Speaking Part 2 · Activities & habitsIn the May–Aug 2026 forecast
Describe a Game You Played in Childhood
In short
“Describe a Game You Played in Childhood” is a common IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card. You get 1 minute to prepare and should speak for 1–2 minutes, covering all four points below. This page gives you a Band 9 model answer, an idea map so you can make it your own, the Part 3 follow-up questions with answers, and the vocabulary examiners reward.
The task card
Describe a Game You Played in Childhood. You should say:
- •What the game was
- •Who you played it with
- •How the game was played
- •And explain why you enjoyed it so much
Band 9 model answer
The childhood game that immediately springs to mind is hide-and-seek, or at least the elaborate version of it we played in my neighbourhood. It's about as classic a game as you can get, I know, but the particular way we played it — out on the street at dusk with a whole gang of kids — made it something really special, so that's what I'd love to describe.
I played it mostly with the other children who lived on my street. There must have been eight or nine of us, all roughly the same age, and we'd meet up almost every single evening in the summer once the heat had started to die down. A few of them were my classmates, but a couple were kids I only ever saw for these games. Looking back, we were a proper little crew for those few years, completely inseparable.
The way we played was surprisingly elaborate, actually. One person would be 'it' — they'd cover their eyes and count to fifty against the big lamp post that served as our base, and the rest of us would scatter in every direction, diving into gardens, ducking behind parked cars, scrambling up trees, wherever we could squeeze ourselves in. But here's the clever bit: you didn't just have to stay hidden, you had to sneak back and touch the lamp post before you got caught. So it was as much about timing and sheer nerve as it was about finding a good hiding spot.
As for why I loved it so much, a big part of it was the sheer thrill — that heart-pounding moment when the seeker walks right past your hiding place and you're holding your breath, trying desperately not to giggle and give yourself away. But looking back, what I really treasured was the freedom of it all. There were no adults hovering, no screens, no rules beyond the ones we invented ourselves. We'd play until it was properly dark and our parents were leaning out of windows calling us in, and we'd stagger home filthy, exhausted and utterly happy. I genuinely think a lot of kids today, glued to their phones, are missing out on that kind of unstructured, slightly feral play — it quietly taught us how to negotiate, how to include everyone, and how to lose gracefully.
So hide-and-seek might sound like nothing much on paper, but those long summer evenings are honestly some of the warmest memories I have, and one or two of the friendships I forged chasing round that lamp post have lasted right up to this day. Even now, I can't hear kids shrieking and playing outside without breaking into a smile.
Make it your own: three angles
A traditional outdoor street game
Rich in action verbs and lets you contrast it with today's screen-based play, an easy route into the Part 3 themes.
A board game or card game with family
Good for describing rules clearly and the social side, and it brings in warmth and family relationships.
A made-up or imaginative game
Shows creativity and gives you a unique, memorable answer, though you must explain the invented rules carefully.
What the examiner is listening for
Choose an active game you can narrate vividly, and use the 'how it was played' bullet to show off dynamic verbs before dwelling on why you enjoyed it. Blend past-tense narration with 'we would' for repeated childhood habits, and let a note of nostalgia colour the ending to sound natural.
Part 1 warm-up questions
- What games did you enjoy playing as a child?
- Did you prefer indoor or outdoor games when you were young?
- Do children in your country still play traditional games?
- Do you still play any games now?
Part 3 follow-up questions & answers
Why do children love playing games so much?
I think games tap into something instinctive — they're fun, but they also let children explore the world safely and test their limits. Winning gives them a sense of achievement, and playing with others satisfies their need to belong. In a way, play is how children make sense of things they can't yet put into words.
Do you think the games children play today are different from those in the past?
Very much so. In my parents' day, play was almost entirely outdoors and social, whereas now it's shifted heavily towards screens and solo gaming. There are gains — digital games can be creative and connect kids across the world — but I do think something has been lost in terms of physical activity and face-to-face interaction.
Are traditional games disappearing in your country?
Sadly, to a large extent they are. The street games my generation grew up with are far rarer now, partly because of screens and partly because parents are more anxious about letting children roam freely. There are efforts in some schools to revive them, which I think is lovely, but they're fighting against a strong tide.
What can children learn from playing games together?
An enormous amount, actually — often more than in the classroom. Team games teach cooperation and communication, competitive ones teach how to win and lose gracefully, and unstructured play teaches negotiation, because the kids have to agree the rules themselves. These are essentially social skills that stay with them for life.
Do you think video games are bad for children?
I wouldn't say bad outright — it's really about balance and content. In moderation, games can sharpen problem-solving and even bring friends together. The problems arise when they crowd out sleep, exercise and real-world friendships, or when the content is unsuitable. So I'd point the finger at excess rather than the games themselves.
Should schools give children more time to play?
Absolutely, I feel quite strongly about this. There's growing evidence that play boosts concentration, creativity and wellbeing, yet break times are being squeezed to fit in more academic content. That strikes me as counterproductive, because a child who has run around and reset will almost always learn better afterwards.
Do adults benefit from playing games too?
Definitely — I don't think the need for play ever really disappears, we just feel we're supposed to grow out of it. Games help adults de-stress, stay mentally sharp and bond with others, whether it's a football match or a board game night. If anything, given how pressured modern life is, adults probably need play as much as children do.
Useful vocabulary
| Word / phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| to spring to mind | to be thought of immediately |
| hide-and-seek | a children's game in which some players hide and one player tries to find them |
| a proper little crew | a close, tight-knit group of friends (informal) |
| to scatter | to move off quickly in different directions |
| heart-pounding | very exciting or tense; making your heart beat fast |
| to hold your breath | to stop breathing briefly, usually out of tension or excitement |
| unstructured play | free, child-led play with no fixed rules or adult direction |
| to lose gracefully | to accept defeat calmly and without complaining |
| to be glued to your phone | to spend an excessive amount of time looking at your phone |
| inseparable | so close that you are almost always together |
More cue cards
Describe a Friend You Have Known for a Long Time
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