Warmer and Filler activities

1. Two truths and one lie

Students write three general sentences about themselves, their families,
past experiences, things that they like etc. Two of these sentences must
be the truth. One of these sentences must be a lie. Students take it in
turns to read their sentences to the rest of the class. The rest of the class
can ask them questions to try and guess which sentence is the lie. The
aim of the game is to try and fool the other students into guessing the
wrong sentence!
2. The post-it note picture game.
This is a mingle warmer activity. Students are each given a post-it note or
label. They are instructed to draw a small picture of something important
to them e.g. If they like music or playing an instrument they might draw a
picture of their favourite musical instrument, if they like sport they might
draw a football for example. Give the students a few minutes to do this
then instruct them to talk to the other students in the class to find out why
they have drawn their pictures and ask for some more information. After a
sufficient period of time has passed for most of the students to have
talked to each other draw the class back together and ask random
students what they have found out about another member of the class.
3. The ball circle
This works surprisingly well with all levels and age groups! Instruct the
students to stand in a circle. You will need a ball or soft item that the
students can throw to each other. (depending on the class you might have
to warn them about throwing it gently! ) instruct the students that they
must ask a question then throw the ball to another member of the class.
The person who catches the ball must answer the question. They then
repeat the process to other members of the class. This activity can be
adapted for many different topics e.g grammar questions (for example
past simple questions, future plans) or items of lexis where each person
has to say a different word before the ball can be passed on (e.g. items of
furniture, sports etc.)
4. Find somebody who
An oldie but a classic! This is very easily adaptable to many different
topics, ages and abilities depending on the questions asked! The students
are given a hand-out with different categories on and the aim of the
activity is to mingle with other members of the class to try and find
another student who shares the same experience of them. For example, a
category might be Find somebody who supports the same football team as
you. The student must ask members of the class which football team to
support in order to find someone who supports the same team. Once they

Warmer and Filler activities

have done this, they write their name in the box then move onto the next
question. Each student can ask another student multiple questions until
they find something in common but they can only use the name of each
other student once to complete their hand lists (you can alter this
depending on class size) The topics can be changed to suit your needs.
5. The word association game
This is a class round robin style game. Start with a random word, then go
around the class with each student giving a different word that is in some
way connected to the previous one The aim is not to repeat the same
words! For example is someone says pen, then the next words could be
paper, pencil etc.

6. I went to the shop and I bought

This is a fun game to play with all levels and a nice way to revise
vocabulary in particular! The opening sentence can be changed to suit
your needs. The one above for example is a nice one to practise food or
clothing vocabulary for example. It works best if the teacher startsfor
example I went to the shop and I bought some bread. The teacher then
passes it onto a random student who must repeat the teachers sentence
and add one of their ownfor example I went to the shop and I bought
some bread and some milk. The sentence then passes to another student
who must repeat all the previous items and then add one of their own. The
sentence continues around the class getting progressively more difficult as
more and more items are limited. If a student forgets an Item the game is
over! You can go around the class 2/3 times for smaller groups.

7. Positives and Negatives

Divide the class into two groups. Give them a topic (e.g. Facebook, TV,
weapons, dentists, homework). One group says something positive about
the topic, the other group says something negative, then again something
positive, something negative, etc.

8. Questions and Answers.

Each student gets two blank cards. On one card they write any question.
On the other they write two words (they can be absolutely any words but
they should not be connected). Then all the question cards are mixed and
all the word cards are mixed. Each student gets a question and a card with
words. They read their question and ask any student in this class this
question. The chosen student has to answer using the two words from
their word card. For example, What sports do you like? The words on the

Warmer and Filler activities

card are hot and tired. The answer can be: It depends on the
temperature. When its hot, I like swimming. But when its cold, I get tired
easily so I prefer jogging.

9. What can you do with?

Students write any noun on their blank cards. Then the cards are mixed
and the students are divided into two groups. The teacher says What can
you do with a phone? (Phone is a word from one of the cards). Each
team in turn gives a verb. For example, call someone, buy a phone, sell a
phone, send text messages, etc.
10.

Noughts and crosses

This game can be adapted in many, many ways! Divide the class into two
teams and draw a noughts and crosses grid on the board. To get their
nought or cross into a square the teams must answer a question, give an
item of vocabulary, complete a sentence etc.
11.20 Questions
One person thinks of an object (person, place, or thing). Everyone takes
turns asking yes/no questions until someone can guess correctly (or until
20 questions are asked). The difficult part is that you cannot ask "wh"
questions!
Example: PINEAPPLE. Does it talk? No. Does it make life easier? No. Do you
eat it? Yes. Is it something you would eat for dinner? No. Etc...
If someone makes a mistake in forming the question, other club members
can help turn it into a proper question.
12.

Words from Words

Students are given a long word or phrase and they have to work together
or individually to make as many other words from this word or phrase as
possible. For example if you give them the word hippopotamus they might
guess pot, most, pit etc.
13.

Questions and Answers

Each student gets two blank cards. On one card they write any question.
On the other they write two words (they can be absolutely any words but
they should not be connected). Then all the question cards are mixed and
all the word cards are mixed. Each student gets a question and a card with
words. They read their question and ask any student in this class this
question. The chosen student has to answer using the two words from
their word card. For example, What sports do you like? The words on the
card are hot and tired. The answer can be: It depends on the
temperature. When its hot, I like swimming. But when its cold, I get tired
easily so I prefer jogging.

Warmer and Filler activities

14.

Wink Murder

Students sit in a circle. One student the police man stands in the centre
of the circle. He looks around the circle. Pre decide that one of the
students is the murderer; this student winks at other students when the
policeman isnt looking. If you are winked at you dramatically die. The
policeman has to figure out who the murderer is.
15.Mafia
16.Duck, Duck Goose (kids)
17.Countdown
18.Seven letter sentences
19.Scattergories
20.Bluff words

Websites you might like to look at

http://www.developingteachers.com/newsletterplans/News_warmers_nov1
999.htm
http://www.onestopenglish.com/teenagers/skills/warmers/
http://www.eslbase.com/articles/warmers
http://www.matefl.org/_mgxroot/page_10737.html
http://www.matefl.org/_mgxroot/page_10687.html
http://www.tesoltips.org/warmers.html
http://www.englishclub.com/teach-english/teacher-warmups.htm
http://tmcdonaldesl.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/warmers-fillers-andactivities/