ESL Speaking

Games + Activities to Try Out Today!

  • Adult Activities
  • Kid Activities
  • Textbooks
    • ESL Textbooks for Adults
    • ESL Textbooks for Children
  • Teacher Resources
    • Resources
    • Online TEFL Course
  • Learn English
    • Learn English
    • Confusing English Words

in Activities for Adults· Activities for Kids

Category Games and Activities for ESL | Category Games List

Are you looking for some of the best ESL category games? Then you’re most certainly in the right place. Keep on reading for our top picks for word category games and activities, along with worksheets, lesson plans and more.

category-games

Category games and activities for ESL

ESL Category Activities and Games

Are you ready to see some of the best word category games and activities? Then let’s get to it!

#1: The Memory Circle

One of the best category games is memory circle. The way it works is that you state a category of some kind such as animals or ESL body parts. Then, the first student has to say an animal and the next student has to say that first animal as well as add their own. The game continues as long as the students can remember the words in order.

Do you want to try out this fun categories game? You can learn more about it right here: ESL Memory Circle Game.

#2: Pictionary ESL Category Game

If you want to focus on words in a certain category, then consider playing Pictionary with your students. I’m sure you’ve played before. People have to draw a picture of a certain word or phrase and their team has to guess what it is. The team with the most points is the winner.

#3: Apples to Apples

This is a classic game that is so useful for expanding vocabulary and helping students with categories. You can either buy the game (check out the junior version), or make your own based on what you’ve been teaching. Whatever the case, it’s a fun word category game that you should certainly try out.

Does it sound like something you want to use with your students? Find out more details about it here: Apples to Apples ESL.

#4: A to Z Alphabet Category Game

One of my favourite category games is this alphabet game that can be used for just about any topic. It’s super versatile in that it can also be used for any age group and different levels of students as well. Do you want to try it out with your students? Then you’ll need to head over here to see one of my favourite teaching categories activities:

A to Z ESL Alphabet Game.

#5: Using Flashcards to Make Categories

In my opinion, flashcards are one of the most under-utilized English teaching tools out there! In this case, a fun way to teach categories is to use this simple game. Choose flashcards from various categories, for example, occupations/animals/food and drink. Then, have students put them into various categories.

Depending on the level, you may have students speak or write sentences with them. Or, you could make it into a game by making it into a race amongst various teams. Get creative because there really are a ton of options for using them in your classes.

Do you want to find out more? Then you’ll need to check this out: ESL Flashcard Activities.

#6: ESL Whiteboard Games

I’m not sure what it is, but it seems like most students love to write on the whiteboard. I like to take advantage of this and use them for working on categories with my students. There are a ton of things you can do, but one of my favourite things are relay races.

Do you want to find out more about these fun ESL activities? Check them out here: ESL Whiteboard Games.

#7: ESL Charades

If you’re teaching about some different categories of things, you could consider using charades as a quick review. You could either choose words all from a single category, or mix up a few different ones that you’ve been teaching lately. It really is up to you. If you do choose multiple categories, you could either allow the person acting to state the general category, or leave it unstated.

Do you want to try out this fun ESL category game with your students? You can find out all the details you need to know about it here:

ESL Charades Game.

#8: 20 Questions

#9: ESL Animal Activities

Animals are often one of the first “categories” that English learners learn. It’s simple for children to understand, it’s something that they’re familiar with and it’s also something kids are interested in. This makes this topic a natural fit for teaching categories.

The great thing about it is that there are a ton of animal activities and games that you can try out with your students. Here are some of my favourites:

ESL Animal Activities.

#10: Body Parts ESL Games

Along with animals, body parts are one of the first vocabulary sets that kids learn when they’re first learning English. After all, hands or eyes are something tangible as you can touch them and everyone has them!

So, if you’re teaching about categories, you may consider using this topic. Find out some of our top recommendations here:

ESL Body Part Games.

#11: Hot Potato

#12: Ballon Volleyball Category Game

Try out this fun activity with your students! Move the desk and chairs to make a big space in the classroom. Use some of the desks in a line down the middle to make a volleyball “court.”

Then, use a balloon and students have to take turns hitting it to the opposing side. When someone touches the balloon, they have to say a word from the category that you call out. If they can’t do this, or the balloon touches the floor, the other team gets a point. The team with the most points at the end is the winner.

#13: Pig in the Middle Category Game Idea

I’m sure you’ve played this game when you were a kid. In this case, you can play with a certain category that you name. The person in the middle tries to intercept the ball. If they can, the person throwing it goes into the middle.

However, the twist is that the person catching the ball has to say a word in a certain category within three seconds or they go into the middle.

#14: Categories Game 

Fill up the board with 30 words from 10 categories (3 words/category). The first team or student has a chance to say three words and then which category they belong to. If they’re able to, you can erase the words and that team or student gets a point. Continue until all of the words are gone.

