{"id":15154,"date":"2026-02-24T15:13:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T22:13:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/?p=15154"},"modified":"2026-02-24T15:18:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T22:18:27","slug":"esl-warm-up-activities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/","title":{"rendered":"12 ESL Warm-Up Activities for English Classes at Every Age"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div>\n<p>Do you usually start your ESL lessons by diving right into grammar drills, textbooks, and new vocabulary? Or do you use ESL warm-up activities at the beginning of each class? Warm-up activities for English lessons are an important teaching tool and often make or break a lesson. With that in mind, we will give you some easy warm-ups you can incorporate into your virtual or physical classroom!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>If you\u2019re new to teaching, you\u2019ll want to get initial training and qualification with a <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TEFL certificate<\/a>. You can explore our <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/online-tefl-certification\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">online TEFL courses<\/a> to get started!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ub-table-of-contents-block ub_table-of-contents\" id=\"ub_table-of-contents-afef3098-20d4-4d5e-9c12-950deeac4a6d\" data-linktodivider=\"false\" data-showtext=\"show\" data-hidetext=\"hide\" data-scrolltype=\"auto\" data-enablesmoothscroll=\"false\" data-initiallyhideonmobile=\"false\" data-initiallyshow=\"true\"><div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-header-container\" style=\"\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-header\" style=\"text-align: left; \">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-title\">Table of Contents<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-extra-container\" style=\"\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-container ub_table-of-contents-1-column \">\n\t\t\t\t<ul style=\"\"><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#0-why-are-esl-warm-up-activities-important\" style=\"\">Why are ESL warm-up activities important?<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#4-what-makes-a-good-warm-up-activity\" style=\"\">What makes a good warm-up activity?<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#5-esl-warm-up-activities-for-kids\" style=\"\">ESL warm-up activities for kids<\/a><ul><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#6-1-strike-a-pose\" style=\"\">1. Strike a pose<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#7-2-charades\" style=\"\">2. Charades<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#8-3-question-time\" style=\"\">3. Question time<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#9-4-we-are-fun-fantastic-friends\" style=\"\">4. We are fun, fantastic friends!<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#10-5-all-about-me\" style=\"\">5. All about me<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#11-6-mystery-bag\" style=\"\">6. Mystery bag<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#12-esl-warm-up-activities-for-teens-and-adults\" style=\"\">ESL warm-up activities for teens and adults<\/a><ul><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#13-1-sentence-scramble\" style=\"\">1. Sentence scramble<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#14-2-storytelling\" style=\"\">2. Storytelling<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#15-3-speed-interview\" style=\"\">3. Speed interview<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#16-4-guide-me\" style=\"\">4. Guide me<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#17-5-art-appreciation\" style=\"\">5. Art appreciation<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-warm-up-activities\/#18-6-two-truths-and-a-lie\" style=\"\">6. Two truths and a lie<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"0-why-are-esl-warm-up-activities-important\">Why are ESL warm-up activities important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-they-get-students-into-learning-mode\">They get students into learning mode<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you start a language lesson, you should first get your students into the right mindset. This approach applies to all ages and levels. ESL warm-up activities for adults may differ a little from <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-games-activities-kids-young-learners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ESL games and activities for kids and teens<\/a>, but they carry the same importance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Until students are focused, they are not going to retain new information. Warm-ups provide a way to refocus students&#8217; attention. For example, warm-ups can help if your students are tired from school or work, are stressed or preoccupied with personal problems, or come to class either overly excited or tired.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"\"><div class=\"content-advertisements template2\"><div class=\"thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/ebooks\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" \"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/ebooks.png\" class=\"\"><\/a><\/div><div class=\"txt\"><h5>Discover the best ELT resources the industry has to offer <\/h5><h3>Free TEFL\/TESOL eBooks<\/h3><p><\/p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/ebooks\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"btn-ads\">Explore eBooks<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-they-can-provide-a-mental-break\">They can provide a mental break<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ESL warm-up games, activities and <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-icebreakers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">icebreakers<\/a> can also work in the middle of the lesson if your students need a break. If you notice that students are no longer paying attention, are bored or tired, or need a respite from difficult content, pull out a warm-up activity in the middle of class to get things back on track!