3 helpful Classroom games for vocabulary – Blooket, Gimkit, Quizlet

Classroom games for vocabulary practice are very useful, as one of the most common things we do in the world language class is introduce vocabulary. Whether it’s a theme-oriented list of words or a collection of phrases and words learned through context and comprehensible input, sometimes you just want to give kids a chance to practice – whether on their own or as a class. Classroom games can give students the time to learn the vocabulary in a low-risk, high-fun setting.  Here are some of the tools you can use. These sites are so useful that I consider them two of the sites I can’t live without.

Which classroom games will work for me?

Quizlet – the original vocabulary flash-card maker, this is actually the best place to start. You may not like the games or the particular options, but by setting up your list in Quizlet, you’ll be able to export the list to the other sites. You can also find lists made by other teachers on Quizlet and use them to build your classroom games.

If you use a textbook or need a thematic list, there will almost certainly be a ready-made list on Quizlet. Quizlet has good data for you to use as a teacher, so if you want to know which words students are having trouble with, it’s a good option. There isn’t as much of a competitive aspect in Quizlet as in some of the other games, although kids can compare times in the matching game.

Blooket – Blooket has a selection of fun games with cute graphics. Students can fill orders at a restaurant or make items at a factory. They also have seasonal classroom games. By far the most fun game for my students was the one where they can steal/swap candy or gold with other players – this one is great because even the students who usually don’t win the vocabulary games can win this one!

You can import vocabulary lists from Quizlet or make them in Blooket.  Some of the games are classroom games that can be played as a group, but you can also assign them as individual practice.

Gimkit – One of the most fun sites, my students love Gimkit! You can import lists from Quizlet here as well. They have a basic money game that can be assigned as individual homework or be played as a class. The temporary games are a lot of fun – my student LOVE the “trust no one” game that is based on the popular game Among Us.

You do need to pay for this site (the first 5 games are free), but I find it well worth it – the developer is a high school student who wanted to make vocabulary games even better, and he definitely has a great idea of what teens like. Update: Gimkit is now a free site, so you can try all of the games without paying anything.

How often should I use classroom games to practice vocabulary?

This will depend on your weekly and daily schedule. In my district, I have one block class per week – a 95-minute class that gives us extra time. I find that this is the perfect day to do these activities on a regular basis. We go over new vocabulary on Monday, reinforce it on Tuesday, and then Wednesday/Thursday are our block days. I play a game for about 20 minutes or so, adding each week’s new vocabulary to the unit vocabulary list.

These games can also be used to practice other things – verbs, in particular. After learning a new verb conjugation, I will often do a “floor is lava challenge” with my students. This game lasts as long as the students can stay above the level of the lava, so it’s perfect for times when students are practicing something that you want them to master but will take some time and practice to do so. I keep a running tally on the whiteboard of the high score for each class and they enjoy beating their own high score as well as those from other classes.