Songs games and activities for English kids lessons
Singing and moving to songs is a wonderful way to learn and practice English. Your students can pick up and practice vocabulary, structures and grammar through playing songs during lessons – if done right, they won’t even realize they are learning!
Games & activities to use with songs in an ESL kids classroom
On this page we have gathered together a library of tried and tested ESL kids games and activities for using with songs. Dip in any time to find the perfect addition to your lesson plan!
All games and activities are listed in alphabetical order.
A B C
Alphabet line-up
Give each student an alphabet flashcard. Play the ABC song and have the students skip around in a circle singing along to the song. Stop the tape at random points and the students have to line up in the correct alphabetical order according to their cards.
Alphabet wave
Divide the a-z flashcards among all your students. Put students in a line and play the ABC song. As it plays each student must hold up their corresponding alphabet flashcard.
Alphabet whispers
The children split up into groups of three, one is at the blackboard, one is sitting down and one is running between the two. The student sitting down has a sheet with the alphabet printed out in a disordered manner – s/he whispers the first letter to their team mate who in their turn runs to the board and whispers the letter to their other team member. If the letter is understood s/he writes it on the board. The first team to write it correctly gets a point. This can also be adapted to spelling words. The teams can change positions and get maximum benefit from this game. (Submitted by Katie McCarthy)
Christmas Song
This is a Christmas song which is perfect for young children. Sing the following words to the tune of the French song ‘Frere Jacques‘:
Father Christmas, Father Christmas
He got stuck, He got stuck
Coming down the chimney, Coming down the chimney
What bad luck, What bad luck
(Submitted by Katharine Meunier)
We also have 2 Christmas songs with adapted lyrics for download: We Wish You A Merry Christmas and Jingle Bells.
D E F
Easters songs (1)
To 10 little elephants / Indians:
1 red, 1 blue, 1 green Easter egg
1 orange, 1 yellow, 1 pink Easter egg
1 white, 1 brown, 1 black Easter egg
9 Easter eggs for me!
(Submitted by Annette)
Easter songs (2)
To the tune of ‘Buns in the bakers shop‘:
9 Easter eggs in the chocolate shop,
I like chocolate lots and lots,
Along came (child’s name) with (local currency) one day,
She/he bought an Easter egg (or you could incorporate the color of the egg they prefer) and took it right away.
I cut out and laminated large egg shapes and blue tacked them to the board. The children could then come and choose the color they wanted. (Submitted by Annette)
We also have our own Easter song for download: The Easter Song
G H I
Head, shoulders, knees & toes
Have the students do all the actions to the song (touching the parts of their body along with the song). After that have a speed round at a fairly quick pace. Have a final round at high speed. All kids love to do it fast.
Check out our downloadable version of this song.
Hokey pokey
A fun song for body vocab. Arrange the students in a circle and sing while doing all the actions.
If you’re happy and you know it
Before you play the song practice yelling out the commands:
Clap your hands (clap, clap, clap) — Repeat again.
Stomp your feet (stomp, stomp, stomp) — Repeat again.
Shout horray. (HORRAY!!!) — Repeat again.
Note: do each command once at a quicker pace and then they should be ready for the CD! (Submitted by Tania Bibbo)
Check out our downloadable version of this song.
J K L
M N O
Musical flashcards
Students walk around some flashcards in a circle as some music is playing. When the music stops teacher shouts out a flashcard and the students must race to step on that card. The first student to step on it keeps the card (1 point) and the game continues.
Number group game
Play some music and have your students walk/skip around the classroom. Stop the music suddenly and call out a number (up to the number of students in your class). The students must quickly get together in a group of that number. Any students who didn’t make it sit out until the next round.
P Q R
Rainbow song
There are a few things you can do with this song:
Variation 1
Lay out colored paper in front of your students in the order in the song, and get them to touch each color as the song is played.
Variation 2
Lay out colored paper in a random order and get the students to arrange them in the order of the song
Variation 3
Have the students lay out their coloring pencils in the order of the song. “Red and yellow and pink and green, purple and orange and blue. I can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow too”.
Check out our downloadable version of this song.
Ring a ring a roses
Over exaggerating the sneezes and the fall to the floor makes this song all the more fun.
Ring a ring a roses
A pocket full of posies
Atishu Atishu
We all fall down!
S T U
U V W
What time is it, Mr. Wolf?
Students stand against the back wall of the classroom and the teacher stands at the front with his/her back to the students. The students chorus “What time is it, Mr. Wolf?” and teacher replies “It’s (e.g. 5 o’clock)”. The students then take (5) paces towards the teacher. At one point teacher replies “It’s dinner time!” and chases the students back to the back wall.
Any students tagged by the teacher have to sit out in the next round.
Where is pinky?
Good practice for “Where is…?” questions.
Students hide their hands behind their backs. Teacher sings:
Where is pinky?, Where is pinky? (show left hand, moving only the pinky finger)
Here I am, Here I am (show right hand, moving only the pinky finger, two pinkies greet each other)
How are you today, sir?
Very fine I thank you.
Run away! (hide left hand)
Run away! (hide right hand)
Continue with all fingers and thumb. Students sing along and love it! (Submitted by Anna Gates)
Y Z
