subject matter.
These digital activities enhance academic skills and foster teamwork and communication—essential tools for future success. As educators, we have the power to turn online learning into an exciting journey of discovery.
By incorporating classroom games online into your curriculum, you’ll ignite curiosity and create a more enjoyable learning atmosphere.
Remember, engaged students are more likely to absorb information and develop their skills.
