Best 21 Fun English Speaking Language (ESL) Activities for Children

Bhawna Bhatia
Oct 13, 2022
Schools, Learning
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English speaking is no longer an option. Given the transformation of our society, it has become mandatory for students to learn this language apart from their native language. GIIS Noida school takes proactive measures to make the students proficient in this language. 

What is meant by speaking skills?

Speaking skills are defined as the ability to communicate seamlessly with confidence. They are not developed in a day; constant endeavours and patience are required to keep moving ahead. 

Importance of English Speaking Language in Early Years?

As per the cliché “old habits die hard”, if you seed the English speaking skills among the students when they are young, it will stay etched in their memory for a long time.  

1. They learn the language at a faster pace when they are young

When children are young, they learn the language at a much faster pace. It is why childhood is considered the best age to learn new languages. 

2. They achieve higher proficiency

Children who start learning English before age 5 have higher proficiency and expertise. They become much more fluent than native speakers. 

3. Learning English in formative years helps kids to stay ahead of their peers

Learning a language and mastering it takes time. If kids are introduced to the English language earlier, it can help them to stay ahead of their peers. So, by the time the other kids learn the language, your kid will already be refined. 

4. They will feel confident

Children will feel confident and communicate better if they learn this language during their formative years.  

What are the Fun Activities for Spoken English for Children?

To make the students practise English speaking, the school can organise various English Speaking Language Activities for Kindergarten

1. You can give them a random topic and ask them to say a few lines about it

Encourage spoken English skills by asking students to discuss any topic that comes to mind; it could be as simple as a table, chair, or shoes or a bit complex like the FIFA world cup, etc. 

2. Make them think hard using a password game

Password games hone the child's vocabulary and make their mind absorbent of new words. You can play this game by making one kid stand in front of other kids with a word placard in his hand. The other students will give him clues to guess it. For example, if the word ‘bag’ is written, the hint can be, “something that you carry to school”.  

3. ESL activities

ESL board games are available in the market to help them correct grammatical errors. You can even buy ESL free printables from the internet for their practice. 

These are the best English-speaking activities for kids

English Speaking Language Activities (ESL) for Kindergarten

Here are some fun ESL activities that will improve their language skills

1. Create a drama around them

You can initiate the conversation by starting a funny dialogue. You can select their favourite cartoon characters and weave scenarios around them, and let them do the talking. 

2. Food conversation chats

Other English-speaking language activities that can invoke conversation among the kids are- you can give them a topic of discussion, food- where the child will learn to practise sentences such as, “ I like pasta, but I'm not too fond of a burger”. 

3. Would you rather activity

Kids preschool can use this fun English-speaking activity in the class to change the dull atmosphere. In this activity, the teacher will ask the students if they would prefer to go to a beach or a mountain and let them start the conversation. 

4. Ask them to draw a picture

It is another method to make them practise English speaking. Ask them to draw anything that comes to their mind and speak a few lines. It will improve their cognitive abilities too. 

5. Direction game

It is a team game where one kid will hide the object, and then he will give directions to other blindfolded kids like right, left, above, below, etc., to find out the same, 

6. Chain game

It is yet another innovative game for kindergarten kids to make them improve their listening skills. Let the kids stand in a row, and the teacher will give the word to the kids. The first kid will tell the first letter, and the next will tell the following. The one who makes mistakes is out.  

7. Call you action

In this game, the teacher will tell the students to do actions like speaking or dancing; if he can do the same, he will say yes otherwise, he may sit down. 

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English Speaking Language Activities for Grade 1 to Grade 3 Children

Here are some ESL activities for Grade 1 to Grade 3

1. Category spin

The teacher will spin a bottle, and to whomsoever it points, they have to speak a few lines. 

2. Charades

The teacher will select a student and give him a sentence that he has to enact in front of the class so they can guess easily. 

3. Draw and roll

The teacher will ask the students to draw a new vocabulary word, and the students have to do it. It will enhance their mental power. 

4. Juice

The teacher will bring juice from home, and every student has to say a few sentences about it. The teacher will give juice to the winner. 

5. Last letter, the first letter

The teacher will give the students the first and last letter and let them guess the word. 

6. Improve their pronunciation skills with the disappearing word game

The teacher will write a sentence on the whiteboard and erase it one by one and then ask any child about the sentence or the words. It will help them to catch the wrong pronunciation made by the students and improve their communication skills. 

7. Scrabble

The teacher will write some random words on the whiteboard and let the children guess the same. 

English Speaking Language Activities for Grade 4 to Grade 5 Children

Here are some ESL activities for grade 4 to grade 5

1. Omit a few words

Some children are in the habit of mindless reading; you can correct it by omitting a few words in the paragraph and see if the child can pinpoint the mistakes. 

2. Hot potato game

In this game, the teacher will start the music, and the students have to go around the chair; when the music stops, they have to say one grammatically correct sentence. Each one will get a chance. 

3. Roleplay 

Role-play activities are not for beginners, the teachers can introduce this activity to even grade 4 children to improve their speaking abilities. 

4. Flashcard games

You can show a flash card and invite the child on the dais to speak a few lines about it. 

5. Sentence building activities

If the teachers want to focus on the bigger picture, you can check their sentence formation by giving them a picture on which they have to speak a few lines. 

6. Memory circle

The children will initiate the game by speaking a line like I like playing soccer and the other child will add to it, and the chain will move on. 

7. Give them quizzes

Quizzes will help them to master the language. 

Benefits of Speaking Activities for ESL for Kids

1. It will improve their communication abilities

Strong communication skills are the cornerstone of success. The ESL activities will prepare the child to present themselves to the world and help them communicate well at different levels.  

2. The chances of excelling in academics will improve

These activities will make the child proficient in English, and he will understand the different subjects very well, impacting his academic achievement.  

FAQs

1. What is the difference between speaking skills and communication skills?

There is a huge difference between communication skills and speaking skills. Communication skills refer to the ability to communicate with others effectively, and speaking skills include all those skills that help us communicate effectively. 

2. What is the difference between English-speaking and spoken English?

Speaking English means practising English to improve your spoken English.  

3. Why is English-speaking skill in demand?

English speaking skills are in demand because the language has attained a global status, so if you want to remain ahead of your peers, you must be fluent in it. 

4. Do we learn the language by speaking or listening first?

Listening is an important strategy for learning English. It is way more important than speaking. 

5. How can I practise speaking English at home?

You can do several activities to speak English at home, read newspapers, listen to videos, join a language program, read movie subtitles, etc. 

Final thoughts

Speaking English is not a tough nut to crack if you start learning it early. We at GIIS take steps and conduct various activities to make your child proficient.

Bhawna Bhatia

I am Bhawna Bhatia and I am a passionate and hardworking  teacher.Having an experience of 16 years, I believe in teaching from my heart and being a leader to my students. I want to show them that teaching them brings me joy and happiness to my role. Being able to be the leader they look up to, who believes in their educational journey.  I believe that each student brings different experiences and strengths to the classroom. My hope is that I can support and appropriately challenge students to help them reach their full potential.

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