Educational games in English for the little ones. Educational games for children to memorize English words

A large collection of online games for learning English has been collected.

It is no secret that in the modern world, learning English is necessary for almost any specialist. And if you care about what your child’s future will be like, you need to start teaching your child and learning English for children online as early as possible.

Yes, yes, you can start learning a foreign language from a very early age. After all, basic English lessons have now been introduced in primary grades, and various tests, tests and exams are used to control the acquired knowledge. The first negative school grades may well lead to stress in the child and a reluctance to study further. And to prevent this from happening, it is worth gradually preparing the child for school English language requirements, and quietly, in play, teaching him foreign words and even entire expressions.

It is very convenient to study using modern technologies: online games, loved today by all children without exception, will become your indispensable assistants. Language learning here takes place in a playful way; the child’s constant interest in the process itself is maintained. The child does not hesitate to pronounce foreign words, and, without thinking, purely mechanically remembers both the words themselves and their correct pronunciation. Thus, English for children online will help your child develop an excellent passive vocabulary. When studying the language at school, he will begin to apply the acquired knowledge and fully master the norms of the educational standards of our country. Here is a selection of online games for the English language that we have collected on our website. Enjoy it for your health!

Alphabet with Winnie the Pooh

Sounds and letters

Colors in English

Alphabet at the zoo

Letters

Connect the dots

My face

My body

Song about the alphabet

Coloring pages

Names of figures

Animal names

Find the letters 1

Find letters 2

Learn colors 2

Smart coloring 2

In the modern world, the popularity of the English language has reached its peak a long time ago. The language is considered international, and in many European countries local residents speak English. This is a huge advantage for those who love to travel the world.

Many parents today want their children to study at the most prestigious international universities in Europe and the USA, and for this, at a minimum, they need to know English. That is why children have to learn a foreign language from an early age. Of course, on the one hand, this is very good, since kids absorb much more information than adults, but on the other hand, it is quite difficult from a learning point of view. When an adult plans to learn a foreign language, he does it consciously, he has motivation, incentive. Kids don’t yet understand why they need this and whether they need it at all. But in this situation there is a way out. The most important thing in teaching English to children is the ability to interest them and involve them in the process, and the most interesting process for little children is play. That is why this article discusses the main types of children's games for learning English.

We can say that games for learning English for children are the main form of teaching a foreign language. They create a relaxed environment in which learning occurs more easily, compared to forced teaching methods. During the game, children not only remember new words, expressions or rules, but also develop attention, memory, thinking, observation and, of course, creativity. The use of games in learning helps to maintain interest in the English language, and also makes it easier to learn, consolidate and master the lesson material.

Now it’s worth taking a closer look at English games for children. They can be used individually or in small groups.

1. "Simon Speaks."

A very simple game that is better and more fun to play in a group. The teacher acts as a leader and must give instructions to the children to perform some action. For example, “Simon says: touch your ears!” - “Simon says, touch your ears!”, “Simon says: put your hands on your shoulders!” - “Simon says, put your hands on your shoulders!” There can be many options here.

2. “Countable – uncountable.”

This game was invented on the principle of the game “edible - inedible”. Players throw a ball to each other and shout out nouns, and the one who catches the ball must answer whether the object is countable or not. For example, the first player throws the ball and shouts “book”, the one who caught the ball must say “countable” or “uncountable”. If the player who caught the ball answers correctly, then he now throws the ball and says his word, but if he makes a mistake, he simply leaves the game.

3. "Crocodile".

This game is familiar to everyone. Its essence is to explain with gestures the words of the topic that is being covered or has already been covered. You can use different parts of speech as the words shown, but with kids it is better to try only nouns and verbs to begin with.

4. “Try and guess.”

A variation of the game “crocodile”, but in this case the children need to explain the word. You can play the game in two ways. The first method is that the student takes one card from several offered and tries to explain to other students what the word is on his card.

