English game for kids
Listen and Do: An English Instructions Game for Kids
Listen and Do turns English instructions into actions. The teacher says "Put the apple in the lunch box" or "Feed the rabbit", and your child moves the right thing to the right place on the screen. Because your child has to act on what they hear, everyone can see at once whether the instruction was understood, with no translation in between.
Published:
- Ages
- 4–9
- A round takes
- 2–3 min
- Played in
- From Preschool 1 up, with longer instructions at higher levels
How to play
- 1
The teacher opens a scene with things and places: a school bag, a lunch box, a farm with hungry animals.
- 2
The teacher gives one clear instruction in English, with a gesture if needed.
- 3
Your child drags the thing to where it belongs.
- 4
When the move is right, the teacher praises it and says the instruction again as a full sentence.
- 5
Then your child gives an instruction and the teacher (or Nia and Leo) follows it.
A sample round
This is how a round sounds in a live lesson.
TeacherLet's pack your bag! Put the pencil in the bag.
Child(drags the pencil) Pencil in the bag!
TeacherGreat! Now feed the rabbit. What does the rabbit eat?
Child(drags the carrot) A carrot!
What your child learns
- Understands everyday instructions: put, open, close, give, feed, find.
- Learns position words by doing them: in, on, under, next to.
- Sorts words into groups such as food, clothes and school things.
- Learns to listen to the end of a sentence before acting.
Best age
Listen and Do is ideal from 4 to about 9. Young children show what they understand with a single move before they are ready to speak much. At Level 1 and 2, instructions get longer ("Put the red cup next to the plate").
Play it at home
No screen needed: a few toys or a picture book are enough.
- Play a tidy-up game with real toys: "Put the teddy on the bed. Put the ball under the chair."
- Cook together and give simple instructions in English: "Give me the spoon, please."
- Let your child give you three instructions in a row, and make a few funny mistakes for them to correct.
Questions parents ask
Is this the same as TPR?
It comes from the same idea, Total Physical Response: children show understanding with movement first, and speaking follows.
What if my child does the wrong thing?
The teacher says the instruction again more slowly, points or gestures, and your child tries again. Mistakes are part of the game.
Play it in a live lesson
This game is part of every Flalingo kids game lesson. Your child plays it with a teacher on the same screen, using the words of their own unit.