Say goodbye to boring study sessions and hello to some seriously fun test prep with these exciting test prep games for the classroom.
There is so much stress that comes with test prep. Teachers and students especially feel the pressure.
While there does need to be a focus on test prep, the monotony and workload can weigh students and teachers down.
Lighten up the mood in your classroom and add some fun to the mix by incorporating exciting test prep review games that keep students focused on learning and help them put forth their best efforts.
The following test prep games work well because they are fun, exciting, and engaging.
What’s more, they encourage a gentle competitive spirit which motivates students even more.
Yes, it’s possible to prepare for state testing without all the added stress.
Add these test prep games to your lesson plans during those weeks leading up to state testing.
No matter the grade or subject you teach, they can be modified to fit your needs.
Additionally, these games work well throughout the year to help students prep for regular exams and quizzes.
So make these test review activities part of your regular instruction.
Students will be flexing their mental muscles and acing tests like champs! Academic success is just a few fun games away!
Test Prep Games
Following are some of students’ favorite review games for test prep including state testing.
Organize a Game Show.
One of the most engaging ways to motivate students to do their best on state tests is to host a few fun games.
There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Students can play versions of classic games.
Following are some examples.
Jeopardy – Use Google Slides or PowerPoint to make a Jeopardy-style game with categories and questions related to standardized test content.
Add sound effects and visuals to make the game more exciting. Alternatively, head to JeopardyLabs and set the game up that way.
Pictionary – Divided into two teams and taking turns, a representative from each group draws a picture related to a state-testing concept.
Teams try to guess the picture and gain points when they answer the quickest.
Family Feud – Divide students into two teams, and ask questions related to state testing.
Include a real buzzer to make things even more fun.
Make a Memory Test Prep Game.
For the game of memory, first choose a state-testing topic (e.g. math, reading, writing, test-taking skills) that you would like students to review.
After placing students in pairs and distributing to them 24 blank notecards, they will create 12 question cards and 12 answer cards related to the topic.
After writing the questions and answers, student pairs will place all the mixed-up cards face down on a flat surface in an array formation.
The first player chooses two random cards. The goal is to pull the appropriate question-answer pair.
If the two cards don’t match, the student returns them face down in the same place.
Now it’s the next player’s turn.
After a while, students remember which cards were pulled so that they eventually pull two cards that correspond.
The game continues like this with each partner taking a turn until all cards have been pulled and paired.
Memory games work especially well as ELA and math test prep games.
Related Post: More Fun Test Review Games for Students
Play Pick-a-Stick.
Grab some popsicle sticks that at least equal the number of students in your class.
Now, write the following numbers on one end of each stick.
- 25 sticks = Write 1.
- 15 sticks = Write 5.
- 10 sticks = Write 10.
Individually or in teams, students will answer state-testing questions that you provide.
If they answer correctly, they have an opportunity to pull a stick. They receive the number of points written on the popsicle stick.
Continue like this until all the sticks have been pulled.
Afterward, each team or student adds their totals to select the winner.
Complete a Round of Bingo.
Bingo is a game that can be played with any subject. That’s why it makes a great addition to your collection of test prep activities.
An added bonus to playing bingo for test preparation is that students can make their own bingo boards right inside their notebooks or on a sheet of blank paper.
To get started, choose a test-prep subject, and then select vocabulary words or concepts that students will then write on their bingo boards.
As individual students win by eliminating a group of words positioned diagonally, vertically, or horizontally, offer to winners a small prize or gentle bragging rights to make the game more fun.
Play the Lego Game.
Incorporate Legos into your test prep routine.
Separate students into groups of 3 or 4, then ask a test prep question. The group to answer correctly the fastest receives a Lego or a handful of Legos.
The goal is to eventually build an identifiable structure in order to win the game.
As the game continues, groups will be able to build something cool using the Legos.
Host a Book Scavenger Hunt.
If you seek test prep review games that get students moving and working collaboratively, this one is for you.
First, put students into groups of no more than 4. Provide each group with a stash of books.
Members of each group will work as a team to locate examples of text features as assigned by the teacher.
Teams race in order to be the first group to find all the examples.
You may want to write the text features on the board or provide students with a checklist to guide them along.
To make this game even more fun, challenge students to find two or three examples of various text features.
They can mark their findings with sticky notes.
See another test prep activity and test review game that focuses on literacy.
Participate In an Escape Room.
Escape rooms are great to get students moving while having fun working with each other.
Create a physical escape room that involves students answering questions about test prep content.
Students will solve puzzles and clues which lead to “unlocking” the room. Afterward, they receive a reward of some sort.
If an escape room sounds like too much work, write test questions on notecards and have students work in groups to solve them.
After solving, students receive a small prize or reward.
Set Up Four Corners.
This game is like an interactive multiple-choice quiz.
Designate each corner of the classroom as either A, B, C, or D.
As you ask students questions and provide four answer choices (done orally or with a projector), students will place themselves in a corner that corresponds to their chosen answers.
Discuss the correct answer, and then proceed to the next question and answer choices.
The game continues like this for whatever amount of time you’d like.
Play Stinky Feet.
This is hands-down one of the most popular games for test prep. It’s a cooperative learning game that can be played using any topic or subject.
See all the details for how to play Stinky Feet.
Online Test Prep Games
If you’re looking for fun ways to review for a test that involves online learning, the next state test prep games are for you.
Review With Quizlet Live.
Quizlet Live is a fun collaborative learning game that helps students review important concepts and vocabulary.
What’s more, with Quizlet Live, flashcards can be transformed into a fun, competitive game that students race to complete first.
Play Kahoot.
With Kahoot, teachers create interactive games and quizzes that students can play on any device.
Utilize BrainPop Games.
Did you know that BrainPOP offers fun online games for students? These engaging games help students reinforce a variety of academic skills.
Final Thoughts
Games for test prep make preparing for tests, including standardized tests, more enjoyable and effective.
These review games aid information retention, boost confidence, and increase scores.
From classroom test prep activities to online games, there are endless options to choose from when it comes to test prep review games.
So when you find yourself struggling to get students excited about state testing, switch things up a bit by incorporating a few fun standardized test prep games that take learning to the next level.