10 Fun and Effective Learning Games to Gamify Your Online Classroom

Are you worried of your online classroom becoming a challenge? Do you want to liven things up and make studying more enjoyable? Have a look at gamification! You can enhance engagement and make learning more entertaining for your learners by introducing games into your virtual classroom. In this post, we will look at 10 enjoyable and effective learning games that can assist you in gamifying your online classroom.

The Importance of Engaging Learners in Online Classrooms

Engaging learners in online classrooms is vital for keeping them motivated and engaged in the learning process. It is no longer sufficient to just offer material; learners must actively participate in the learning process in order to properly receive and retain knowledge. Learners might find online learning settings tough, and educators must discover innovative methods to keep learners engaged and invested in the information.

Learners may be engaged in online classrooms through a number of ways, including gamification. Educators can help learners achieve better academic performance and develop essential skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and cooperation by keeping them motivated.

Read more: 5 Interactive Whiteboard Softwares for Schools

The Benefits of Gamifying Online Learning

Gamification has changed people’s perceptions of online learning. When games are included into online learning, learners’ engagement and motivation improve, transforming what might otherwise be a monotonous learning experience into one that is dynamic, engaging, and exciting. Learners are more likely to remember what they learn when they actively participate in the learning process.

Games can help learners strengthen cognitive talents, including problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making. Gamification encourages learners to cooperate with their peers while also improving their social and communication skills. It helps learners to collaborate effectively and interact with their classmates.

Gamification in online learning is also effective for measuring learner progress and recognising their accomplishments. Educators may track each learner’s progress and give tailored comments. Gamifying online learning is an excellent approach to making learning more enjoyable and interesting.

Top 10 Gamified Learning Activities to Try

Gamified learning activities may create an enjoyable and engaging learning environment, and several possibilities are available. These are ten gamified learning activities you could try in your online classroom to increase learner engagement and improve learning outcomes.

1. Pictionary

Pictionary is a simple drawing and guessing game that is easily modified for online learning. In this game, one learner draws a picture linked to a certain word or subject, and the rest of the class tries to identify what the drawing portrays. It’s a fun and interactive approach for learners to work on their communication, observation, and critical thinking abilities.

Use these simple steps to include Pictionary in your online classroom:

1. Choose a platform: Use an online platform that lets you share a virtual whiteboard, such as HeyHi Meeting, which has an interactive whiteboard that can be accessed via phone or laptop.
2. Create teams: Divide the class into teams of three or four learners.
3. Assign a host: Choose a learner from each team to be the host for their turn.
4. Set a time limit: Set a time limit for each turn, typically between 30-60 seconds.
5. Keep score: Keep track of the points earned by each team for each correct guess.
6. Rotate hosts: Rotate hosts for each turn, so each team member gets a chance to draw.
7. Choose a winner: At the end of the game, tally up the points, and declare the winning team.

2. Mimic

Mimic is a fun and interactive online classroom game where learners take turns mimicking a certain word or phrase without saying it while their friends try to guess. This game promotes communication and creativity by challenging learners to go outside the box to communicate the specified word or phrase. Here are some suggestions for Mimic games:

• Emotion: Learners take turns mimicking and guessing the emotions.
• Animal: Learners take turns mimicking an animal’s voice or action.
• Object: Learners take turns mimicking the sound or movement of an object.
• Celebrity: Learners take turns impersonating a famous person’s voice, mannerisms, or catchphrases.
• Accent: Learners take turns mimicking different accents and guessing which nation or region it belongs to.

3. 5-Second Rule

The 5 Second Rule game is a simple and enjoyable game that may be utilised for use in the classroom. Within five seconds, players must name three items that fit into a specific category. For example, in a science lesson, learners would name three “elements on the periodic table,” whereas, in a history class, they might name three “US presidents.”

Use these simple steps to include 5 Second Rule game in your online classroom:

1. Form pairings or teams from the class.
2. Set a five-second timer.
3. Select a category to play in for the round.
4. The first team begins the game by selecting a starting player. In five seconds or fewer, that player must list three objects from the specified category.
5. If the player succeeds, the team receives a point, and the game continues on to the next person on the same team. If the player fails, the other team can take the point by mentioning three things from the same category in five seconds.
6. Continue to play in this way until all teams have taken their turn.

4. A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

“A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words” is an educational game that promotes creativity, communication, and critical thinking. The game consists of presenting learners with an image and then asking them to describe what they see or make up a story based on it.

Here are some ideas to try in your class for this game:

• A picture of an animal in its natural environment. Learners might write about the animal’s actions, thoughts, or interactions with other animals.
• A picture of a meal or its components. Learners might write about the dish’s aromas and textures, its cultural origins, or how the components are produced or used in cooking.
• A picture of a gadget or device. Learners might write about the gadget’s characteristics and operation, its evolution over time, or its influence on society or the environment.
• A picture of a natural occurrence, such as a sunset or a rainbow. Learners might write about the phenomenon’s colors and patterns, the physics underlying it, or the feelings or moods that it generates.

