10 Fun and Engaging Virtual Classroom Games Educators Must Try!

With the transition to online learning, educators have a new difficulty in engaging and motivating their learners during remote classroom sessions. While traditional teaching approaches may fall short in the virtual environment, introducing games and activities may spice things up and increase engagement. Nevertheless, finding games that are both informative and enjoyable may be difficult. That is why we have compiled a list of 10 entertaining and engaging virtual classroom games for educators to play.

Benefits of Classroom Games for Kids

Classroom games are not only a delightful way to break up the monotony of virtual sessions; they also give several benefits to learners. These are some of the benefits of using classroom games to teach.

Improved engagement and motivation

By providing a more engaging and interesting learning environment, games can increase learner engagement and motivation. Educators may inspire learners to actively participate and be more invested in the learning process by adding games into the classroom.

Enhanced social and communication skills

Classroom activities allow learners to improve their social and communication abilities. Group work or discussion games can stimulate learners to cooperate and exchange ideas with their classmates. This encourages good communication and interpersonal skills, which are necessary for success in both academic and personal endeavours.

Development of cognitive skills

Classroom games may also help learners improve cognitive abilities including problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making. learners’ cognitive abilities and analytical thinking can benefit from games that force them to strategise or make judgments based on limited information.

Improvement in academic performance

According to Columbia University research, classroom games can also increase academic achievement. learners are more likely to remember material and perform better on examinations when they are interested and motivated. This can result in increased academic progress and accomplishment.

Promotion of teamwork and cooperation

Classroom games encourage teamwork and cooperation, which are crucial abilities to have in real-life situations. Games that force learners to collaborate toward a shared objective can help establish in pupils the virtues of collaboration, cooperation, and leadership, which can assist them in both their personal and professional life.

Read more: 5 Interactive Whiteboard Softwares for Schools

 

Online Classroom Games and Activities Ideas

We’ve compiled a collection of unique and interesting games to make studying more enjoyable and thrilling. These activities, ranging from digital treasure hunts to interactive quizzes, will keep your learner engaged and motivated. And thus, here are some fantastic games to try out in your online classroom!

1. Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are games in which participants are given a list of particular things to find or tasks to accomplish. The aim is to collect all of the items or complete all of the tasks within a given time restriction. Scavenger hunts allow learners to practice problem-solving in a tangible way, which helps reinforce and act-out skills taught in the classroom, resulting in a greater recall of the lessons.

To organise a online scavenger hunt for an online classroom, educators can follow these steps:

1. Choose a subject or topic currently being studied, or select a topic entirely on its own.
2. Create a list of items or clues for learners to find from their homes.
3. Decide on the rules and time limit for the game.
4. Use video conferencing platforms to host the game and share the list of items with learners.
5. Set up breakout rooms so learners can work in small groups to find the items.
6. Provide clear instructions, including how to submit answers and how points will be awarded.

 

2. Would You Rather

Would You Rather is a fun classroom game that may be used to develop learners’ critical thinking abilities. To play, simply present a question with two possibilities and ask learners to select which one they would want to do or have. This can be accomplished either verbally or through written prompts.

When time is limited, the game can also be utilised as an icebreaker exercise or as a brief discussion starter. There are also several internet resources with lists of Would You Rather questions for various age groups that you can use.

3. Live Quiz

A variety of live quiz games are available for use in the classroom. They enable educators to design interactive learning experiences that engage learners in a joyful and competitive environment. Some of these live quizzes also allow educators to add their own questions or answers, which might assist in learners recalling information from previous classes.

4. Ambassadors

Ambassadors games are a fun and interactive approach for learners to build leadership and cooperation abilities. learners in this game represent different nations or organisations in a discussion or negotiation setting, where they must collaborate to achieve a common goal.