Let's say the word “chair” is written on the card. This concept can be explained like this: “It’s a piece of furniture” (this is a piece of furniture). “It’s not big” (it’s small). “It is wooden” (it is wooden). “You can sit on it” (you can sit on it). The explanation does not have to consist of long complex sentences; on the contrary, it will be more interesting when the student pauses between sentences to allow others to think a little and turn the information over in their heads.

The second way is as follows. One student takes a card and looks at what word he came across. His task is only to briefly answer the questions of other guys - yes/no (yes/no). That is, those guessing will try to find out for themselves what is being hidden by asking leading questions that can only be answered “yes” or “no.” For example, the word “ball” is guessed. To guess this word, you can make the following questions: “Is it big?” (is it big?), “Is it brown/red/green etc.?” (is it brown? Red? Green?), “Can you eat it?” (can you eat it?) and so on. Questions must be asked until the word is guessed.

5. "Guess what I'm doing?"

Another type of game "Crocodile", which has a more grammatical focus. The student who has guessed the action must depict some process as accurately as possible, and the other children need to guess what he is doing and say the sentence in English in a certain tense form. For example, a student must show that he is dancing, and the guys need to compose a sentence in the Present Continuous, therefore, the result will be: “He is dancing.” - "He is dancing". Whichever student correctly guesses the movement and correctly composes the sentence will be the next to depict the action.

6. “As much as possible.”

This educational game in English will help children learn a large number of new words more easily. It is best for her to divide the students into two teams. The essence of the game is to name as many words as possible on a given topic. For example, the theme “Weather” (weather). Students can name different words and phrases that relate to a given topic, and the part of speech can also be any. Such words may include “sunny” (sunny), “wind” (wind), “clouds” (clouds) and so on. The team that can name the most words related to this topic will be considered the winner.

7. “Difficult word”

This game in English is suitable for children who already have a certain vocabulary. The essence of the game is that you need to make a word from three to five words of the same topic, and the next word must begin with the same letter with which the previous word ends. Let's say the teacher asked the topic “Colors”. An option that can be accepted as an answer is gre Y ello W hite. That is, gray ends with the letter “y”, and the next word “yellow” begins with exactly the same letter “y”. In this way, you can make other words from three to five words, but these words must be of the same topic.

8. "Colors"

The game is very simple, but at the same time interesting. It is best played in a group of six to eight people. Its purpose is to promote the development of attention and memory, and with its help it will be easier for children to remember the names of colors. So, if there is a small variety of colors in the classroom or office where classes are held, then before the game the teacher will need to arrange colorful objects. Moreover, the number of items of different colors will differ. Let’s say there are 6 people in a group, which means you need to choose 6 colors – red, blue, white, green, orange, yellow. But the number of objects of each color should be different, for example, you can take six red objects, five blue objects, four white objects, three green objects, two orange objects, and one yellow object. That is, the game is designed for the reaction of children, so that after the teacher’s command to choose an object of a certain color, the children grab the right thing as quickly as possible, and the one who did not have time is eliminated. As a result, the course of the game will look like this: the teacher gives the command: “Children, take red pencils!” Children, take blue balls! Children, take white paper! Children, take green apples! Children, take orange stamps! Children, take yellow books!” The winner is the one who has all six items of different colors.

9. “Gather everyone.”

This educational game in English is designed to reinforce words on a specific topic. For example, you can take the themes “At the Zoo” and “On a Farm”. The task for the students will be as follows: In one large pile there will be animal toys that need to be distributed into groups - some to the Zoo, others to the Farm. Each student must choose a toy and put it in the correct box or drawer, while naming the animal in English. Let's say he took a cow and said: “It’s a cow” (This is a cow). The task can also be made a little more difficult by having the student add a sentence about where the animal lives. For example, like this: “It’s a cow. It lives on a farm" (This is a cow. She lives on a farm). And so on until the last toy is in its place.

There can be many variations in this game. You can also classify animals by country, or choose shapes and have students classify objects according to their shapes. It all depends on the topic the students are studying.

