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Students are grouped and given a list of items or vocabulary words they have to find around the school.

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Motivation is one of the most important factors in language learning. Children who are enthusiastic about learning English are more likely to work hard.

The most powerful type of motivation is when children enjoy learning and the learning experience is fun and interesting.

Any language 'work' you do at home that is fun, varied, attention-grabbing or creative will help your child prepare for their exams and develop their English language skills in a natural, stress-free way.

Outdoor learning activities

Watch your children playing. What do they enjoy doing?

Reading stories

Physical play and sports

Drawing pictures

Going on treasure hunts

Using their imagination

Playing games

Collecting shells, flowers, leaves.

Try doing these types of activities in English and make a note of what your child responds to best.
Learning tips
Writing activities:

Ask your child to collect some items that interest them. For example, a shell, a flower or a pebble. Ask them to create their own exhibition and to write a caption for each item.

Ask your child to shoot a short, silent video. For example, my favourite places, or my favourite things to do outdoors. Ask your child to write 10-20 English words to describe their video. If they feel confident, they could then record a voiceover to their video, using the words from their list.

Outdoor adventures can be a great inspiration for creative writing. Ask your child to take some photos of things that interest them. Then ask them to use one or more of the pictures to write a short story.

Ask your child to write and illustrate a one-week 'weather diary' or 'outdoor activities diary'.

Reading activities:

Give your child a list of things to find. For example, a tree, a bird, a petal, something 'yellow', something 'old', something that starts with every letter of the alphabet (A-Z). Ask them to take a photograph of each item. This is a great game to play on a walk.

Ask your child to research an outdoor food recipe - something that could be cooked on a barbeque/campfire, or something that could be prepared for a picnic.

Your child might like to create their own outdoor reading den. Encourage your child to read storybooks outside, particularly books about outdoor adventures and nature.

Speaking and listening activities

Decide on an obstacle course, with objects that have to be avoided (for example, trees, bushes, footballs). One family member will walk through the obstacle course while blindfolded. Another family member will guide them using English words (e.g. left, right, stop, take one step back).

Play guessing games such as I spy something that starts with the letter ... and 20 questions (ask your child to think of something, then ask up to 20 questions to guess what it is).

Try playing the game Simon says. Give your child an instruction. For example, 'Simon says jump', 'Simon says touch your toes', 'Simon says pretend to be a duck'. If the sentence starts with 'Simon says' your child should act out the instruction. If the sentence doesn't start with 'Simon says' your child should ignore the instruction and stay completely still.

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how do i keep my child motivated to learn english

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what can i do to help my child learn english

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Motivation is one of the most important factors in language learning. Children who are enthusiastic about learning English are more likely to work hard. The most powerful type of motivation is when children enjoy learning and the learning experience is fun and interesting.

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Taking students on a walk around the school, inside buildings and outside, ask students to think of where they would hide a valuable item of theirs. Remind students not to tell anyone their hiding spot. Students then go back to class and make a map of the school and draw a starting point on the map. Then they write directions on the back of the map on how to get to their hidden object.

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Students can lay down outside and make shapes with the clouds for 10 - 15 minutes. Children are then asked to tell a story using what items/animals etc they could see.

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Asking students to collect flat rocks from outside. Children then draw one picture on the rock. (E.g. a person, a place, an item). Students then form groups and write a short story using only the stones they have.

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Homemade story stones are a great addition to any playroom or classroom. They're great as story-telling prompts and for narrative play. They're so fun and easy to make, and your kids will get years of enjoyment out of them.

When I first learned about story stones, I knew right away that I needed to make some homemade story stones of my own because A) the crafter in me loves making homemade toys, and B) the hooligans LOVE playing with stones. We have quite a large collection of stones and rocks of all sizes here at my home daycare. You can see how we play with our some of our stones here.

Recently, I made a this large set of story stones for my daycare. Story stones would also be great in a classroom or a preschool or even for fun and learning at home.

I had such a fun time making them, and the hooligans are enjoying them in all kinds of ways.

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Let me tell you what story stones are, how you can use them in a playful and educational way, and how easy they are to make.

What ARE story stones?

Story stones are simply smooth, flat stones that you can find at the beach or even at a craft store. Each stone has a picture of a character or animal or object on it. You can make a story stone by painting a picture on it, you can use stickers, you can draw on your stone with a permanent marker, or like us, you can use magazine cutouts or fabric scraps to make your story stones. **More about how I made ours in a bit.

How do you use story stones for play?

