ESL Flashcard Game for Kindergarten: The Circle

Many ESL teachers who are asked to teach in kindergartens sometimes assume that English lessons with small children should be energetic and full of surprises all the time to keep young children’s interest, well this isn’t always the case.

Teaching ESL in Kindergarten

Although teaching ESL in kindergarten should have lots of energy, there are times when you should bring down energy levels for the kindergarten children. Teaching English in kindergarten needn’t be a million miles an hour all the time; it’s too much for you and it’s too much for the children.

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This ESL flashcard game for kindergarten is one such activity where the kids are reviewing the English words you’ve taught them, but in a slow and calm manner.

Kindergarten kids sometimes can’t follow the rules of games, simply because they are too young, but this flashcard game is easy to follow for the kindergarten kids and they’ll review the words you taught them from the flashcards very well.

What to do in your kindergarten class

Pre-teach your ESL vocabulary with the kindergarten class and when you are happy that the majority of the kids are comfortable with the flashcards, lay them out on the floor.

Spread them out so there is a good amount of space between each flashcard. Use the space in your kindergarten classroom.

Playing the ‘The Circle’ flashcard game with your kindergarten kids

Choose 4-5 students to stand up and hold hands to form a circle. Stand the circle in the middle of the flashcards. When you are ready, whisper one of the flashcard words to your seated students.

The students then call out the flashcard and then circle has to move to position themselves around the correct flashcard your kindergarten children have called out.

Change the circle often so all students have a turn in the middle.

Like this Kindergarten ESL flashcard game? Click the games below to find something similar

Volcano! - Arrange your ESL flashcards onto the kindergarten classroom floor like stepping stones over hot lava. The teacher goes first and calls out the flashcards as you step on them to avoid the hot lava on the floor! A good ESL game for kindergarten, which is simple to follow.

Angry Crab! - The teacher holds up English flashcards for the kindergarten kids to say. Once the class has called out the correct word, the teacher becomes an angry crab walking from side to side and the kids must make it past to the other side of the river.

Stand Up, Sit Down - A nice ESL warmer for kindergarten where the kids must follow what the teachers says or does. Perfect for the first activity of the day.