10. "Snowball"

One of the most popular games in English for schoolchildren, which will force students to be as attentive as possible. However, it is recommended to conduct it when the number of students does not exceed eight people. It is better to choose words of the same topic so that it is not so difficult. So, the first student says his word, the second repeats this word, then says his. The third student must first name the word of the first student, then the second, and then add his own word, and so on. To complicate the task, you can do two circles. It will look something like this (let's say the theme is "Vegetables"):

First student: tomato…
Second student: tomato, potato...
Third student: tomato, potato, cucumber...
Fourth student: tomato, potato, cucumber, cabbage...
Fifth student: tomato, potato, cucumber, cabbage, onion...
Sixth student: tomato, potato, cucumber, cabbage, onion, carrot...

To make the game meaningful, you can introduce a rule: whoever makes a mistake is out of the game. Then in the end the most attentive will remain.

So, we have looked at examples of English games for schoolchildren and children that can be used when teaching English. Remember: the more lessons the teacher conducts in a playful way, the more interest children will have in learning the language. And the greater the interest, the easier the learning process is.

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When they talk about using games for educational purposes, they usually mean didactic games for classroom activities - various charades, “guess the word”, role-playing games and other activities for children and adults, that is, they consider games as a technique teaching language. I propose to consider games in English as a means self-study language. In other words, this article is addressed more to those who study English rather than teach.

What kinds of games are there in English?

In this review, I do not take into account didactic games for classroom activities. I will focus on computer games that can be used for independent studying in English. Didactic games are intended for something else - for teaching language in lessons.

So, games in English can be divided into three categories:

1. Computer games for learning English

Mini-games in which you need to complete tasks directly aimed at memorizing words, composing phrases, etc. Suitable for beginners, aimed at mastering basic knowledge and developing simple skills: learning, memorizing words, constructing simple phrases

2. Educational programs, websites with gamification elements

These are not games, but programs or programs in which game elements are added to make the learning process more enjoyable and effective. Suitable for different levels: from “zero” to approximately or slightly higher. Higher level students outgrow them and lose interest, but may continue to use some not as “learning books”, but rather as collections of content in English (like Lingvaleo).

3. Computer games in English not intended for language learning

Ordinary computer games, the creators of which did not put any educational meaning into them. However, some games, not all of them, can be considered as original materials in English, and the benefits from them are approximately the same as from reading or watching: we consolidate already familiar words and constructions in memory, learn new ones, develop skills in understanding text and oral speech, improve general understanding of the English language. And all this in a fun way.

Computer games for learning English

You can easily find dozens of free games for learning English on the Internet. Basically, these are various vocabulary games where you need to guess words, memorize them, and assemble them from letters. Often these games are computer versions of games for classroom activities, for example, the game Hangman is a computer version of the game of the same name that is played in class.

The gallows and the head are already there!

The rules are simple: guess the word letter by letter, as in “Field of Miracles”. With every mistake comes an element of the gallows and the little man. If you don’t guess correctly, the little man will be in trouble.

Here are two good sites with such games:

Training programs with gamification elements

Another way to learn English while playing is through educational programs with gamification elements. The program itself cannot be called a game, but the educational process is built with game elements: characters, earning points, lives, gaining experience, etc. A striking example is.

In Lingvaleo, for each completed task you are given experience points, which help you see progress in your study.

In Lingvaleo there is a character - the lion cub Leo, who at first explains how to use the program. With its help, you get acquainted with the interface, fill out the questionnaire necessary to personalize the educational process, take a test on your knowledge of words and grammar, and complete the first tasks.

For completing tasks, you receive experience points needed to increase your level - this allows you to unlock additional features, for example, other exercises for memorizing words. Also, glasses are needed to “feed Leo,” that is, to fulfill the daily requirement of classes. Experience points, Leo’s “satiety”, and the level system help you see the amount of work done (has the daily quota been met?) and see progress in your classes.

