Ability games and activities
for ESL kids lessons

Games and activities for teaching “Ability” to ESL kids

Bet you can’t

This game can be played in millions and millions of different ways, and essentially it’s just this: go to the toy store and buy toy money. Give each student the same amount of money at the start. Have the students bet each other that they can’t do something – like this: make each student stand up and walk around. Have them say, “I bet you can’t (e.g. count to 20, run around the room 5 times, sing the ABC song. etc.)”. Get the students to bet using the toy money.

You’d be surprised how much even adult students enjoy this game.

Can you actions

Use this game for teaching “Can you…?”, “Yes, I can” “No, I can’t”. These actions are fun: wiggle, dance, run quickly, hop, skip, do a star jump, do a handstand, touch your toes, cross your eyes, snap your fingers, whistle, sing.

For example, ask a student “Can you cross your eyes?”. If the student replies “Yes, I can”, then say, “Ok, go!” and the student does the action. If the student says “No, I can’t” say, “Too bad. Ok, can you (wiggle)?”

Can / Can’t lesson plan

We also have a FREE lesson plan on using can & can’t which includes games and activities as well as other lesson materials.

Click to download our Abilities lesson plan.

Can / Can’t song

We have a song available for download focusing on using can and can’t called “What can you do?“.