#15: Name 5 Things Category Quiz for Kids

#16: Flyswatter Word Category Game

A fun way to get students thinking about categories of English words is the Flyswatter Game. Write up a bunch of words on the board. Then, one student from each team comes to the board and takes a flyswatter.

Call out a category and the first student to slap a word in the category gets a point for their team. Continue until everyone has had a chance to play.

#17: TEFL Clothes Quiz

If you’re teaching the clothes unit, try out this fun, interactive game with your students:

#18: The Scattergories Game

Sale
Scattergories Board Game, Game of Categories, Family Board Games for Adults and Teens, Fun Party...
Scattergories Board Game, Game of Categories, Family Board Games for Adults and Teens, Fun Party...
  • Scattergories game challenges you to come up with items fast
  • You score points when you come up with items that nobody else does
  • Play in teams for tons of fun
  • Includes timer, die, Scattergories cards, score sheets and...
Check Price on Amazon

If you teach higher-level, adult students, then you may consider picking up Scattergories. It’s certainly a fun way to teach categories to English learners and this game is ideal for a party-type class.

categories-games

Category games list

#19: Category Chain

Start with a word from a specific category. The next student has to say a word that starts with the last letter of the previous word.

#20: Category Countdown

Set a timer and give students a category. They must list as many items from that category as possible before the time runs out.

#21: Category Spelling Bee

Choose categories and words related to those categories. Students take turns spelling words aloud.

#22: Category Telephone

Whisper a category to the first student, who then whispers an item from that category to the next student. The last student says the category and item aloud.

#23: Category Dictionary Game

Students find words related to a category in a dictionary. They write down the words and their meanings.

#24: Category Role-Play

Assign students roles related to specific categories (e.g., professions, animals). They interact in a role-play scenario using the vocabulary from their category.

What are some Category Game Topics?

Check out these category game ideas:

  1. Animals: Mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, sea creatures…
  2. Fruits: Tropical fruits, berries, citrus fruits, exotic fruits…
  3. Colors: Primary colors, pastel colors, shades of blue, warm colors…
  4. Jobs/Occupations: Doctor, teacher, chef, firefighter, artist…
  5. Countries: Asian countries, European countries, Spanish-speaking countries…
  6. Sports: Team sports, water sports, winter sports, individual sports…
  7. Clothing: Types of shoes, winter clothes, summer clothes, accessories…
  8. Transportation: Vehicles on land, air travel, sea transportation…
  9. Food: Breakfast foods, desserts, fast food, international cuisine…
  10. Hobbies: Outdoor activities, indoor hobbies, artistic hobbies…
  11. Body Parts: Facial features, limbs, internal organs, senses…
  12. School Subjects: Science subjects, humanities subjects, languages…
  13. Weather: Types of precipitation, natural disasters, seasons…
  14. Vehicles: Cars, bicycles, motorcycles, public transportation…
  15. Music: Musical instruments, music genres, famous musicians…
  16. Movies: Genres of movies, famous movie titles, movie characters…
  17. Household Items: Kitchen utensils, electronics, furniture, cleaning supplies…
  18. Books: Classic novels, children’s books, mystery novels…
  19. Geography: Mountain ranges, rivers, continents, landmarks…
  20. Emotions: Positive emotions, negative emotions, facial expressions…
  21. Time Periods: Historical eras, decades, centuries…
  22. Planets and Space: Planets, constellations, space exploration…
  23. Shapes: Geometric shapes, irregular shapes, 3D shapes…
  24. Inventions: Modern inventions, ancient inventions, technological innovations…
  25. Nature: Trees, flowers, types of rocks, natural formations…

 

ESL Category Worksheets

If you’re looking for some worksheets that can help you teach categories, then you’re in the right place! There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when there are a ton of great resources that already exist out there. Here are some of our favourites to complement your category game ideas:

ISL Collective

Fun English Games

Boggles World

ESL Kids Stuff

Did you Like these Category Games?

39 ESL Vocabulary Activities: For English Teachers of Teenagers and Adults Who Want to Make...
39 ESL Vocabulary Activities: For English Teachers of Teenagers and Adults Who Want to Make...
  • Amazon Kindle Edition
  • Bolen, Jackie (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 71 Pages - 10/26/2015 (Publication Date)
Check Price on Amazon

Yes? Thought so. Then you’re going to want to check out this book over on Amazon: 39 ESL Vocabulary Activities for Teenagers and Adults. It’s the book you need if you want to help your students level up their English vocab in a big way.

The key to better English classes is a wide variety of student-centred, engaging and interesting activities and games. This book will help you do just that.