In general, it is difficult to feel progress in learning a language. Changes occur slowly and little by little, they cannot be measured by any daily measurements, but they become obvious after a long period of time. As one of the developers of Lingvaleo game mechanics, Ilya Kurylev, noted: “Game mechanics help you see progress: different levels, achievements, progress lines, maybe progress in the growth of individual skills, the level of “pumping” of the language. And there’s a lot of this in Lingvaleo: I studied the text, they gave me a few points, and the experience scale filled up a little more. All these scales give feedback, convey virtual progress.”

Thus, gamification performs the following functions:

• Makes classes more interesting.
• Motivates you to exercise regularly.
• Pushes you to fulfill your daily quota and helps you not to slack off.
• Helps you see progress in “tangible” forms: in the form of experience points, level.

On the other hand, there are difficulties with game elements:

• Everyone has different tastes, not everyone likes the “childishness” of Lingvaleo.
• The motivation to level up in a game to level 80 and the motivation to speak a language are two different things. If a person does not want and does not strive to study a foreign language, gamification itself will not hold him back.

Computer games in English not intended for language learning

This is the most interesting thing. And, perhaps, the most useful for learning a language.

In the world of computer games, as well as computers in general, English clearly dominates. Even now, when popular games are translated into Russian, localizers are often limited to only text translation, without dubbing, and many games, including hits, remain untranslated. Anyone who is interested in games knows that knowledge of English will not hurt in this matter.

The use of games as material for learning English was discussed by Puerto Rican linguist Kenneth Horowitz in the article “Video Gaming: the New Free Voluntary Reading?” (The International Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, vol. 6, num. 1, Winter 2011). Horowitz draws a parallel between computer games and Free Voluntary Reading - voluntary reading. Here it is necessary to make a small digression and explain what voluntary reading is.

Free Voluntary Reading (lit. “free voluntary reading”) is a term that was introduced and widely used by linguist Stephen Krashen, an expert in the field of Second Language Acquisition. Voluntary reading means students reading interesting, truly fascinating material of their choice. In other words, reading not what was assigned, but what you really want. In a number of works, interviews and lectures, Krashen notes that it is voluntary reading that is “the most powerful tool in language education, both in relation to the native language and to a foreign language.”

The main criteria for texts for voluntary reading (in a somewhat simplified form) are:

• The text should be chosen according to the reader's wishes.
• The text should not be adapted (that is, simplified).
• The text should be moderately difficult, but not overwhelming. The reader should understand at least the general meaning.
• The most important thing is that you only need to read really interesting things, such that, as they say, you won’t pull your ears.

Horowitz believes that playing computer games that focus heavily on story and storytelling is just as good as reading or listening to interesting material in English. He gives the example of the game Fable 2, which contains about 38 hours of dialogue in 370 thousand words.

The scientist also mentions an interesting feature of the game: “computer games are more interactive than books and the Internet […] They push the player to make decisions in real time.” Horowitz concludes by noting that, under the right conditions, games “can serve as excellent vehicles for learning words and grammatical structures from real-time interaction.”

Of course, one could argue that there are plenty of children and adults who play computer games in English all day long and don’t know the language at all. But here I want to note that not all games help in learning a language.

What games in English help you learn the language?

It may seem that RPG (role-playing games) games, which are characterized by a large number of dialogues, are best suited for improving English, but this is not entirely true, because now there are often games that combine features of different genres.

For example, in the popular role-playing game Dark Souls 2 By the standards of the genre, there are very few dialogues and videos that reveal the plot. On the other hand, puzzle games are usually storyless and contain almost no text. However, in games Portal And Portal 2 there is a plot, characters, and a large number of voiced dialogues. Shooters (shooting games) are usually classified as the least plot-heavy genres, but games such as Bioshock Infinite surprise with an exciting dramatic story, interesting characters, and contain a large number of dialogues, audio recordings, and texts.

In my opinion, the most useful games are not those of specific genres, but those that meet the following criteria:

1. The game revolves around the plot and characters.

If a game is built not around a plot, a story, but around, say, solving visual puzzles, then it is unlikely to be useful for learning a language. For example, when playing billiards, tetris or pinball, you can only come across a few terms. Of course, plotless games also have text, videos, and instructions, but to a lesser extent.