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/last-minute-esl-lesson-plans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Need some last-minute help? Try these planning tips and free l\u00e7esson plans<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-they-are-engaging\">They are engaging<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Warm-ups are designed to grab students&#8217; attention and motivate them to participate. ESL warm-up activities for online classes are especially important because you need to keep your students engaged in front of their computer screens for quite some time. Throwing in some quick and easy <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-games-teaching-online\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ESL games for teaching online<\/a> every once in a while does just the trick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Warm-ups help students focus, reset, and participate from the start. You set the tone for the lesson when you use a quick activity that meets your learners where they are. You protect your lesson flow when you use warm-ups as tools rather than gimmicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Here&#8217;s an example of a teacher using the collaborative whiteboard function of an online teaching platform to engage students in a quick, fun activity:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"TEFL LIKE A PRO: Teaching English Online Using Collaborative Whiteboard\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jHowLRLgFSc?list=PLTw-iclTzXDoQpAXHWlLP78XbRoDP-l2U\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-what-makes-a-good-warm-up-activity\">What makes a good warm-up activity?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Effective warm-up activities for teaching English should be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list wcb-button cb-common plus-button\">\n<li>Considerate towards your students\u2019 emotional\/physical state when they enter the classroom (for example, if students are tired, use a warm-up with movement to energize them).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Simple to understand and execute.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Easy to carry out, i.e., require <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/no-prep-esl-activities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">little to no preparation<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Age- and level-appropriate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Time-efficient (does not take up too much time).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Interesting and appealing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leading towards the lesson content or target language.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Using mostly known vocabulary to increase students\u2019 participation and confidence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A good warm-up supports your lesson goal and respects your students\u2019 energy and attention. You keep learners confident when you use familiar language and clear instructions. You save time and reduce friction when you choose a task that starts fast and stays focused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/free-esl-lesson-plans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A holiday around the corner? Check these activities to bring culture and language awareness into the classroom.<\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter is-resized alignnone wp-image-1744\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/YeymyLondono_games.jpg\" alt=\"Using ESL Songs with Young Learners\" class=\"wp-image-1744\" style=\"width:550px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/YeymyLondono_games.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/YeymyLondono_games-980x735.jpg 980w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/YeymyLondono_games-480x360.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>A teacher incorporates a song in an ESL class with young learners.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-esl-warm-up-activities-for-kids\">ESL warm-up activities for kids<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are five original ESL warm-up activities for young learners that respect children\u2019s need to move their bodies frequently and express themselves creatively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/micro\/teaching-online-games-young-learners\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get more ideas with Bridge&#8217;s Games and Activities for the Online Classroom (Young Learners) Micro-credential course.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"6-1-strike-a-pose\">1. Strike a pose<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a simple ESL warm-up activity that includes a lot of movement. You can use it when your students enter the physical or virtual classroom for the first time. They won\u2019t know each other yet, so starting the lesson by introducing each other with their names is a good idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have your students stand in a circle so that they can see each other. Give them a minute to come up with a gesture or pose that represents them. Then, the first student steps forward and says, \u201cMy name is [insert name],\u201d accompanied by the gesture or pose that he or she came up with. Now, everybody repeats the student&#8217;s name and gesture. Next, student B steps forward and says his or her name with a gesture or pose. Now, everybody repeats student A\u2019s and student B\u2019s names and gestures. Next is student C. Continue until everybody has said their name, and all students can remember all of the names and gestures in one round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"7-2-charades\">2. Charades<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Students take turns acting out a word provided by you while their classmates try to guess what it is. This activity is a good opportunity to review vocabulary from a previous lesson or to try to introduce a new word. Young learners become really immersed in this activity, and they usually try very hard to act out the word&#8217;s meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span><a style=\"font-style: italic;\" href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/teach-esl-vocabulary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Need help teaching vocabulary? Boost your lessons with these essential tips.