Story stones can be used in many ways:

You can use them as story-telling aides: the children choose a stone from the basket, and start a story based on the picture on the stone that they've chosen. Another stone is drawn from the basket, and the story continues, incorporating this next picture into it. One child can be telling this story, or you can pass the basket around at circle time, so that each child draws a stone, and adds another sentence to the story.

Story stones can be used for creative play: The hooligans often use the story stones at whatever centre they're playing at. Our story stones are often used as:

characters in the dollhouse

animals at our farm cemter

in conjunction with our building blocks

as food in the play kitchen

Sorting and grouping activities: The hooligans love to sort our story stones. The kids will pile up all of the people stones, and then they'll find the animals, and the food stones. The holiday stones go into another pile, and so on. These sorting and organizing activities help with early math skills.

The kids will also line the stones up in a long row. They can be used to make a large circle or square on the floor.

There's no right or wrong way to play with the stones. They're open-ended, and they foster creative and critical thinking. We LOVE them.

Now that you now WHAT story stones are, and how to play with them, let's move on to making them!

As I said earlier, there are a number of ways to make story stones, but this is how I made ours.

How to Make Story Stones:

First I raided my fabric stash for cottons and flannels that had animal prints on them. I cut out a few animal shapes, and then i moved on to a stack of magazines and old craft books that I'd picked up at a second hand shop a few years back. The craft books were fabulous.

The books were intended for a stained glass-painting type of craft. Of course, being in a second hand shop, the paints didn't come with them. I just thought the pictures might come in handy one day, so I bought them, and tucked them away for a rainy day.

The pages were heavier in weight than a regular magazine, and the colours were vibrant. The pictures in the book were just perfect for my project. Hello, rainy day!

To make your story stones, put a puddle of Mod Podge on a stone, and then place the cut-out in the puddle, and use your fingers to smooth out any air bubbles.

With a sponge brush, smooth and dab a little modge-podge over the cut-out, pressing around the edges with your fingers, to get a good seal between the paper and the stone.

If you're unfamiliar with Mod Podge, oh my... you need to get some. It's like liquid gold for crafters. You can use it in SO. MANY. WAYS. Most commonly, it's used for decoupage.

If you're unfamiliar with the technique, you can find out what decoupage is here.

Check out this amazing round up of Mod Podge crafts for kids over at, where else... Mod Podge Rocks.

The quilt fabric was the easiest to work with because the material was thin and flimsy, and molded to the rock easily. The magazine pictures worked well too, because of their thinness.

The craft book cut-outs were quite a bit thicker (similar to glossy card-stock), and required more pressing and smoothing, but they turned out great!

If you don't want to go to the trouble of using mod podge to make your story stones, you could simply apply assorted stickers to your stones, and then give them a coat of varnish for protection.

Whether you're using mod podge or craft varnish, be sure to let your stones dry thoroughly before tossing them all into a basket for storing. If they're not completely dry, they could stick together.

I let mine dry for a couple of days until they no longer felt tacky.

Story stones provide a super opportunity for imaginative play, and there's some great sensory stuff going on too: the colours are vibrant, they're cool to the touch, and for me there's something soothing about the sound of stones clacking together as you play with them.

Aren't they cute?

I'm so pleased with the way they turned out.

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Cut out pictures from books, magazines and leftover fabric to make these awesome story-telling aids!

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Ok, I have a WONDERFUL little project to share with you today, and if you're a creative teacher or caregiver or parent, you will love it. I made these story stones for my daycare, using stones collected from the beach, and cut-outs from magazines and fabric swatches.

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To give children a more kinaesthetic experience, teachers can get them to role-play books that are based outdoors, like 'We're Going On A Bear Hunt' by Michael Rosen. Together the class can 'wade through grass' and pretend to 'splash through the river'.

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This video encompasses how outdoor learning environment is utilised from early childhood all through tohigh school.

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Outdoor Learning at Seattle Waldorf School

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by Susan Verner 100,185 views

Finally the grass is growing and flowers are starting to bloom. The only problem with the spring bloom is being stuck inside a classroom. When the fresh air and sunshine beckon, I'm glad to take my ESL students outside because I know we can still be productive when we are free of walls. Yes, it is possible to learn language while having fun outside. If you want to try and get some language work done with your ESL class, here are some simple activities you can do in the great outdoors without feeling guilty.