2. A large number of dialogues, preferably in the “audio + subtitles” format, important texts for completing the game.

In some games, dialogue is found in cutscenes between levels, but there are many games where the characters speak almost constantly and understanding it is very important for the player, both for understanding the plot (it’s not interesting to play without knowing what’s going on at all), and in terms of completing tasks (characters explain what to do). In addition to dialogues, the game may contain other important texts: hints, letters, diaries, instructions.

3. The text is clear enough for the player.

The texts in games can be quite complex, which means that players with a lower level of English will find it difficult to understand them. Understanding is aided by visuals, just like when watching movies.

4. Player participation in the development of the plot.

This is a desirable, but not mandatory criterion. By this I mean a feature characteristic of some modern game genres: the player is not an outside observer of the development of the plot, as in a movie, but a participant and influences it. Moreover, some games are based on this feature.

For example, in the game Fable 2(2009), which Horowitz mentions, a decision made during a game can influence future events. In the game you often have to choose between an evil deed and a good one, and if you constantly play evil, by the end of the game the character will take on a demonic appearance and his reputation will be terrible. A good hero will earn people's love, but his path will be very difficult in places. The player is aware of this feature of the game and therefore becomes more involved in the development of the plot, associates himself more strongly with the character and empathizes with him.

In learning English with the help of ordinary (non-educational) computer games, the following pros and cons can be identified:

Advantages:

• Games are original, unadapted audio and/or text material presented in a fun way. No less exciting than in films or books.
• The duration of games is rarely less than 8 - 10 hours, which allows you to better get used to the language of the game and the voices of the actors.
• Games almost always have subtitles in English.

Flaws:

• Not all games are useful for learning English.
• The text can be quite complex.
• Unlike free educational mini-games and shareware educational services, computer games are paid.
• Most games with deep plots and interesting characters are designed for adults.

Learning a language from games, like from films, is not unlearning, but rather latent assimilation. You will improve your speech understanding and reading skills, learn some new words and constructions, and consolidate the ones you already know in your memory. This approach is good if you have already passed that level when there is a need to do exercises, memorize words, but you just need to practice.

Examples of computer games in English with an interesting plot, dialogues, characters

Let me give you a few examples of games that fit the above criteria.

“Witcher” game series (genre: Action – RPG)

Some games in English are no less useful for learning the language than films.

Games about the monster hunter Geralt of Rivia are based on the works of A. Sapkowski in the fantasy genre and adopted their main features: a gloomy atmosphere, a complex plot filled with “unfairytale” dilemmas. The main character is at the intersection of the world of people and monsters - without being fully either one or the other. They don’t like witchers—mutants trained to destroy monsters—but they can’t do without them. It is not surprising that Geralt's adventures are no longer filled with battles with monsters, but with conflicts with people.

The game is characterized by a non-linear plot: Geralt constantly has to make moral choices that can lead to unexpected consequences. There are three games in the series; in the final game, Witcher 3, not only the development of the plot, but also the ending of the game depends on Geralt’s decisions (or rather, yours).

Bioshock Infinite (genre: shooter with RPG elements)

Booker and Elizabeth's acquaintance began with her hitting the detective on the head with a book.

The action takes place in 1912 in the fantastic utopian flying city of Columbia, where peace, technological progress and the Prophet rule. Private detective Booker DeWitt arrives in town to fulfill an order: to find a girl named Elizabeth who is being held captive.

The game is distinguished by a deep plot and development of key characters. Initially, all we know is that DeWitt must find the girl. Who is Elizabeth, why is the detective looking for her, why in Colombia is he mistaken for a false prophet - we learn all this from dialogues, audio recordings, and videos during the game.

Life is Strange (genre: adventure, interactive cinema)

Life is Strange is the story of an ordinary girl who can travel through time.

