Middle school students often navigate through different classes throughout the day, with a constant focus on learning.
While this is important in a school environment, there are moments when they could benefit from a break.
One effective way to provide that break is by incorporating enjoyable classroom games specifically designed for middle school students.
These games serve as brain breaks, helping to manage the classroom effectively.
They may be used just before dismissal as time fillers or during special occasions like holidays or early dismissal days.
Additionally, classroom games can be used as a reward to celebrate students’ achievements or to simply have fun together.
Regardless of the reason, these fun classroom games for middle school students will fulfill their purpose of adding excitement to the daily routine.
As a result, middle schoolers will become more focused and energized, ready to fully engage and learn since they have had the opportunity to relax and recharge.
Fun Classroom Games for Middle School
Telephone Game
The telephone game is a fun and amusing classroom game that involves a group of students passing a message from one to another in a whispered form.
The objective is to see how the message evolves and changes as it passes through each person.
To play…
1. Ask students to gather in a circle.
2. Choose a student to start the game. He or she thinks of a short message and whispers it only once to the student next to him/her.
3. The second student then whispers the message heard to the person on his/her right, and so on, until the message reaches the last student.
4. The last student in the circle announces the message received out loud.
5. The class will compare the final message with the original one and see how it changed along the way.
Who Am I?
Write the names of different famous people or characters on sticky notes and stick one on the back of each student.
Middle schoolers then mingle and ask yes-or-no questions to figure out who they are. They can only ask one question per person they interact with.
The goal is to find out their identity within five minutes.
Related Content: Fun 5-Minute Classroom Games
Writing Backwards Competition
In this exciting classroom game, divide the class into two groups.
Each round will consist of one student from each group competing against each other at the board.
Provide both participants with a dry-erase marker. Then, give them a word to write, preferably a spelling word.
The twist is that they have to write the word backward!
They’ll joyfully struggle to write the word, and the student who successfully writes the word backward correctly and the fastest wins that round.
Afterward, the next two students from each group take turns at the board, trying to write a word backward.
This process continues until all students have had a chance to participate.
At the end of the game, tally up the points earned by each group. The group with the most points wins.
Balloon Pop
Write various vocabulary words or questions on small slips of paper and place each slip inside a balloon.
Inflate the balloons and scatter them around the room. Students pair up and choose a balloon to pop.
They must answer the question or define the vocabulary word inside the balloon.
See how many balloons your middle schoolers can pop and answer within a time limit.
Top 100 List
The Top 100 List classroom game is a collaborative activity where the entire class works together.
First, provide a general topic. Category examples include items of a particular color, animals, insects, or things that smell.
The challenge begins as the class works collectively to quickly come up with 100 items that fit the chosen topic.
The time limit for this task is set at 5 minutes or less, adding an element of excitement and urgency to the game.
Charades
Write down various actions or objects on small pieces of paper and put them in a hat or container.
Each middle schooler takes turns picking a paper and silently acting out what is written on it while the rest of the class tries to guess.
Set a time limit of one minute per round and see how many they can guess within five minutes.
How Many Ways
In this fun classroom game for middle schoolers, two students compete to see how many different ways they can represent a given number.
Provide a number, such as 10.
Each competing pair will show all the various ways they can represent the number 10.
For example, one student might write the Roman numeral for 10, while another student might subtract 10 from 20.
They could also write the multiplication expression of five times two or draw a picture with ten circles.
The possibilities are endless.
To ensure fairness, prevent the competing students from seeing each other’s answers.
After both students have finished, select two new students to compete in the next round.
10 Questions
Have a student think of an object or person and allow the rest of the class to ask yes-or-no questions to try and guess what or who it is.
The student may only respond with “yes” or “no.” The goal is for the class to guess the answer within 10 questions or less.
Final Thoughts On Fun Classroom Games for Middle School
Incorporating fun classroom games for middle school students adds an exciting and engaging element to their learning journey.
These games serve as valuable brain breaks, helping students recharge and refocus during their busy school day.
Whether used as time fillers, rewards, or during special occasions, these games contribute to effective classroom management and contribute toward a positive learning environment.