EFL Elementary Teachers: Extended Family Activities and Games for Elementary ESL EFL

Link To the resource: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Family-Activities-for-Elementary-ELL-1804475

Teach extended family vocabulary in a fun and meaningful way with this complete printable resource for elementary English language learners! This pack is filled with engaging games, worksheets, crafts, puzzles, speaking activities, and interactive tasks designed to help students practice family member vocabulary through hands-on learning. Students will sort, match, write, spin, ask questions, complete word searches, create family albums, and build relationships between family members while developing speaking, reading, and writing skills.

Flashcards: “Whose Family Is This?”

A very effective way to introduce extended family vocabulary is to create a “family introduction story” using the flashcards.

Place a girl (sister)flashcard in the center of the board. Then introduce each extended family member one by one: They are my cousins. They are my parents. They are my grandparents. They are my uncle and aunt. As you add cards around the main character, students visually understand family relationships.

Students can explore the new words son and daughter by using the family relationship flashcards on the board. As they connect the family members with lines, use simple sentences such as “He is the son” and “She is the daughter.”

Family Grab Game

Place the flashcards on the board. Teacher says: “Find the grandfather’s wife!”

“Touch the aunt’s husband!” Students race to grab the correct card.

Great for: Listening skills and Vocabulary recognition

Slap the Card

Two students use fly swatters. Teacher calls: This is my cousin

Students slap the correct flashcard.

Family Relationship board with flashcards

Students can use the family relationship board to discover the meaning of the new words niece and nephew. By connecting the family members with arrows and identifying relationships, elementary English language learners practice new vocabulary in a clear and visual way. This hands-on activity encourages speaking, listening, and critical thinking while helping students understand how family members are connected.

Small cards are perfect for building speaking, listening, reading, writing, grammar, and interaction skills because students can manipulate them easily during games and pair work.

Listen and Show

Teacher place all the small cards on the desk. Teacher says: “Show me the aunt.”,“Point to the nephew.” “Pick up the grandmother.”

Family Interview Students ask classmates in pairs: “Do you have cousins?” How many cousins do you have? Then report: “Maria has two cousins.” The teacher will tally the results. You can do it with other family members.

Match Word to Picture on the small cards

Students match word cards to small cards. Cut the words out of the small cards.

Read and Sort the family small cards

Students sort: male / female, old / Young, parents / children. Make another category or print the cards form the resource.

Write about the Family Members using the small cards

Tell students that they will imagine that the people in the small cards are their family members. Then, Students choose a card and write a short paragraph.

Grammar Practice.Possessive Practice

Students connect cards: “She is the uncle’s niece.” “He is the grandmother’s grandson.”

Human Sentences

Give each student a card and find their relationship as you call them. Students hold cards and create relationships physically.

Teacher: grandmother and granddaughter.

Extended Family Worksheets

Students trace the lines to match each family picture to the correct word while reviewing spelling and word recognition skills.

Students identify the family member in each picture and complete the sentences using the correct word. This activity supports reading comprehension.

Students answer yes-or-no questions, identify family members, and write the correct vocabulary words while strengthening comprehension and sentence formation.

This sorting worksheet develops categorizing and critical thinking skills. Students sort the family words into groups such as young and old, male and female.

This family word search helps learners review family vocabulary. Students search for and circle the family words hidden in the puzzle while practicing spelling.

This family project worksheet encourages elementary English language learners to connect classroom vocabulary with their own lives. Students place or draw a family picture and write simple sentences about their family members using the target vocabulary.

This speaking activity encourages confidence, oral language development, and personal connections while practicing complete sentences.

Students practice speaking, listening, and recording information with this interactive family survey activity. Learners ask classmates, “How many cousins do you have?” and write the answers on the clipboard worksheet.

Students look at the family picture and answer questions about the relationships between the family members using vocabulary such as grandfather, aunt, cousin, wife, husband, brother, and sister.

Games

Turn your traditional word-to-picture puzzle into an exciting interactive memory game! In this extension activity, students place all the family puzzle pieces face down on the table and take turns flipping over two pieces at a time to find a matching word and picture. If the pieces match, the student keeps the pair and says the family word aloud. If they do not match, the pieces are turned back over for the next player.

Spinners for FamilyRelationship

Students spin both spinners and look at the two family members that appear. Then, they say the relationship between the two people using complete sentences such as: “She is his grandmother.” or “They are cousins.”

This printable game encourages students to think about family relationships.

The spinners are easy to assemble with a brass fastener and a paper clip, making them perfect for centers, partner work, small groups, or whole-class review activities.

Create family Albun

Create a personalized family album with this printable craft templates. Students cut and glue the family flaps into their notebooks or onto cardboard to build an interactive mini book. Under each flap, students can draw their family members, glue pictures, or write names to personalize their albums. This hands-on activity helps reinforce family vocabulary. Students love lifting the flaps to reveal the family members hidden underneath!