Outside games for English as a Second Language (ESL) students provide cognitive anchors that will remain with the student long after the activity is completed. They are a hands-on and cooperative method of teaching that energize the students and keep them interested in learning content-based curriculum without bogging them down with pencil-and-paper tasks. There are a variety of outdoor games geared toward the ESL student that will prove to be valuable tools in instruction.

Alpha Toss
Print each letter of the alphabet on a piece of laminated paper and assign point value to each in the right hand corner. Scrabble game values would work. Place letters in four rows on the grass or black top (six in the first row, seven in the second, six in the third and seven in the fourth). Have students take turns throwing bean bags, distances can vary per age group. Beginning ESL students should pronounce the sound the letter makes that their bean bag lands on and say a word that begins with that letter. Intermediate students should throw three or four bean bags and use each letter they land on as the beginning letter of a word in a complete sentence. Advanced students can toss five or six bean bags and use as many of the letters as possible in an individual word. Points are assigned for letters used. This game can be played in teams or individually.

Simon Says
Have students stand in a circle. "Simon," or the teacher, stands in the center of the circle. This game is an interactive way to review the week's lesson plans. For example, if you are learning about body parts, the teacher can say, "Simon says point to your knee." If you are learning about numbers, the teacher can say, "Simon says to hop four times." If the teacher does not say "Simon says" before giving an instruction, all students who follow through with the movement are out.

Run and Fetch
Line the students up in teams at one end of the grass or black top. Place flashcards on the ground in random order at the other end (thicker flashcards are more durable for outdoor use). The teacher calls out a word from one of the flash cards and one student from each team runs to the flashcards and searches for the word. The first student to hand the correct flashcard to the teacher, as well as say the word with correct pronunciation, wins. Continue until all students have a chance to participate then tally up the score. This game can be modified for beginners by using picture word cards or for more advanced ESL students by creating flashcards that correspond to appropriate learning levels.