10 games to play while on a train
10 fun and engaging ESL (English as a Second Language) games specially designed for kids to play while on a train. These games focus on building vocabulary, speaking, listening, and comprehension—all without needing a lot of materials.
🚂 1. Train Word Hunt
Skills: Vocabulary & Observation
How to Play: Ask kids to spot and name things they see on the train or out the window (e.g., "seat," "bag," "tree"). Use categories like colors, animals, or objects.
Variation: “Find 3 things that are red” or “Find something starting with B.”
🎵 2. Rhyme Time Train
Skills: Phonetics & Pronunciation
How to Play: Say a word (e.g., "cat") and ask the child to think of a word that rhymes ("hat," "bat"). Keep the rhyme chain going.
Tip: Clap along for rhythm!
🧠 3. What’s in My Bag?
Skills: Speaking & Vocabulary
How to Play: Pretend game where kids guess what’s in your backpack using yes/no questions. You can also describe an item and have them guess.
Example: "It’s round, you throw it. What is it?" → "Ball!"
🤔 4. 5-Second Words
Skills: Vocabulary Recall
How to Play: Give the child 5 seconds to name 3 things in a category (e.g., fruits, animals, clothes).
Challenge: Speed up as they get better!
🧩 5. Alphabet Train
Skills: Alphabet & Vocabulary
How to Play: Start with “A is for Apple,” next person says “B is for Banana,” and so on. You can go forwards or backwards.
Variation: Use train-themed items like “C is for Conductor.”
🗣️ 6. Describe and Guess
Skills: Descriptive Language & Listening
How to Play: One child describes something they see without naming it. Others guess what it is.
Example: "It’s tall, green, and outside the window." → "Tree!"
🎨 7. Draw & Tell
Skills: Speaking, Creativity
What You Need: Paper & pen/pencil
How to Play: Kids draw something and then describe it in English. You can also draw and have them guess what it is.
📖 8. Mini Story Maker
Skills: Sentence Building
How to Play: Together, create a short story using one word at a time.
Example: You say “Once,” child says “upon,” next “a,” then “time,” and so on.
Fun Twist: Make it silly!
🕵️ 9. Who Am I? (Train Edition)
Skills: Question Forming
How to Play: Think of a train-related thing (conductor, window, ticket). The child asks yes/no questions to guess.
Boost: Model how to ask: “Is it a person?” “Can you sit on it?”
🎯 10. English Scavenger Hunt
Skills: Word Recognition
How to Play: Give kids a list of English words or pictures (e.g., cup, shoes, number 2) to find on the train.
Variation: Use your phone/tablet to show picture clues if they can’t read yet.