Have Fun in the Sun and Teach English

1. Free Reading Time

If you give your students time during class to read or if you will be giving a reading assignment any time soon, why not take your books outside? Students will love finding a cozy nook where they can listen to the birds, take in the sunshine or shade, and still devour the words on the page. Don't feel like your students can only read independently, though. Group reading activities like jigsaws are also great things to take outside when you are feeling classroom crazy.

2. Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts are lots of fun, and I often use them in my ESL classes. You can easily do an outdoor scavenger hunt that emphasizes new vocabulary for your students. One option is to give them a list of items you want them to find: stick, stone, leaf, grass, etc. For a greater challenge, do an alphabet scavenger hunt. Challenge your students to find items that begin with every letter of the alphabet. You can set out one page with one each of the 26 letters written on it. Set students free, and have them put their found objects on the appropriate page. Though you may have trouble getting something for every letter, this will be a great activity for introducing new vocabulary, and a hands on way to do it to boot.

Just because you leave the confines of your classroom doesn't mean you have to leave language learning behind. These are just some of the activities you can do with your ESL students while soaking up the sun and fresh air. If you try these activities, you may even get more than you bargained for. In addition to getting some time outside in the dawning spring and summer, you may find that your students are more focused and attentive when you return to class. Some of my most memorable classes from my student days were those spend outside. Make your class one to remember for your students as well.

Do you ever take your ESL students outside?

What do you like to do with them if you do?

P.S. If you enjoyed this article, please help spread it by clicking one of those sharing buttons below. And if you are interested in more, you should follow our Facebook page where we share more about creative, non-boring ways to teach English.

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7 Great Outdoor Activities for Your ESL Students: How To Have Fun In The Sun And Teach English

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by Susan Verner 100,185 views Finally the grass is growing and flowers are starting to bloom. The only problem with the spring bloom is being stuck inside a classroom. When the fresh air and sunshine beckon, I'm glad to take my ESL students outside because I know we can still be productive when we are free of walls.

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Take students on a walk around school grounds and have them touch different natural items. They then use adjectives to describe how things feel.

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This video also correlates with the video in our weekly viewings.

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Learning through play! Forest school nurseries teach children in the great outdoors

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Do you really want to be stuck in your classroom when the first signs of spring are calling from the other side of the window?

Not me.

I'll use every excuse in the book to get my students and myself outside.

What keeps me from feeling guilty is that going outside doesn't have to be a waste of time when it comes to language learning.

In fact, being in the new surroundings opens up really unique, memorable ways to teach English in the great outdoors.

Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy the freshness of spring and develop my students' language skills at the same time.

1. Spring Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt

Every new season is a good reason to teach some new vocabulary, and spring is no exception. Give your students a list of some spring vocabulary and then get them outside to experience it.

Have students look for items on their list as they walk your school grounds or explore a local park. Encourage students to be creative in identifying the items on their list. For example, they might take a picture of a classmate with wild hair to illustrate the word "breezy."

When possible, have students bring items on the list back to you and create a spring vocabulary collection for your class.

When you're done exploring, bring around ten of your items back into the classroom and play a game of "What's Missing?" Put at least five items on a tray and let your students study it for a minute. Then cover the tray and remove one item. Uncover the tray and see who can tell you what's missing.

The more items you put on the tray, the tougher the game will be. You can also move or change an item instead of removing it.

2. Take an "I Spy" Walk

I Spy is a great game to have on hand for your ESL classroom, but this amped up version takes advantage of the fresh outdoors.

Take your students outside for a short walk. As they walk, encourage them to notice different signs of spring around them. They do not need to talk about these signs, just observe as many as they can.

When you return to your classroom, have each student choose one sign of spring they noted outside and write three clues about it without naming the object. For example, they might say the following:
It was in a tree. It was partially red. It was making noise.
Collect the papers and number them, and then arrange them along the walls of your room.

Have students go around reading the clues their classmates wrote. For each numbered paper, students should make a guess as to what sign of spring the writer was describing. For the above example, they might guess a robin.

Once everyone has read all of the clues and made their guesses, come back together as a class. Have each person read their clues and then tell the class what item they were describing.

3. Free Writing Time

On some days, nothing is more inspiring to me than the beautiful outdoors. I actually have my desk situated so I can look out the window as I write.

Give your students the same kind of inspiration by taking them outside for some free writing time.

Invite your students to cop a squat under a tree or on a rock (you might want to bring some cardboard with you to keep bottoms dry and mud free) and write.

You might ask student to describe what they see or write a letter to a friend or family member describing the changing season. Or you might give them a nature-themed writing prompt.

