Shopping & money games and activities
for ESL kids lessons

Games and activities for teaching “Shopping & money” to ESL kids

Shopping fun

This can be used with a wide range of objects (plastic fruit works very well). Gather all the students and show them all the objects you have. Ask a student “What do you want?” (or maybe “What would you like?” to higher levels). The student should reply (e.g. “An apple, please”). The teacher then says, “Here you are” and the student finishes with, “Thank you”.

At the end collect the objects by playing the ‘Give me’ game.

Shopping game

This is an oral communication activity appropriate for EFL learners in elementary/primary school (optimal for grades 3-6). This game is designed for practicing “shopping” [hide_on_uk]dialog[/hide_on_uk][hide_on_us]dialogue[/hide_on_us] and vocabulary.

Materials: “products” and play money.
Objective of game: To accumulate as many products as possible.

Students are divided into clerks and shoppers. Clerks set up “stands” to allow easy access for all shoppers (e.g. around the outsides of the room with their backs to the wall). Shoppers are given a set amount of money* (e.g. dollars, euros, pounds, etc.) and begin at a stand where there is an open space. Students shop, trying to accumulate as many items as possible (each item is 1 unit of currency).

Periodically, the instructor will say “stop” (a bell or other device may be needed) and call out a name of one of the products. Students with that product must then put ALL their products in a basket at the front of the room. The remaining students continue shopping. Students who had to dump their products must begin again from scratch (with fewer units of currency). The student with the most products at the end wins.

Students then switch roles.

*It is recommended giving students as much money as possible since students who run out can no longer participate.

Alternative play for more advanced students: Clerks set the price of items. Shoppers have the option of negotiating the price. There are two winners in this version – the shopper who accumulates the most products and the clerk who makes the most money.

Shopping lesson plan

We also have a FREE lesson plan on shopping and money which includes games and activities as well as other lesson materials.

Click to download our Shopping lesson plan.