It’s hot and sticky. The kids are tired. It’s nearly the end of the year. So what better than a summer class outside, in the cool shade, playing fun games and learning English. If you’ve got some outside space and you’re allowed to use it, taking your EFL ESL class outside is a fantastic idea. The kids will be more comfortable and relaxed and there are lots of ideas you can use to make this a slightly different but still very effective learning experience. So, get your sun screen and a hat, we’re off to the great outdoors in my Ultimate Guide to taking your EFL ESL class outside
Before taking your EFL ESL class outside, check with the school and the parents that you are allowed to do this.
- You might need to get signed permission from the parents before the lesson or authorization from the Head of your school.
- Make sure you have a clear plan of what you will be doing to show the parents and the school.
- Find out if you need to have extra helpers depending on the number of kids in the class, maybe a parent or another teacher.
- Have a plan for emergencies, you never know and it’s better to be prepared.
- Do any kids in the class have allergies or need medication? You’ll need to bring this with you.
- Do you have a basic first aid kit in case of bumps or scratches? I like to be prepared for the worst, just in case.
- Then you can relax and enjoy the lesson, knowing you have everything you need.
Choose a place to go
Ideally you need to find somewhere that is very near where you usually hold the class, five minutes walk maximum. If there is a park or a garden nearby, that would be perfect. I am lucky to have a small closed courtyard in front of the center where I work and this is perfect. Make sure it is somewhere safe where smaller kids can’t get lost from the group and where there are no cars, water or other dangers to worry about. Find somewhere with shade. You don’t want to be running around under the blazing sun and just exhausting everybody. Find somewhere that you can see exactly where everyone is at all times.
What do you need to take?
- sun screen
- sun hats
- first aid kit and any allergy medication needed
- water
- telephone
- name tags for kids with your contact information if it’s a big class
- rugs or blankets to sit on
- contact information for school and parents
- equipment for your lesson
Prepare a complete lesson plan
Although it would be nice to go and doze under a tree in the shade, if you’re taking a class of kids outside, you’re going to have to do some preparation. Otherwise they’ll be bored, moaning and no one will have a good time. So you need to have a good idea of what you will be doing during the class. As you probably won’t have access to computers, videos and other technology, you need to create a list of games that will fill up the time and that are suitable for wherever you will have the class. Choose a few short activities that are a mixture of more active and more relaxing games. If it’s very hot, you won’t want to be running around for an hour. Make sure you allow for time to get to and from your chosen location too.
Ideas for games for the outdoors EFL class
This is a collection of games that I have used in classes outside so I know they are fun and that you’ll be able to do them. Otherwise take a look at some of my lesson plans and see what you could adapt. My Beach Activities lesson plan would be perfect to do outside on a hot, sunny day.
Scavenger Hunt
This is such good fun to do with kids and it is so adaptable. You can make it as easy or as difficult as you want. Kids can do it in teams, with a partner or on their own.
For little kids, give them a list of 4 or 5 objects they need to see or find. You could choose: something blue, three stones, something round, four birds. It’s really up to you to find something that works well with what you are studying in class at the moment. If they can collect them in a small bag, that’s great. I personally don’t like to encourage flower picking or taking things away from their homes so I ask my kids to draw what they find.
For older kids, you can really go crazy. Ask them to find something heart shaped, something that makes a noise, 5 different types of insects etc. They can either draw them or if they’re allowed phones, they could take a photo.
Once everyone has found everything or you’ve finished the time allowed, gather everyone together in a shady spot. Then ask them to show and describe what they found and put them in groups to ask questions about their finds. What color is it? How many are there? How big is it? Adapt these to the age and levels of your group. If you’ve still got time, the kids can then make a list with drawings of everything they found.
Are you hungry Mr. Wolf?
I love playing this game with little children and it would be great if you’re talking about food or having a picnic while you’re outside. It’s based on the game What’s the Time Mr. Wolf? but instead of asking the time, the kids ask if Mr. Wolf is hungry. He has to reply with what he wants to eat. For example, “I want 3 apples” or “I want 5 ice creams”. Then the kids move forward that number of steps until they get close to him. When Mr. Wolf thinks they’re close enough, they ask the same question but he replies, “It’s dinnertime!” and chases them until he catches another child who becomes Mr. Wolf.
Treasure Hunt
You’ll need to do some preparation in advance for this but it is a fantastic activity to practice directions. Hide the treasure somewhere before the lesson and prepare a map showing where it is hidden. Before you start looking for the treasure, teach the different directions: forward, backward, turn left, turn right and so on. Then you can start the treasure hunt. Gradually read each step on the map together and ask the kids to tell you which way you need to go. Do this until you find the treasure. Once you’ve done it once, you could put them into groups and let them create their own treasure map for the rest of the class to hunt for treasure.
I spy
This game is so much more fun outside than playing it in a classroom. You could choose a theme to look for: birds, or insects, or objects that are green. Or just play the usual way and use it as alphabet practice.
Cricket / Rounders / Baseball
Take advantage of being outside and having more space and teach your class a traditional sport from an English speaking country. You could choose any sport that you think would work with the number of children in your class and the equipment you can get hold of. Simplify it as much as possible and make sure that the kids are speaking English and learning as they play. Teach the names of the equipment first and talk about the rules. This would be a good way to learn imperatives and how to use must, must not, can and can’t. Don’t worry about playing a whole match. Just use it as an introduction to the sport.
Storytelling
How nice to sit under a shady tree on a hot day and tell stories! You could use a book that you’ve brought with you and read the story to the kids or make up a story. After you’ve told it, put them in groups and ask them to retell the story and act it out for the others. Otherwise, you could all invent a story together. Each child can add a simple sentence to build up the story and then you can perform it together.
Have a picnic
Ask everyone to bring something to eat and have a class picnic. As always, check for allergies with parents first. This is a fun way to talk about food. You can ask questions about colors, tastes, sizes, likes and dislikes. Describe the food without naming it and make the children guess what it is. Then let them take turns to do the same. Try and bring some traditional food from English speaking countries that they may not have seen or tasted before. You could have a traditional English tea party and base your lesson on Alice in Wonderland activities. Afterwards, everyone can eat together and then tidy up.
Make sure you clear up and leave everything tidy
Before you go back to school, make sure everything is clean and that you’ve picked up any litter. Ask the kids to look around to be sure not to have left any personal belongings behind. Have a last check that you’ve got everything and everyone and then you can head back to school, hopefully relaxed and tired after so much fun.
Taking your EFL ESL class outside is such a great way to do a lesson in the summer time. If you can mange to get it authorized and organized, I would really recommend it. Just make sure you are well prepared and ready for anything that might happen or go wrong. If you’ve got any other ideas about how to organize classes outside, I would love to hear them so please leave a comment below. If you’d like to be kept up to date on my new lesson plans and teaching ideas, you can follow the GoogooEnglish Facebook page. Alternatively, sign up for email updates using the form below.