Whatever they write, it will be imbibed with the freshness of spring and the beauty of nature that surrounds them. Likely, it will also be one of your most memorable class periods of the entire year.

4. Read in the Fresh Air

Sometimes all you need to make class special is get out of your classroom. Luckily, books are some of the most portable classroom materials there are.

Take your class outside and read to them from a favorite read-aloud book. Or let them make their own selections from your classroom library.

Then sit outside and let the sun shine on your faces as you melt into the world between the pages of your book.

5. Learn About the World

Spring is a time of new growth and discovery. You can take your students outside to explore and use that exploration as a starting point for research in class.

Try downloading the app Leafsnap and then identifying the leaves you find outside. All you have to do is take a picture of the leaf and the app will tell you what kind of plant it comes from.

If you prefer to go old-school, bring out a nature guidebook and have students try to identify plants and animals on their own.

When you return to class, have students do a little research on one of the plants or animals they discovered outside. Then let each person share what they learned with the class either in a discussion or a short presentation.

6. Play Outdoor Games

There are plenty of games that give your students practice with vocabulary while they move their bodies. Some of the classics are Simon Says, Mother May I and Red Light Green Light.

You might also want to play a game of vocabulary tag. Designate a category such as animals, movies or colors. Then play as you would regular tag, but when you're about to be tagged, you can go down on one knee and shout an item that falls into the category.

For example, if I were about to be tagged, I would fall to one knee and shout "Elephant!" if we were playing animal tag. I would then be safe and the person who was "it" would have to try and tag another player instead.

You might also play Fire in the Forest, which gives students a chance to practice animal names and body parts. Players stand on one end of the playing area with one person in the middle of the field. The players on the end each choose an animal to be.

The player in the middle then announces who will have to run to the other side by saying something like, "If you have fur, run." Those players whose animals have fur must run to the other side of the playing field while the person in the middle tries to catch them.

If a player gets caught, he stands where he was tagged and becomes a "tree on fire." He can then try to catch other players as they run across the field of play turning them into trees on fire. When only one person is left standing, that person gets to start in the middle for the next round.

7. Grammar Kickball

If you want to practice the grammar you're learning in class, try playing kickball.

Before you go outside, brainstorm a list of questions using a target grammatical structure you're studying. Then go outside and set up a game of kickball.

On a player's turn, the pitcher "pitches" one of the grammar questions to the kicker. If the kicker answers correctly, then the pitcher pitches the ball and play continues as normal. If the kicker answers the question incorrectly, they are automatically out. You may want to allow players to consult with their team before giving an answer.

Play according to the normal rules of kickball and review grammar while you play.

8. Map It

Another way to get your students outside is to take them for a short walk or hike or let students choose their own route with a partner.

After the walk, come back to class and have each person work with a partner to map the route you took on your walk. They should also include on the map any landmarks or interesting sights they saw along the way.

If you like, display your maps on an empty bulletin board in class.

9. Treasure Map

If you want to practice reading comprehension while you're getting some fresh air, try sending your students on a treasure hunt.

Make four or five sets of directions to different locations on your school grounds. Then give one set of directions to each student and ask them to follow your instructions to the treasure.

Have each person tell you what they found at the end of their treasure hunt, or plant some small prizes for them to find when they correctly complete your directions. If they found the right place, you'll know they understood what they read.

10. Natural Similes

Are you as strong as the wind? Is the future as bright as the sun? Is your mind as squishy as a muddy field?

Even if your answers are no, I'll bet you have some vivid pictures in your mind. That's the power of simile-comparing one item with another item to create a mind picture. And nature is rife with items ready to be put in a simile.

Take your class outside and observe some of the natural elements. You'll want students to note the different items they see, as well as an adjective to describe each one. Let students take notes.

Then come back inside and review what similes are and how to write them.

Once your students are comfortable with the concept of similes, have them write some of their own using the natural elements they observed as part of the comparison. Let students share their best ideas with the class. If you like, have students use one of their original similes in a descriptive paragraph.

Sometimes the best lessons are the ones you do outside. Get out from under your roof this spring with some fun and fabulous language activities that take you and your class outdoors to enjoy all that spring has to offer.

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Here Are 10 Reasons You Should Say "Yes!" When Your ESL Students Beg to Go Outside This Spring

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Do you really want to be stuck in your classroom when the first signs of spring are calling from the other side of the window?Not me.I'll use every excuse in the book to get my students and myself outside.What keeps me from feeling guilty is that going outside doesn't have to be a waste