ESL Speaking Activities for Kids is a collection of free speaking games and activities for ESL classrooms. From phonics spinners to classic speaking games, find activities that get students talking, reading aloud, and building confidence in English.
Level: Beginner (ages 4–9)  | Prep: None  | Skills: Reading, phonics, pronunciation
Level: A2–B1  | Prep: None  | Skills: Speaking, describing, exam preparation
Level: A1–B1  | Prep: None  | Skills: Speaking, listening, storytelling
Level: A2–B1  | Prep: None  | Skills: Speaking, listening, avoiding target words
Level: A1–B1  | Prep: Minimal  | Skills: Speaking, question forms, vocabulary
Level: A1–B1  | Prep: None  | Skills: Speaking, pronunciation, vocabulary recall
Level: A1–B2  | Prep: None  | Skills: Speaking, vocabulary recall, fluency
Level: A2–B2  | Prep: Minimal  | Skills: Speaking, vocabulary, definitions
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Teacher tips for ESL speaking activities
Keep talking time high. The best speaking activities get students talking, not listening to instructions. Choose activities that can be explained in under a minute and started immediately — everything on this page fits that description.
Use speaking games as warmers and coolers. A three-minute speaking game at the start of class gets students into English mode fast. The same game at the end of class consolidates the lesson’s vocabulary and sends students out on a high.
Pair strong and weaker speakers intentionally. In pair activities, pairing a more confident speaker with a quieter student encourages the quieter student to speak more. Avoid always pairing students of the same ability — mixed pairs produce more natural interaction.
Don’t correct mid-activity. Note errors during speaking games but correct them afterwards, not during. Interrupting to correct kills fluency and discourages risk-taking. Save error correction for a brief feedback slot after the game ends.
See also: ESL Games for Kids  | Online ESL Games  | Guess the Word  | Spot the Difference
Free Phonics Word Spinner
A free interactive phonics spinner for ESL and primary classrooms. Choose a sound group, spin the slots, and build real English words one sound at a time. Covers CVC words, digraphs, blends, and long vowels — Jolly Phonics aligned. Enable audio to hear every word pronounced as it lands. Great for whole-class projection.Level: Beginner (ages 4–9)  | Prep: None  | Skills: Reading, phonics, pronunciation
Cambridge Flyers Speaking Test — Spot the Difference
Practise the Cambridge Young Learners Flyers speaking exam format with these interactive spot the difference pictures. Students describe what they see and identify differences between two images — exactly the kind of task tested in the Flyers exam.Level: A2–B1  | Prep: None  | Skills: Speaking, describing, exam preparation
ESL The Story
A collaborative speaking activity where students build a story together one sentence at a time. A great warmer or cooler that encourages creativity, listening, and spontaneous speaking. Works with any age and level — the funnier the better.Level: A1–B1  | Prep: None  | Skills: Speaking, listening, storytelling
Yes and No Game
Students must answer questions without saying yes or no — harder than it sounds. A brilliant speaking game for practising question forms, sentence structures, and keeping a conversation going. Works as a whole-class game or in pairs.Level: A2–B1  | Prep: None  | Skills: Speaking, listening, avoiding target words
Who Am I?
A classic guessing game where students ask yes/no questions to identify a mystery person, animal, or object. Excellent for practising question forms — Are you…? Do you…? Can you…? — in a natural, communicative context. Can be played individually or in teams.Level: A1–B1  | Prep: Minimal  | Skills: Speaking, question forms, vocabulary
Read My Lips
One student mouths a word or sentence silently while their partner tries to lip-read and say it aloud. A high-energy activity that gets students focusing on mouth shapes and pronunciation. Works brilliantly as a warmer or after a vocabulary set.Level: A1–B1  | Prep: None  | Skills: Speaking, pronunciation, vocabulary recall
Quick Fire Vocabulary
A fast-paced vocabulary revision game where students race to name words from a category before the time runs out. Perfect for revising topic vocabulary, warming up at the start of class, or burning off energy at the end. No prep, no materials, instant engagement.Level: A1–B2  | Prep: None  | Skills: Speaking, vocabulary recall, fluency
Password
Based on the classic TV game show — one student gives one-word clues to help their partner guess a target word. Players alternate clues and guesses until the word is found. A focused, competitive activity that practises vocabulary, definitions, and synonyms.Level: A2–B2  | Prep: Minimal  | Skills: Speaking, vocabulary, definitions
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Teacher tips for ESL speaking activities
Keep talking time high. The best speaking activities get students talking, not listening to instructions. Choose activities that can be explained in under a minute and started immediately — everything on this page fits that description.
Use speaking games as warmers and coolers. A three-minute speaking game at the start of class gets students into English mode fast. The same game at the end of class consolidates the lesson’s vocabulary and sends students out on a high.
Pair strong and weaker speakers intentionally. In pair activities, pairing a more confident speaker with a quieter student encourages the quieter student to speak more. Avoid always pairing students of the same ability — mixed pairs produce more natural interaction.
Don’t correct mid-activity. Note errors during speaking games but correct them afterwards, not during. Interrupting to correct kills fluency and discourages risk-taking. Save error correction for a brief feedback slot after the game ends.
See also: ESL Games for Kids  | Online ESL Games  | Guess the Word  | Spot the Difference