Review games
20 Questions
The class asks up to 20 yes-or-no questions to figure out a secret person, place or thing.
By type
No-Prep Classroom Games
Every teacher needs a few games they can start in ten seconds. Every game on this page needs no materials and no preparation, which makes them perfect for substitute days and unexpected free minutes.
- π² 35 games
- β Free
- π₯ Board-ready tools
Review games
Buzz
Students count around the room but say "Buzz" instead of any multiple of a chosen number.
Review games
Categories
Pick a letter and a list of categories.
Quiet games
Count to 20
The class counts to 20 one voice at a time without planning who goes next.
Icebreakers
Desert Island
Students choose three items they would bring to a desert island and justify their picks.
Quiet games
Doggy, Doggy, Where's Your Bone?
One student sits facing away while a classmate secretly takes the "bone".
Indoor recess
Duck, Duck, Goose
One student walks around the circle tapping heads and saying "duck" until they pick a "goose" who chases them.
Brain breaks
Four Corners
Students tiptoe to one of four labeled corners while a caller with eyes closed picks a corner.
Indoor recess
Ghost in the Graveyard
One student hides as the "ghost" while the class counts the clock, then everyone searches.
Brain breaks
Guess My Number
Students guess a secret number and get clues like "higher" or "lower", or math clues like "it is a multiple of 4".
Review games
Hangman
Students guess letters to reveal a hidden word before the drawing is complete.
Quiet games
Heads Up, Seven Up
Seven students secretly tap classmates with their heads down, then the tapped students guess who tapped them.
Team building
Human Knot
Students hold hands across a circle to make a tangle, then work together to untangle without letting go.
Quiet games
I Spy
Give a clue about something in the room and students guess what it is.
Brain breaks
Make 24
Students use four numbers and any operations to make exactly 24.
Brain breaks
Mirror Game
Partners face each other.
Brain breaks
Ninja
Students stand in a circle in ninja poses and take turns making one swift move to tap another player's hand.
Indoor recess
Red Light, Green Light
Students move toward the caller on "green light" and freeze on "red light".
Brain breaks
Rock Paper Scissors Tournament
Students play rock paper scissors, and losers become the cheering section of the winner.
Team building
Silent Line-Up
Students line up in order by birthday, height or name without talking.
Brain breaks
Simon Says
Students follow commands only when they start with "Simon says".
Review games
Snowball Fight
Students write an answer or question on paper, crumple it up and throw it across the room.
Quiet games
Statues
Students freeze like statues while the teacher tries to make them move or laugh.
Brain breaks
Stella Ella Ola
A circle clapping game: students pass a clap around while chanting, and whoever is clapped on the final count is out.
No prep
Story Chain
The class builds a story one sentence at a time, each student adding to what came before.
Quiet games
Telephone
A whispered message travels down a line of students and usually comes out hilariously different.
No prep
Thankful Alphabet
The class works through the alphabet naming one thing they are thankful for per letter.
Icebreakers
The Name Game
Each student says their name plus an alliterative word ("Jumping Jada"), and the next student repeats all the names before theirs.
Icebreakers
The Toilet Paper Game
Students take as many squares of toilet paper as they "think they will need" without knowing why.
Icebreakers
This or That
A fast two-choice warm-up: pizza or tacos, summer or winter.
Icebreakers
Two Truths and a Lie
Each student shares three statements about themselves, one of them false, and the class guesses the lie.
No prep
Word Chain
Each student says a word that starts with the last letter of the previous word: apple, egg, giraffe.
Quiet games
Word Ladder
Change one letter at a time to turn one word into another: CAT to COT to DOT to DOG.
Icebreakers
Would You Rather
Give students two choices and have them pick a side of the room, then explain their reasoning.
Brain breaks
Zip Zap Zop
Students pass "zip", "zap" and "zop" around a circle in order, faster and faster.
Quick picks
Top 5 to try first
- β 20 QuestionsThe class asks up to 20 yes-or-no questions to figure out a secret person, place or thing.
- π BuzzStudents count around the room but say "Buzz" instead of any multiple of a chosen number.
- π CategoriesPick a letter and a list of categories.
- π’ Count to 20The class counts to 20 one voice at a time without planning who goes next.
- ποΈ Desert IslandStudents choose three items they would bring to a desert island and justify their picks.
Play online
Online no prep games for the board
Quiz ShowKahoot-style questions with colors, a countdown and team points. No student devices.βΆ Play nowGuess the WordWordle with your own spelling words, hints and team turns.βΆ Play nowMystery PictureAnswer questions to remove tiles. First team to guess the picture wins.βΆ Play nowPass the BombA hidden random fuse, a challenge and a ball to pass. Boom!βΆ Play nowWould You Rather VoteBig A vs B choices, count the votes, reveal the result.βΆ Play now
Board tools
Free tools for these games
Classroom TimerBig full-screen countdown with presets and an alarm.Open tool βRandom Name PickerPaste your class list and pick students fairly.Open tool βRandom Team GeneratorSplit the class into random groups in one click.Open tool βClassroom ScoreboardKeep team scores on the board for any game.Open tool βHangman for the ClassroomPlay hangman on the board with your own words.Open tool β
Questions teachers ask
Frequently asked questions
What games can I play with no materials?
Four Corners, Heads Up Seven Up, Simon Says, Would You Rather, 20 Questions and Buzz all need nothing at all.
What should a substitute teacher play with a class?
Pick a familiar, calm game like Heads Up Seven Up or Four Corners. Students already know the rules, so it runs itself.
Explore
More classroom games
π§Έ Kindergarten (Kβ2)π Elementary Studentsπ Middle Schoolπ High Schoolβ Mathπ¬ ESLπ€ Vocabulary and Spelling Gamesπ§ͺ Scienceπ Review gamesβ‘ Brain breaksπ Icebreakersπ€ Team buildingπ No prepπ€« Quiet gamesπ§οΈ Indoor recessπ End of yearπ Back to schoolπ Halloweenπ¦ Thanksgivingπ Christmas & winterπ Valentine's Day