And the good news is that you can get the book in both digital and print formats. Keep a copy on the bookshelf in your office and use it as a handy reference guide when doing lesson plans. Or, consider taking the e-version with you to your favourite coffee shop on your phone or tablet for some serious lesson planning sessions. It really is that easy.

Does it sound like exactly what you might need? Then head over to Amazon, but only if you want to get yourself a serious dose of ESL teaching awesome in your life:

shop-now-amazon

Have your say about these Categories Games

What’s your top pick for an ESL category activity that you like to use with your students? Is it one of the options from this list, or do you have your eye on another one? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you about our ESL category games list.

Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. It’ll help other busy teachers, like yourself, find this useful teaching resource.

Last update on 2025-05-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 20 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 100 books for English teachers and English learners, including 101 ESL Activities for Teenagers and Adults, Great Debates for ESL/EFL, and 1001 English Expressions and Phrases. She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

You can find her on social media at:
YouTube
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram

« Story Timeline ESL Activity | Reading Timelines Activity for Students
Typhoon ESL Speaking and Listening Review Game »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Great Debates for ESL/EFL: 39 Important Debating Topics for English Learners and Teachers (Teaching...
Great Debates for ESL/EFL: 39 Important Debating Topics for English Learners and Teachers (Teaching...
Check Price on Amazon
103 Low-Prep ESL Speaking Games & Activities for Kids, Teenagers, and Adults: The Ultimate Book for...
103 Low-Prep ESL Speaking Games & Activities for Kids, Teenagers, and Adults: The Ultimate Book for...
Check Price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. What does this mean? I recommend products (only ones that I like) and if you purchase a product through that link, I earn some money.

Search this site

39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities: For English Teachers of Teenagers and Adults Who Want...
39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities: For English Teachers of Teenagers and Adults Who Want...
Check Price on Amazon
TOEFL iBT Vocabulary Builder for Score 90+: Higher-Level TOEFL Words, Expressions, Phrases & Idioms...
TOEFL iBT Vocabulary Builder for Score 90+: Higher-Level TOEFL Words, Expressions, Phrases & Idioms...
Check Price on Amazon
101 ESL Activities: Games, Activities, Practical ideas, & Teaching Tips For English Teachers of...
101 ESL Activities: Games, Activities, Practical ideas, & Teaching Tips For English Teachers of...
Check Price on Amazon

Different Types of Adverbs with Adverb Examples

Asking for Permission English Expressions, Phrases & Dialogues

Books For English Learners: Top 20 Easy Book Recommendations

Topics to Debate about With Friends | Debate Topics for Friends

50 Food Trivia Questions and Answers for All Ages

Online TEFL Courses

Get Certified Entirely Online

67 ESL Conversation Topics with Questions, Vocabulary, Writing Prompts & More: For English Teachers...
67 ESL Conversation Topics with Questions, Vocabulary, Writing Prompts & More: For English Teachers...
Check Price on Amazon
Scatter Sheets for Intermediate-Advanced Students to Improve Fluency: ESL Speaking & Vocabulary...
Scatter Sheets for Intermediate-Advanced Students to Improve Fluency: ESL Speaking & Vocabulary...
Check Price on Amazon
1001 English Expressions and Phrases: Common Sentences and Dialogues Used by Native English Speakers...
1001 English Expressions and Phrases: Common Sentences and Dialogues Used by Native English Speakers...
Check Price on Amazon
39 ESL Warm-Ups: For English Teachers of Kids (7+) Who Want to Get their TEFL Classes Started Off...
39 ESL Warm-Ups: For English Teachers of Kids (7+) Who Want to Get their TEFL Classes Started Off...
Check Price on Amazon
Jackie Bolen

Disclosure Statement

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Adult Activities
  • Kid Activities
  • Textbooks
  • Teacher Resources
  • Learn English

Our Top-Seller

39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities: For Teenagers and Adults (Teaching ESL Conversation and...
39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities: For Teenagers and Adults (Teaching ESL Conversation and...
Check Price on Amazon

Search

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

More ESL Activities

making weekend plans in english

Weekend Plans (Easy English Dialogue for Beginners)

how to order sushi in English

Ordering Sushi (Easy English Dialogue for Beginners)

English dialogue feeling under the weather

Feeling Under the Weather: English Dialogue & Practice Questions

dialogue meet someone new

Meeting Someone New Dialogue (For English Learners)

About, Contact, Privacy Policy

Jackie Bolen has been talking ESL speaking since 2014 and the goal is to bring you the best recommendations for English conversation games, activities, lesson plans and more. It’s your go-to source for everything TEFL!

About and Contact for ESL Speaking.

Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Email: [email protected]

Facebook

Pinterest

TikTok

YouTube

LinkedIn

Address: 2436 Kelly Ave, Port Coquitlam, Canada

Copyright © 2025 Jackie Bolen + ESL Speaking. All Rights Reserved.