By Kevin Fabris

November 19, 2016

5 - 10 Minutes, Baby, Easy ESL Games, easyeslgames.com, EFL, ESL, Fun, Games, Guessing Game, Materials Required, Small Class, Young Learner

This Super Simple contest entry comes from Debbie.   Debbie is a mother of two teens that works at a preschool in NSW.  Her game is called What's Under The Blanket? Debbie says her 3-4 year old preschool students love playing this game and that it's fun thinking up new things to place under the blanket.

The Details About What's Under The Blanket?:

  • This is a great game for learning names, favorite colours, really any topic works if you're creative about how you sent it up.
  • This game is great young learners between the ages of 4 - 7.

Materials Required:

  • A large enough area to make a circle on the floor.
  • A blanket or parachute.
  • I like using the Super Simple Song, Make A Circle as a lead in activity. To do this you'll need a way to play music.

Here's How To Play What's Under The Blanket?

  1. Have your students hold hands and make a circle.
  2. Turn on the song Make A Circle or sing it acapella.
  3. When the song finishes everyone should be sitting on the floor in a circle.
  4. Chose one student and have them leave the circle and turn around...NO PEAKING!
  5. Quietly chose another student and ask them to go into the middle of the circle.
  6. Cover that student with a blanket.
  7. Call the first student back to the circle and ask them.  "Who's Missing?"
  8. Sometimes students will guess right away and sometimes they'll need a little help.  Make sure that if you're helping your students you're making them use their English to figure it out.
  9. Once a student guesses correctly pick two new students and repeat the process.  Try to positive behaviour whenever possible.

This game can also be played with flashcards or realia in smaller classes which makes the number of ways you can adapt this game almost limitless.


If you want to use this game in baby classes make sure you are not putting any toddlers under a blanket.   There is a very good chance they won't like it.  Your class will probably end very poorly.  We very strongly recommend using toys in baby classes and just asking the kids to cover their eyes.

  • It’s an easy way to review a lot of vocabulary.
  • It’s fun.
  • It has almost no teacher talking time if you set it up correctly.

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