ESL Games Plus Review: Free Interactive ESL Games & Worksheets
ESL Games Plus is a free game platform offering interactive ESL activities for kids and beginner learners. Here's what the games actually look like in use, what works in class, and what to pair it with for a fuller curriculum.Ready to try ESL Games Plus?
"Wide variety of interactive game formats — memory, board, spelling, sentence-building — that work on any device without an install."
Best for
ESL teachers of young learners (ages 4–11) who need free, browser-based interactive games and printable worksheets for class or home study.
Pricing
Free
Pro tip — heads up before you bookmark it
A note on ad content
ESL Games Plus is free and supported by display advertising. Most ads are unobtrusive, but a few placements can distract younger students. Consider using an ad-blocker on classroom devices if your school's IT allows it.
What is ESL Games Plus?
ESL Games Plus is a free educational game platform built around English-language learning for kids and beginner learners. It is part of the same network as ESL Galaxy and FredisaLearns, sharing content and design language across the three sites.
The platform organizes its games into clear categories:
- Classroom games: team games for beginner and intermediate levels, designed for interactive whiteboards or projector-led whole-class play
- Memory and matching: classic concentration games for vocabulary practice
- Sentence builders: drag-and-drop grammar activities (notably "Sentence Monkey") that turn gap-fill exercises into puzzle games
- Board games: pirate and crocodile board variations that combine game mechanics with grammar/vocab drilling
- Spelling and word games: hangman, word searches, and spelling-bee formats
- Printables: crossword PDFs, word search PDFs, board and card games, and PPT flashcards
Beyond English, the site also hosts math and science games for primary-level learners — useful if you teach in a bilingual or mainstream-international setting.
How teachers use it
ESL Games Plus fits these specific situations well:
- End-of-class reward activities: 5–10 minutes of a memory or sentence-builder game to close a lesson on a high note.
- Interactive whiteboard warm-ups: classroom-team games run on a projector engage the whole group.
- Home study and homework: browser-based games work on any device students have at home — no install needed.
- Vocabulary drilling without worksheets: pirate and crocodile board games give repetitive vocab practice in a game format that kids actually finish.
- Differentiation for mixed-ability classes: lower-level students play memory games while stronger students work on sentence-builder puzzles.
Is it worth your time?
Yes — if you teach young learners, ESL Games Plus is genuinely useful. The platform's strength is its variety of game formats. Most free ESL sites give you one type of activity (a quiz, a worksheet, a video); ESL Games Plus gives you ten formats covering the same vocabulary, which lets you rotate activities without burning out a single format.
The sentence-builder games and pirate/crocodile board games are the standout. They take grammar drilling that would otherwise be a dry fill-in-the-blank and turn it into something students ask to replay.
Honest recommendation: use ESL Games Plus for game-based vocabulary drilling and rewards, but don't lean on it as your only resource. For structured lesson plans with explicit grammar objectives, pair it with Teach-This or ESL Brains. The site is strongest as a supplement, not a core curriculum.
The honest pros and cons
What works
- Truly free to play Most games and worksheets open without an account.
- Many game formats Memory, board, spelling, sentence-builder, classroom-team — variety keeps students engaged.
- Works on any device Browser-based; runs on desktop, iPad, and phones without an app.
- Whole-class ready Classroom games designed for projector and interactive whiteboard use.
- Printable companions Crosswords, board games, and flashcards available as printables.
- Vocabulary videos Pre-K to grade 3 video lessons cover common vocabulary themes.
What doesn't
- Limited grammar depth Activities reinforce but don't explicitly teach grammar rules.
- Ad-supported Display ads on most pages; some ad placements can be distracting for younger students.
- Older browser experience Some games use legacy web tech; flashier competitors have more modern UX.
- K-6 focus Almost no content for adult or teenage learners; weak fit for high school ESL.
- No progress tracking Game scores aren't saved between sessions.
- Print quality varies Some printable PDFs are better formatted than others.
Best alternatives
If ESL Games Plus isn't a fit, these are the resources teachers actually switch to:
Teach-This.com
3,000+ printable ESL worksheets, CEFR-aligned, updated monthly.
ESL Brains
Lesson plans built around TED talks and authentic videos for adults and teens.
FredisaLearns
Animated video lessons and games for kids ages 4–12 (sister site to ESL Games Plus).
Crystal Clear ESL
Ready-to-teach lesson plans with video, audio, and answer keys.
British Council LearnEnglish Kids
Free, polished activities for young learners. stories, songs, and games.
Frequently asked questions
What is ESL Games Plus?
Is ESL Games Plus really free?
What age range does ESL Games Plus cover?
Do the games work on tablets and phones?
What game types are available?
Can I use ESL Games Plus for whole-class teaching?
What are the best alternatives?
Ready to add free games to your ESL class?
Free, browser-based, no install. Bookmark ESL Games Plus as your go-to reward activity and vocabulary-drilling game rotation for young learner groups.
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