Name games and activities
for ESL kids lessons

Games and activities to learn classmates’ names

Name game

Good for a first class. Sit the students in a circle. Point to yourself and say your name “I’m Jason”. Then students say their names around the circle. You can use a ball to pass around the circle as each student says his/her name. After going around the circle a few times get each student to throw the ball to another student. The student that catches the ball has to say the name of the student who threw it – this will really test if they were listening!

Name memorizing game

Have children sit in a circle. Start by saying “my name is..” and then answer a question about yourself, for example “My name is Jo and I like the color purple.”

The student next to you then says, “This is (Joe) and he likes the color purple and my name is Rose and I am 8 years old.” The next person says, “That is Joe he likes purple, this is Rose and she is 8 and I am Jeremy and I like the color blue.” It’s a chain and the kids have to repeat what the last people have said about themselves. It’s really hard to be the last person in the circle! (Submitted by Danielle)