Parent guide · Sprouts, ages 7–10
Which English speaking games can my 7 to 10 year old play at home?
The most useful English speaking games for 7 to 10 year olds make children talk in full sentences and give reasons: 20 questions, would you rather, describe and draw, story chain, just a minute and role-play shop. Play one game for five to ten minutes a day, join in yourself, and praise the effort to speak rather than correcting every mistake.
Key takeaways
- Pick games that need full sentences and reasons, not one-word answers.
- Play along: children copy your sentences.
- Five to ten minutes a day adds up.
- Praise speaking; correct by repeating the sentence well.
- Rotate games so they stay fresh.
Why do speaking games help?
Children learn to speak by speaking: finding words quickly and putting them in sentences out loud. Approaches built on spoken language and conversation are well supported by research: the Education Endowment Foundation reports about six months’ extra progress on average for oral language interventions.1 Games make that practice fun and regular.
Which games work for 7 to 10 year olds?
- 20 questions: think of an animal or object; others ask yes-or-no questions to guess it.
- Would you rather: “Would you rather fly or be invisible? Why?” Always ask for the reason.
- Describe and draw: one person describes a simple picture, the other draws it.
- Story chain: each person adds one sentence to a silly story.
- Just a minute: talk for one minute on a topic, like “my favourite food”, without stopping.
- Role-play shop: buy and sell toys with polite phrases and prices.
- Guess who I am: describe a family member or cartoon character; others guess.
- Hot seat: your child pretends to be a story character and answers questions.
How can I make games harder as my child improves?
- Ask for two reasons instead of one.
- Add a word they must use, such as “because” or “however”.
- Extend Just a minute to two minutes.
- Record a game and listen back together.
What should I do when my child makes mistakes?
Keep the game going. Respond to what they said and repeat it correctly: if your child says “He goed to the shop”, say “Oh, he went to the shop? What did he buy?” This keeps the fun and lets them hear the right form.
How do Little Lingos classes help?
Every 40-minute class in Sprouts starts with a warm-up game, and every child speaks many times through pair talk, role-play and show-and-tell. See our spoken English classes.
Keep reading: clear English pronunciation, improving listening skills and riddles in English.
Questions parents ask
Questions parents ask
How long should we play English speaking games each day?
Five to ten minutes is enough. Short, regular games build more speaking than a long session once a week.
What if my child answers in our home language?
Repeat the answer in English and carry on. Over time, encourage them to try the English sentence with your help.
Which game is easiest to start with?
Would you rather is easy to start and always gets children talking, especially if you ask “why?” after each answer.
Can siblings of different ages play together?
Yes. Let the younger child give short answers and the older one give reasons, so both are challenged.
Do online games help with speaking?
Most online games involve tapping, not talking. Games where your child speaks with a person build speaking skills much more.
Sources
- Education Endowment Foundation. “Oral language interventions.” Teaching and Learning Toolkit. educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk.
Sources checked 3 November 2026. This guide is general information for parents, not medical, psychological or speech-therapy advice.
See your child speak in a demo class
Book a 30-minute demo class. Your child meets a trainer, plays a few word games, and you get a written level report the same day.
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