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"8-3-question-time\">3. Question time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Have all students stand up, and ask them a question \u2013 feel free to get creative. You could ask anything (How is the weather? What time is it? Which superhero wears the colors red and blue? What did I have for breakfast today? etc.). The student who raises his or her hand first gets a chance to answer. If the answer is wrong, the next student to raise their hand gets a chance. If the answer is right, that student gets to sit down. The goal is not to be the last student standing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter is-resized alignnone wp-image-9654\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"811\" height=\"567\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/juicy-mae-with-glasses.jpg\" alt=\"online English teacher plays a game with her student\" class=\"wp-image-9654\" style=\"width:550px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/juicy-mae-with-glasses.jpg 811w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/juicy-mae-with-glasses-480x336.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 811px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Teacher Juicy Mae plays a game with her ESL student online. <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/juicy-mae-from-the-philippines-teaching-online-with-multiple-companies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read her story here.<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"9-4-we-are-fun-fantastic-friends\">4. We are fun, fantastic friends!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a great team-building ESL warm-up activity that can be played in pairs or groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Depending on the class size, divide the students into pairs or groups. For online platforms that don&#8217;t allow breakout groups, students can work individually. Assign each group or person a letter (and maybe don&#8217;t use difficult letters such as X or Q). They now have to find two adjectives and a noun with that starting letter to describe themselves. When everybody is ready, each group introduces themselves in front of the class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Students usually come up with funny, original ideas that make everybody laugh. You will hear things like \u201cWe are amazing, active animals,\u201d \u201cWe are cool, cheerful classmates,\u201d or \u201cWe are beautiful, bouncy balloons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 1.1em; text-align: left; --ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px;; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%23000000&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); --ub-list-item-fa-li-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-spacing: 0px; \" class=\"wp-block-ub-styled-list ub_styled_list\" id=\"ub_styled_list-e38cd815-bb98-46b3-b43f-bb41554b9244\"><div class=\"ub-block-list__layout\" style=\"text-align: left; column-count: 1; --ub-list-mobile-column-count: 2; \">\n<li class=\"ub_styled_list_item\" style=\"--ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%230693e3&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); \" id=\"ub-styled-list-item-ce27a421-0961-40d7-a1fc-edfce42ff3f1\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_list_item_content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"0.9em\" height=\"0.9em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#0693e3\" d=\"M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_text\"><strong>Pro Tip<\/strong>: You can easily adjust the difficulty of this warm-up to the level of your students by changing the number of adjectives that they have to use.<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"wcb-button cb-common idea-button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/teaching-english-online-groups\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Want to teach English online to groups? Learn all you need to grow your online teaching.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"10-5-all-about-me\">5. All about me<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Break students into pairs and tell them that they have one minute to talk about themselves. They can choose what they want to discuss, such as something they like, where they live, their birthday, how old they are, their hobbies, and so on. When the time is up, their partner talks about themselves. After two minutes, switch the pairs and start over. Continue swapping partners each round until everyone has talked with every classmate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/teach-english-online-from-home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">teaching English online<\/a> and cannot split students into pairs, simply give each student one minute to address the whole class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kids learn better when you give them structure and movement from the start. You build classroom trust when you use warm-ups that feel playful but stay purposeful. You set up stronger lessons when you let these activities feed into your target language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"11-6-mystery-bag\">6. Mystery bag<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Have students bring a small item from home, or have you hold up a mystery object for the class. Ask students to describe it using simple prompts like \u201cIt is\u2026,\u201d \u201cIt can\u2026,\u201d and \u201cIt is used for\u2026,\u201d and then let them guess what it is. This warm-up gets students speaking quickly while keeping the focus on familiar vocabulary and clear, confidence-building structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can model one example first, so students understand the task and feel safe taking risks. You can keep the pace fast by limiting each student to one clue before the class guesses, and you can also recycle the target language by requiring one adjective and one function phrase in every description. You can run the same activity online by using your camera or a shared slide with a blurred image that you reveal after the guesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter is-resized alignnone wp-image-2668\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/RichardAllen_class-1.jpg\" alt=\"Teen ESL conversation activity\" class=\"wp-image-2668\" style=\"width:550px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/RichardAllen_class-1.jpg 900w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/RichardAllen_class-1-480x360.