The young heroine of the game, Max Caulfield, is studying the art of photography at a prestigious educational institution in a small American town. The girl has problems with her peers, but life in general is quiet and boring until the moment when Max unexpectedly witnesses a murder right within the walls of the school. Having experienced shock, the girl plunges into a strange state and sees how time literally rewinds back, thanks to which she manages to prevent the crime. It turns out that the rescued victim is Chloe Price, a childhood friend whom Max has not seen for several years.

Life is Strange is an interactive story about a simple girl who can go back in time, her hooligan friend Chloe, and the mysterious disappearance of student Rachel Ambers. The gameplay consists of exploring locations and communicating with characters. In fact, the entire game consists of Max's thoughts and conversations with other characters. The conversations ahead will not be easy. The heroine can make friends with some characters and conflict with others - it depends on the player’s choice. Using his superpower, Max can go back a few minutes in time to change his choices.

The game's plot is multifaceted and includes the story of Max and Chloe's friendship, the search for Rachel, Chloe's missing friend, Chloe's relationship with her family, and others.

Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series (genre: interactive cinema)

The game contains places and characters from the series.

The game is based on the series ““, it makes sense to play it only for those who are familiar with the first three, or better yet four, seasons. The game begins immediately after the Red Wedding, we see events that took place parallel to the events of the series.

From the game you will learn the story of the Forrester family - standard bearers of the House of Stark, who found themselves in an extremely difficult situation after the Red Wedding. The head of the house and the eldest son died. Second son in exile in Essos. Lord Ethan, still practically a child, is forced to take the reins of the house into his own hands. He, that is, you, needs to make important decisions on which the fate of the Forrester house will depend.

In the game, as in the series and book, events are told from the point of view of several characters. Ethan is just one of them. You will also meet characters familiar from the series (Daenerys, Cersei, Ramsay Snow, etc.), and the action will take place in the North, in King's Landing, on the Wall and in Essos.

The gameplay consists of dialogues, communication with characters and exploration of locations. It is noteworthy that the creators of the game managed not to deviate from the spirit and traditions of the series. Every word must be weighed, and a careless act can be followed by catastrophic events.

The game is released in episodes, like a television series. As of today (July 2016), the first season of the game has been released, including 5 episodes, each of which is designed to last 2-3 hours.

By the way, Telltale (the game developer) specializes in the interactive film genre. If you are not a fan of “Game of Thrones,” I recommend paying attention to other Telltale games, for example: The Walking Dead (based on the comic book and TV series of the same name) or the detective story The Wolf Among Us.

Firewatch (genre: adventure, walking simulator)

Throughout the game, Henry constantly talks to Delilah on the walkie-talkie.

Firewatch is a subset of adventure games that are ironically called “walking simulators” because they involve a lot of walking. The game is short, designed to take 5-6 hours to complete.

The action takes place in 1989 in a forest in Wyoming, USA. Henry comes there to work as a fire tower observer after his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and was taken in by her parents, who had long disliked their son-in-law. Henry just wants to go somewhere far away and live in peace and solitude - working in the forest seems like a suitable choice for him. The only person he communicates with is his boss, Delilah, who he speaks to on a walkie-talkie. It soon turns out that life in the forest is not so quiet.

As you may have guessed, throughout the game the hero will have to communicate a lot with Delilah, choosing his lines.

Metal Gear Solid 3 (genre: stealth action)

Metal Gear Solid 3 is one of the most dramatic and profound stories of a hero's development.

Games in the Metal Gear Solid series are rightfully considered one of the most “story-driven”. For example, I will take the third part, which is the first in the chronology of events, that is, it tells about the earliest events in the series.

The action takes place in 1964 in the USSR. An American agent codenamed Naked Snake is sent to a secret facility in the USSR, where he must kidnap a Soviet scientist working on a secret combat machine. Later, Snake finds out that the purpose of his mission is not at all so clear-cut. He finds himself embroiled in a confrontation between several powers and realizes that he is only a pawn in a political game.