Read more: 5 Online Teaching Tools for Physical and Virtual Classrooms

5. Who Said It

Who Said It is a classroom game that promotes critical thinking and engagement with literature, history, and other subjects. The game entails showing learners a quote, asking them to determine who said it, and identifying the speaker’s significance or context.

To play the game, choose quotes from books, speeches, historical records, or other sources that are relevant to the subject you are teaching. Show the quotation to the class and invite them to write it down or tell who they believe said it and why. You might also give learners a list of prospective speakers and ask them to match the quotation with the proper speaker.

6. Two Truths and a Lie with a Twist

Instead of asking learners to make statements about themselves, ask them to make statements about a specific topic, historical figure, or scientific phenomenon that is related to the subject being taught. Two of the claims should be true and one false. Here are some examples that can relate to subjects you are teaching.

1. Most vaccinations have historically been produced swiftly and delivered to the public within a year.
2. Modern vaccinations can now be produced considerably more quickly than in the past due to technological developments.
3. Past scientific studies can aid in the rapid development of current vaccinations.

The first one is a LIE.

1. The honey badger can survive a king cobra bite.
2. Flamboyance is a group of flamingos.
3. Sloths are the fastest creatures that live on land, at speeds of up to 55 miles per hour.

The third one is a LIE.

7. Build a Story

Build a Story is a collaborative storytelling game for the classroom that promotes creativity, critical thinking, and cooperation. Learners collaborate to build a tale in this game, with each learner adding a phrase or two at a time.

To begin the game, give the learners a prompt or a topic for the tale. Then, assign a learner to begin the narrative with a phrase or two. The next learner in the circle adds a phrase or two to the tale, and so on, until the story comes to a satisfying end. You may add rules or limits to make the game challenging. For example, assign each learner a certain word to integrate into their phrase, or you might establish a time restriction for each turn to keep the tale moving swiftly.

To get you started, here’s an example prompt: “Once upon a time, in a magical forest, all the animals can talk. A team of explorers stumbled upon the woodland one day and began to investigate.”

The learner might then take turns contributing to the story:

• “The explorers were astounded to hear the animals communicate in English!”
• “They quickly realised that the animals were in danger of being destroyed by an evil sorcerer.”
• “Because the explorers knew they had to help the animals, they joined forces with a brave fox named Felix to find the sorcerer’s lair.”
• “As they traveled deeper into the forest, they encountered a variety of hazards, ranging from treacherous rivers to giant spiders.”

and so on

8. What Would You Do?

What Would You Do? is an interactive classroom game that promotes critical thinking and decision-making abilities. Learners are given a situation or problem linked to the subject being taught and requested to brainstorm and explore various solutions or plans of action.

Learners can then collaborate in small groups to come up with and examine alternative solutions or courses of action while keeping the historical context and scientific concepts in mind. After a certain period of time, each group can present their ideas to the class and engage in a debate about the advantages and disadvantages of each proposal.

Here are some starter questions for your classroom:

• What would you do if you were a scientist researching the impact of decreasing bee numbers on pollination?
• What would you do if you were a scientist working on an unidentified new virus that had the potential to cause a worldwide pandemic?
• What would you do if you were a character in a story and learned you were in a dream?
• What would you do as a diplomat attempting to negotiate a peace pact between two warring nations?

9. Virtual Field Trips

Virtual Field Trips can be implemented in the classroom to provide learners with firsthand knowledge of other regions and cultures without requiring them to leave the classroom. This game can assist learners to get more interested in the subject matter and make studying more enjoyable.

To begin the game, an educator selects a location or cultural event related to the subject being taught. For example, in a history lesson, the educator may take learners on a virtual field trip to a historic landmark such as the Roman Colosseum. The educator of a science class may decide to take pupils on a virtual field trip to a research lab or nature park.

A virtual field trip can be conducted in a variety of ways, including:

• Taking learners on a guided tour of the place or event using pre-recorded movies or 360-degree virtual reality experiences.
• Organising a live video chat with a local expert or guide who can provide learners with firsthand information about the location or event.
• Using interactive virtual reality software to allow learners to immerse themselves in a location or event.

Read more: What is Project Based Learning? Find out the Definition, benefits and the Implement Guide Here!

10. Charades

Charades is a game that can be played in the classroom to help learners improve their communication skills. In the game, players act out a word or phrase without speaking, while others try to guess what they are acting out. The game is played in teams, and the team with the most correct guesses wins.

Follow these simple steps to play Charades in the classroom:

• Form two groups from the class.
• Select a participant to act out a word or phrase without saying anything.
• The player’s team tries to figure out what they are doing.
• If the team correctly guesses, they receive a point.
• If the team is unable to predict within the time restriction, the opposite team is given the opportunity to guess.
• Repeat with a different player and word or phrase.
• At the end of the game, the team with the most correct answers wins.

Conclusion

In conclusion, gamifying your online classroom may improve learner engagement and enjoyment of learning. You may assist your learner gain key skills while having fun by introducing these games into your classroom. So, if you want to add some excitement to your classes and increase learner engagement, try these 10 games in your classroom right now and see how they help you. You may change your classroom into an engaging and dynamic learning environment that your learners will enjoy by using the correct games and a little creativity.