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 900px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em><span style=\"background-color: rgba(85, 85, 85, 0.2);\">Thai students performing an ESL speaking <\/span>activity.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"12-esl-warm-up-activities-for-teens-and-adults\">ESL warm-up activities for teens and adults<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned before, teenagers and adults have equal needs for fun warm-up activities as young learners. Here are some slightly more complex warm-ups that will engage your older students and prepare them for the lesson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/games-teaching-adults-english-online\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Teach English to adults online using games and fun activities with these teaching tips.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"13-1-sentence-scramble\">1. Sentence scramble<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For this activity, you can divide the students into small groups or pairs, or they can work on their own. Come up with a few sentences before class, and write the words of the sentences on your physical or virtual whiteboard in a random order. The first group or individual student to unscramble the words and read the sentence aloud correctly wins that round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you create the sentences, you can use motivating mottos, the target language of the day, or review a grammar point from a previous lesson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/how-to-teach-english-grammar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn how to teach English grammar with confidence \u2013 even if you&#8217;re terrible at it<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"14-2-storytelling\">2. Storytelling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a great ESL warm-up activity for English classes that encourage teamwork and practicing vocabulary and grammar. You can use it in the online classroom as long as you have a whiteboard behind you that is visible to the students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask each student to give you one word they know. This can be a noun, an adjective, a preposition, or anything they want to include in the story. Collect the words by writing them on the whiteboard. When you have all the words from your students written on the board, let them collaborate to tell a story with them. If they need help, you can ask questions like \u201cHow shall we start?\u201d \u201cWhich word shall we use first?\u201d or \u201cWhat comes next?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check off the words as the class tells the story, and make sure everyone gets a chance to contribute!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/storytelling-for-young-learners-in-esl-classroom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Learn about the power of storytelling in the ESL classroom.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"\"><div class=\"content-advertisements template3\"><div class=\"thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/ebooks-lesson-planning-resources\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" \"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ebook-The-English-Language-Teacher\u2229s-Guide-to-Lesson-Planning-Resources.png\" class=\"\"><\/a><\/div><div class=\"txt\"><h5>Find the materials that will benefit your students the most with the free<\/h5><h3>ESL Teacher\u2019s Guide to Lesson Planning Resources<\/h3><p><\/p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/ebooks-lesson-planning-resources\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"btn-ads\">download<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"15-3-speed-interview\">3. Speed interview<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This activity revolves around improving fluency and asking questions. Students will have a chance to learn about each other and to use English freely. This is a good activity for intermediate to advanced learners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Write a topic on the board or tell your students the topic of the day. This can be as simple as \u201cFood\u201d or more complex, such as \u201cYour favorite memory.\u201d Put students into pairs and have them interview their partner by creating questions related to the topic. They can ask as many questions as they can within one minute, and then their partner has one minute to ask them questions. After the time is up, put students into new pairs and repeat as time allows.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 1.1em; text-align: left; --ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px;; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%230693e3&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); --ub-list-item-fa-li-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-spacing: 0px; \" class=\"wp-block-ub-styled-list ub_styled_list\" id=\"ub_styled_list-3208a29c-34f3-4d33-8ac3-7e6285ec5c6a\"><div class=\"ub-block-list__layout\" style=\"text-align: left; column-count: 1; --ub-list-mobile-column-count: 2; \">\n<li class=\"ub_styled_list_item\" style=\"--ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%230693e3&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); \" id=\"ub-styled-list-item-7abc0528-c81a-4a80-9341-9a1c6814259f\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_list_item_content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"0.9em\" height=\"0.9em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#0693e3\" d=\"M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_text\"><strong>Pro Tip<\/strong>:\u00a0Instead of putting students into pairs, you can also let them take turns speaking to the whole class at once and asking their classmates the questions they created.<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter is-resized alignnone wp-image-8140\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"864\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Jhonny-doing-online-classes-before-the-quarantine-2.jpg\" alt=\"Jhonny, an online English teacher\" class=\"wp-image-8140\" style=\"width:550px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Jhonny-doing-online-classes-before-the-quarantine-2.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Jhonny-doing-online-classes-before-the-quarantine-2-980x827.jpg 980w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Jhonny-doing-online-classes-before-the-quarantine-2-480x405.