Make Test Prep Fun Through Play

A teacher and her students learn from a laptop screen — PeopleImages.com / Getty Images

By

Updated on July 13, 2019

When it's time to review material for an upcoming test, lighten up your classroom with a game that helps students study and remember. Try one of these five group games that work great for test prep.

01

of 05

Two Truths and a Lie

A group of laughing children goof off — Steve Eason/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Two Truths and a Lie is a game most often used for introductions, but it's a perfect game for test review, too. It's also adaptable to any topic. This game works particularly well with teams.

Ask each student to make three statements about your test review topic: two statements that are true and one that's a lie. Moving around the room, give each student a chance to make their statements and a chance to identify lies. Use both right and wrong answers as inspiration for discussion.

Keep score on the board, and go around the room twice if needed to cover all the material. Have examples of your own to ensure that everything you want to review gets mentioned.

02

of 05

Where in the World?

A map of the world featuring several geographic features like biomes, landmasses, and mountain elevations — FrankRamspott / Getty Images

Where in the World? is a good game for geography review or any other topic that involves locations around the globe, or within a country.This game, too, is great for teamwork.

Ask each student to describe three characteristics of a location you've learned or read about in class. Give classmates a chance to guess the answer. For example, a student describing Australia might say:

It's in the southern hemisphere
It's a continent
It's where kangaroos and koalas live

Time Machine

The city hall and medieval church clocktower in Delft, Netherlands — Split Second Stock / Getty Images

Play Time Machine as a test review in history class or any other class in which dates and places figure large. Start by creating cards with the name of a historic event or location you have studied. Give each student or team a card.

Give teams five to ten minutes to come up with their descriptions. Encourage them to be specific, but remind them that they may not use words that give away the answer. Suggest that they include details about clothing, activities, foods, or popular culture of the period. The opposing team must guess the date and place of the event described.

This game is flexible. Modify it to fit your specific situation. Are you testing battles? Presidents? Inventions? Ask your students to describe the setting.

04

of 05

Snowball Fight

Having a snowball fight in the classroom not only helps with test review, but it's also invigorating, whether it's winter or summer! This game is entirely flexible to your topic.

Using paper from your recycle bin, ask students to write test questions and then crumple the paper into a snowball. Divide your group into two teams and position them on opposite sides of the room.

Let the fight begin! When you call time, each student must pick up a snowball, open it up, and answer the question.

05

of 05

Brainstorm Race

Schoolgirls drawing on each others paper — Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images

Brainstorm Race is a good adult game for several teams of four or five students. Give each team a way to record answers—paper and pencil, flip chart, or computer.

Announce a topic to be covered on the test and allow the teams 30 seconds to write down as many facts concerning the topic as they can without speaking. Then compare lists.

The team with the most ideas wins a point. Depending on your setting, you can review each topic immediately and then go on to the next topic, or play the entire game and recap afterward.