The game belongs to the stealth action genre, that is, the hero has to not so much fire from all types of weapons as quietly bypass enemy patrols and neutralize opponents with sleeping darts. Despite the large amount of violence, all games in the Metal Gear Solid series are distinguished by a pronounced anti-war and anti-nuclear orientation.

The game is structured in such a way that Snake constantly communicates using a special device with the team supporting him from headquarters. From conversations you not only receive instructions and tips for completing tasks, but also learn details of the plot. In addition, if you talk with team members more often, it turns out that each of them has their own story.

The Last of Us (genre: action-adventure)

This game came out in 2013 and became a real event. It received very high marks from critics and players. As noted in the magazine “Gaming”, “games of the level of The Last of Us are not released every year or even every decade.”

The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic future in the United States, 20 years after a pandemic caused by a mutated cordyceps mushroom. As a result of the pandemic, most of the world's population has died; the survivors live in quarantine zones guarded by the military. People have long lost hope of finding a vaccine against infection. Humanity is simply living out its life, and only members of the “Cicada” group still believe in the salvation of humanity. The main characters are smuggler Joel and teenage girl Ellie, they have to go on a dangerous and long journey through deserted cities full of dangers.

The game was released only on Playstation 3 and 4 consoles, but if you want to get acquainted with the story, you can watch the “film version” of the game - a three-hour montage of videos and plot parts of the game. Looks like a fun movie.

Is it possible to learn to speak through games?

In conclusion, I would like to draw your attention to one common misconception. Often, educational programs or games, even textbooks, are considered as a tool with which you can learn speak in English. This is not entirely true. Games and educational programs can teach vocabulary, improve reading skills, and understanding oral speech, but they will not teach conversational speech.

Of course, vocabulary, grammar, and listening comprehension are necessary for speech, and this is where programs and games are useful. But actually speaking skill they won't train. To learn to speak, you need to speak, allowing the knowledge acquired (including with the help of programs) to turn into a skill. And for this there is only one “tool” - a live interlocutor. Therefore, if you feel like you have a “dog problem” (I understand, but I can’t say), look for interlocutors and practice speaking.

I don't think online games are good for this purpose. Yes, in multiplayer games you need to chat and communicate via voice, but in most cases this communication is abrupt and uses in-game slang. To practice communication, it is better to use.

Conclusion

Educational games in English can help beginners learn simple skills and add some variety to their activities by solving crossword puzzles and solving words using cubes. Programs like Lingvaleo use game elements to make the learning process livelier, clearer, and more interesting.

If we consider non-educational games, then their benefits for learning a language can be compared with the benefits of reading books in the original and watching films, but only on the condition that the games have a lot of dialogues and texts that the player listens to and reads, and does not waste, as license agreement when installing the game.

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Tatyana Efremova
Outdoor games used in teaching English to preschoolers

Outdoor games- the most important means of physical education for children in preschool and, especially, school age. They always require active motor actions from the players, aimed at achieving a conditional goal specified in the rules. I offer a list of games that I use in my classes.

“Where is the monkey?”

Children close their eyes and count to 10 (in English, of course). The teacher hides a toy monkey (or another, but always the same toy) in the classroom. The teacher says Open your eyes! Where is the monkey? Children are looking for a toy. The one who finds the toy is the first to shout loudly: Here it is! The winner gets to drive.

“Touch your nose”

The teacher says: Touch your nose. Children touch their nose. The teacher continues by naming different parts of the body. Children follow commands until they hear:

“Don’t touch your nose!”

In response to the Don’t command, children should freeze in place. The one who continues to perform the action is eliminated from the game.

The winner gets to drive.

"Colors"

You name a color in English, for example, red. Children must find the named color on their clothes, on the street or in the room, touch it and repeat its name.

"Bring me"

Various things are laid out in the room or outside. The presenter asks the children to bring him some thing, naming it or describing it in English. Whoever finds and brings this item first wins. Bring me a pencil….

"Simon Says"

The presenter says the following phrase: “Simon says: “Stand up (Sit down, Run, Touch your nose, Jump).” Participants must follow all commands only if they are preceded by the introductory phrase “Simon says.”