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Teacher Jhonny teaching an online class to his adult student. <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/jhonny-shifting-english-classes-online-during-crisis\/\">Re<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/jhonny-shifting-english-classes-online-during-crisis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/jhonny-shifting-english-classes-online-during-crisis\/\">d his story here.<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"16-4-guide-me\">4. Guide me<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For this English warm-up activity, show students a map of a town and choose a starting point and a destination. Then, in pairs or as a whole class, have students provide directions to the destination to guide you on the map. You can use this primarily as a <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/tefl-speaking-activities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">speaking activity<\/a>, or have students write the directions down for extra writing practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternatively, you can give students maps (either digitally or physically), a starting point, and a set of directions they have to follow to reach their destination. Have students race to see who can follow the directions the fastest and figure out the secret destination first!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/micro\/teaching-online-games-adults\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">For more ideas, take Bridge&#8217;s Games and Activities for the Online Classroom (Adults) Micro-credential course. <\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"17-5-art-appreciation\">5. Art appreciation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Print out some inkblots or images of abstract paintings ahead of the lesson. Hold up one of the pictures and ask the class, \u201cWhat do you see in this picture?\u201d Give your students some time to think, then call on them or let them raise their hands. Let them express the impressions, feelings, or words they associate with the picture, without correcting them or interrupting them. It is very important that the students feel comfortable expressing their thoughts for this warm-up activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The results are very rewarding, and you can learn a lot about your students\u2019 personalities, which you can reflect on later to tailor your lessons to your students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"18-6-two-truths-and-a-lie\">6. Two truths and a lie<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Have each student write three short statements about themselves \u2013 two true and one false. Students read their statements aloud, and classmates ask follow-up questions before they vote on the lie. This warm-up builds fluency, question formation, and real interaction without putting students on the spot with high-stakes accuracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can give students a theme to keep it focused, such as travel, work, food, or \u201cthis week&#8221;, and even require one past tense sentence and one present perfect sentence if you want a light grammar review without turning it into a drill. Rotate who asks questions by assigning roles so quieter students still have a chance to participate. Finish by asking students to share which question helped them guess and why, so the class notices useful question types.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ESL warm-up activities, no matter which age, level, or group size, lead up to a fun, successful, meaningful lesson that your students will get more out of. Warm-up games for the English class give your students a chance to use the English they&#8217;ve learned so far, to review, and to experiment with new expressions \u2013 plus, they&#8217;re loads of fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Teachers do not need a perfect warm-up to teach a great lesson, but they do need a good start. Good ESL warm-up activities set the tone of the lesson and help students feel ready to participate. Teens and adults respond well when you give them a warm-up with a clear purpose and a low-stakes start. Tasks that prompt real talk and quick thinking build fluency and connection, making the rest of the lesson easier by beginning with language that learners can actually use and relate to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"19-want-more-confidence-and-ideas-for-teaching-english-online-check-bridges-120-hour-teaching-english-online-certification-and-get-ready-to-succeed-in-the-classroom-\"><em>Want more confidence and ideas for teaching English online? <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/specialized\/teaching-english-online#bundle-120\">Check Bridge&#8217;s 120-hour Teaching English Online Certification and get ready to succeed in the classroom.<\/a><\/em><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>These ESL warm-up activities for young learners, teens, and adults will get your students into a learning mindset and prepare them for their upcoming lesson. Use them when teaching English online or in person!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":41707,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,10],"tags":[615,649,628,302,617,350,354],"post-language":[685],"popular_posts":[],"class_list":["post-15154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-classroom-games-activities","category-pedagogy","tag-free-resources","tag-icebreakers-and-fillers","tag-resources","tag-teaching-adults","tag-teaching-groups","tag-teaching-teens","tag-teaching-young-learners","post-language-english"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/10-ESL-Warmers.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Johanna Kawasaki","author_link":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/author\/johanna-kawasaki\/"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15154"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15154\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41715,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15154\/revisions\/41715"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41707"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15154"},{"taxonomy":"post-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-language?post=15154"},{"taxonomy":"popular_posts","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/popular_posts?post=15154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}