Here are the steps an educator can follow to organise Ambassadors games:

1. Choose the topic: Select a relevant and interesting topic. Consider topics such as global issues, current events, or historical events.
2. Assign countries/organisations: Assign and encourage them to research a country or organisation to represent. 
3. Prepare presentations: Have learners prepare a short presentation outlining their position on the topic.
4. Organize the debate: Host a virtual debate where each team presents their arguments and negotiates with the other teams to reach a consensus or solution.
5. Evaluate and debrief: After the debate, evaluate each team’s performance based on their arguments, negotiation skills, and collaboration. Debrief the experience with the class to discuss the lessons learned and provide feedback to improve future debates.

Read more: Best Online Whiteboard for Math Tutoring that is Free

5. Balderdash

Balderdash is a game in which participants make up false meanings for unusual words or phrases, while other players try to determine which one is accurate. Each player takes turns generating a false definition, and then all of the definitions, including the true meaning, are read aloud. 

Participants vote on whose definition they believe is accurate, and points are rewarded to those who correctly guess the definition or whose false definition is picked by other players. The game encourages creativity and critical thinking while also being entertaining and engaging. Here are some common categories that can be used for Balderdash:

1. Science and Technology: Players create fake definitions for scientific terms or technology-related concepts.
2. Vocabulary: Players create fake definitions for advanced vocabulary words.
3. Movies and TV shows: Players create fake plot summaries for movies or TV shows.

 

6. Picture Zoom

In the Picture Zoom game, the educator shows a zoomed-in photograph of an object and learners must determine what it is. The educator gradually zooms out the image to give additional features until the object is correctly identified.

This game may be altered for a wide range of topics, including science, social studies, and language arts, by choosing images related to those subjects. The Picture Zoom game develops observation skills and critical thinking while also offering learners in online classes with a fun and dynamic experience.

7. First Letter, Last Letter

First Letter, Last Letter is a simple yet exciting online classroom game. In this game, the educator says a word first, and then the kids take turns stating words that begin with the final letter of the preceding word. For example, if “apple” is the first word, the next learner may say “elephant,” and so on. 

8. Guess Who?

Guess Who is an online classroom game in which a person, character, or historical figure is picked and learners can guess who it is. This game encourages critical thinking and analysis abilities while also providing learners with an entertaining and engaging experience.

To play Guess Who in an online classroom, follow these steps:

1. The educator or a learner chooses a person, character, or historical figure.
2. Other learners take turns asking yes-or-no questions about the chosen individual until someone guesses right.
3. The one who properly identifies the following individual in the game wins.

Read More: 7 Benefits of Online Teaching for Teachers

9. Twist Your Tongue

Twist Your Tongue is a challenging and entertaining online classroom game. In this game, learners take turns reciting tongue twisters that are difficult to pronounce correctly. The game aims to correctly pronounce the tongue twister without stuttering over the words. Here are some tongue twisters to try out in the game:

1. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
2. She sells seashells by the seashore.
3. Unique New York, you know you need unique New York.
4. Red lorry, yellow lorry.
5. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
6. Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair.
7. Six sick hicks nick six slick bricks with picks and sticks.

 

10. Know Your Friends

In the Know Your Friends game, learners write down unique facts or preferences about themselves and place them in a box. The educator then selects a fact or preference at random and reads it aloud without revealing the author’s identify. 

Each information or choice must be guessed by the other learners. This game encourages social interaction and communication skills while also offering learners in online classes with a fun and engaging experience.

Conclusion

To conclude, the change to the online classroom has given educators a challenge in keeping their learners interested and motivated throughout virtual classroom sessions. Educators can use classroom games to stimulate active engagement and investment in the learning process, improve learners’ social and communication skills, boost cognitive capacities, raise academic accomplishment, and promote collaboration and cooperation.

Scavenger hunts to Balderdash are just a few of the activities that may create a fun and competitive learning atmosphere. Educators may use these games to create dynamic learning experiences that keep learners interested, motivated, and thrilled to learn. Therefore, let’s make studying more fun and exciting by including these wonderful games in your virtual classroom!