"How I'm growing."

Children squat in a circle and say how old they are: “I am one.” I am two…”, while gradually rising higher and higher, depicting how they grow.

“You catch me”

Children stand in a circle. One child puts on a cat mask and stands behind the circle, and the other puts on a mouse mask and remains in the circle. Children say the words: “One, two, three – you catch me.” The cat tries to enter the circle and catch the mouse, but the players close the entrances in front of it. When the cat makes its way into the circle, the children immediately release the mouse from it. If the cat catches the mouse, then other children are assigned to their roles.

"Shop".

Children come to the store and buy toys, turning to the seller: “Give me a doll, please.” The seller gives the toy and says: “here you are.” The game can be played on different topics.

"Freeze."

The players line up at the start. The presenter closes his eyes and counts out loud to three. At this time, everyone else is trying to reach the finish line. On the count of three, the presenter says “Stand still” and opens his eyes. The player whom the leader notices moving becomes the leader. Those players who reach the finish line win.

“What is your name?”

Children move to the music in a circle and sing the first verse of the song “What is your name?”. The boy or girl in the center of the circle answers them by telling them his or her name.

"What am I doing?"

Children form a circle. The leader stands in the middle of the circle and shows movements (eating, jumping, running, etc.). children must say in English what he is doing. The one who guesses first becomes the leader.

Relay race.

Children lined up one after another are given cards. The child standing first in the column names the subject of the image in English and runs to the end of the column. If the child forgets a word or pronounces it incorrectly, he should get help from a teacher. After some time, the children change cards in order to remember other words. The time allotted for the game is determined by the teacher.

Ball games.

1. Children, standing in a semicircle, throw the ball up and, while it flies, name the desired word or phrase (the word is determined by which card the teacher shows them).

2. Pass the ball to your neighbor. The teacher shows the card. The child names a word or phrase, passing the ball to a friend standing next to him.

3. Children in English name the word or phrases that the teacher pronounces in Russian. (The task is to hit the ball on the ground, say the desired word or phrase and catch the ball that bounced off the ground)

4. Throw the ball into a basket on the floor and call out the memorized word.

5. Children sit on the floor in a circle and randomly roll the ball to each other. The person receiving the ball must quickly say the word or phrase.

6. The leader stands in the center of the circle. Throwing the ball one at a time, he calls the Russian word, the child, returning the ball, calls this word in English. It is advisable to group words according to the topics “Products”, “Colors”, “Toys”, etc.

Jumping.

1. Jumping from foot to foot. Children name any 5 words, jumping from foot to foot.

2. Jumping rope while listing the names of toys, school supplies, and animals.

They sat down and stood up.

Children stand in a semicircle. The teacher shows the card. The child crouches and names the desired word or phrase. The rest of the children do the same. To return to the starting position, you need to say the next word in response to the card shown.

Rope.

Step over the rope lying on the floor and name any familiar word.

Get in and get out

The child steps over the hoop lying on the floor twice, entering and exiting the center of the circle. At the same time, he names any two words or sentences from memory.

Publications on the topic:

“Creating a language environment for preschoolers when teaching a foreign language” Each of us knows how to talk. Some speak only one native language, while others speak two or three languages ​​at once.

Games with cards in English classes. Flashcard games. Yes/No For this game you need to divide the floor into two zones: the Yes zone and the No zone. All children stand in the Yes zone. The teacher shows the pictures and names them.

Summary of educational activities in English for older preschoolers “Travel to Great Britain (England)” Author: teacher of additional education MBDOU kindergarten No. 5 "Rainbow" Popova Olena Aleksandrovna Program content - to introduce.

Progress of the lesson. Good morning, boys and girls. 1. Phonetic exercise. Today our friend (Mr Tongue) Mr. Yazychek went to the zoo.

Goal: Repetition and consolidation of vocabulary on the topics “Zoo Animals”, “Colors”, “Verbs of Movement”. Progress of the lesson: Children stand in a circle. Teacher: