When I found out I'd be teaching grades 1 and 2 and my kids hated colouring... I went a bit nutty trying to find good activities .
And I'm still looking.
But, at the end of the day, the real winners are the simple ones, that are easy to modify for your target language.
Here are some EASY and very interchangeable TPR-kinesthetic activities that you can pull out whenever you need them.
The key is not to use the games as their set and traditional format. This will be obvious to most, but I really struggled with the concept when I started.
So I'll guide those who need a run through, through the process.
Because if I can save you from the pain I've endured, then hurrah! 

Once the kids know how to play the standard game the first time, replacing words and sentences is easy and the activities need little prep/explanation. Heck, they probably know most of them already! Bonus!

I'll use 5 classic games as an example. You should already be familiar with them.





Red light Green light. (vocab/phonics)
&
What's the time Mr Wolf (vocab/phonics/sentences)

Basically, these are the same game and can work with any vocab and short sentences.
Just get creative with how use the sentences.

For Red light Green light, I have them hop along the floor like frogs. I mainly just use this for kindies if I have them, since you can do it with a minimum of 2 items of vocab or phonemes and nothing else.

Instructions
1. Line the kids up.

2. If they hear the GO word i.e Frog, or if you're doing phonics, then the GO Phoneme i.e /f/ then they hop forwards.
If they hear any other word/phoneme, they must stay completely still. If they move or flinch at the wrong time, they go back to the beginning.

Vocab example:
"/f/rog" "/f/rog" "/f/rog" "/e/agle" "/f/rog" "/s/nake" "/f/rog" "/f/rog" "/f/rog" "/c/at"

Phoneme example:
/f/ /f/ /f/ /s/ /f/ /f/ /f/ /f/  /d/  /f/  /s/

NB: Obvious. But, just make sure to write the phoneme they're listening for gigantically on the board first, so they really seal it in and link it with the sound. Otherwise, it's a bit pointless.

I rarely use red light green light though. It's almost too easy. What's the time Mr.Wolf is where it's at!

i.e Phonics
Everyone shouts, "What's your name?" (NOT What's the time Mr.Wolf)
"My name is /S/imon"
"My name is /S/helly"
"My name is /S/am"
"My name is /J/essica!!!!"

Instructions:
1. Line kids up one one side of the room. You stand on the other.

2. Students take 1 step forwards, as long as the name starts with an /S/ sound etc.

3.If the name doesn't start with an /S/ sound, they all run back to the wall as you try to tag them.

They'll get really good at hearing the difference in phonemes.
You can play it as a speaking game to, once your kids learn enough words. Let the kids who are caught take it in turns to be the teacher.

Other example:
"What colour is it?"
"It's red/It's blue/It's black...It's PURPLE!!!"
Set up 1 word in a list of vocab which the CHASE word. In this case, it's purple.

Kids can play this game pretty endlessly.

NB: The key with these games if you want to use them for phonics, is to really emphasize the phonemes.


What's in the bag (vocab/sentence)

I usually use this to practice the sentence "It's a...". Admittedly, it's not very good for large classes, unless you have 2 bags and your coteacher does half the class. Give a sticker/pen dot/tally mark for kids who guess right if you are using just one item at a time (first to 3 is the winner etc.).
I first used this for farm animals. I like to use it as a review activity after a vocab lesson and at the start of a functions lesson.

Instructions:
1. Put an item of vocab in a bag (plastic farm animals, toy vehicles, fruit etc.)

2. Everyone shouts the target sentence "What is it?" or "What's in the bag?" work well.

3. One student put their hand in the bag and guesses by proclaiming "It's a..." (you might want to hold the wrist of the sneaky kids, so they don't just pull it out of the bag straight away).

4. Teachers say "No it isn't!"
If you're working with a set of vocab objects relating to a topic. i.e. Farm animals. You can let the students guess one by one, as they work through the vocab names they know 1 by 1.
If you're working with random vocab items (as a review game), you can let each student have a guess (or two guesses for small classes) and then pull it out of the bag.

4. Everyone yells what it really is! "IT'S A ...."

5. Rinse and repeat.

NB: You can also let a student play teacher, and have them choose an item to put into the bag.
Check to make sure they know what it's called first! Kids like trying to pick something difficult that the other students, including themselves, can't say .

But you can use this...bizarrely, for other topics, ones where they can't even tell what the object is. Basically it'll work like a telepathy game.
Everyone shouts "WHAT COLOUR IS IT!?"
1 student says "It's.....YELLOW!!!"
Then they pull it out of the bag.

Let the shy or weaker students take 2 or 3 guesses (so long as the others don't rebel).

Or, for more fun, you can put a bunch of items in the bag and the student can feel around try to grab and guess the one they know.

1. They guess

2. They pull it out of the bag

3. If they're wrong = The rest of the class correct them on what it is, they put it back.     
If they're right = They keep the item and we count how many items they each have at the end.
"I have...2 cows, 1 chicken and 1 banana". The tricky items will stay in the bag until last and the kids will go through all the vocab they know to guess what it is.

This game is also good to practice alphabet, if you can get some Alphabet magnets, so they can feel the shape.


Simon says - TPR+Auditory vocab bonding. Sentence pre-exposure. (Listening)

The game is great for verbs, as we know... But it's also great for any noun so long as you can think of an action or a sound. You can then use this to give them a ton of exposure to a target sentence.

1. First, teach them regular Simon says with verbs in the classic format. Eat, drink, play.
Simon says Eat. Simon says Drink etc.
So, when you next say Let's play Simon says, they're already familiar with the format. And are pumped!

2. THEN Take it further...Mix it with your target vocab.
Simon says "Eat a banana (students mime eating a banana)"
Simple enough. Bear with me.

The KEY with this, is to teach TPR actions when you teach the Vocab (you can also mix them with sounds). You'll have to get creative so that the motions are different. Make over exaggerated motions.

3. THEN take it further. Once the kids know how to play Simon says. Don't say "Simon says" as your sentence during the game, use your target language..."I'm eating spaghetti" and test their TPR Vocab link (they slurp and twist and imaginary fork). If they get the TPR action wrong, they're out. They'll already know the format of how to play, if you say Let's play Simon says, so you're instruction time is 0. But you can now freely use any sentence you like.

They'll hear you say I'm eating Spaghetti so many times, they learn the target sentence well before you drill it. They'll almost be perfect at it already.
Have them write it. Say it again. Then leave it.
Repeat it next lesson as a warmer.

Other topic examples to get you thinking:
"I'm wearing a scarf (big wrapping around your neck motion)"
"I'm wearing a coat (zipping motion and a loud zzziiippp!)"
"I'm wearing socks" (students mime putting them one)

"It's a....Cow (students "moo" and use their fingers to make horns on their heads)"
"It's a...Shark" Students use their hand on their head and make the jaws music sound. Nerr nah! Nerrr nah!

Kids like this game because it's easy, they can easily cheat (but they're learning, so that's ok).
I love it because it means...no drilliing. The kids like it. It's easy to cater to the language. It mixes listening, TPR, vocab, and sentences in one neat package.


4 corners (Vocab/Listening)

4 corners is a great game to boost the children's listening skills and peer correction (kids gosh darn love to correct each other, and you can use this to have them teach themselves!!!). It's one of the simplest activities to set up, but follow these tips and you can get a lot of mileage out of it!

It's bouts of insanity mixed with moments of calm.

You can use any ESL song for it... but I tend to just use a pass the ball PPT with the muppet theme (you know the one) and just turn the screen off. As soon as the song comes on...they know the drill, and get ready to play with out any further instruction.

Instructions:
1. Put 4 of your current, or previous vocab flashcards into 4 corners of the room (drawings will suffice).

2. Cover your eyes, or use a blind fold (you're in charge of the music, and kids hate if they think you're playing favourites with who will win).

3. The kids dance, go nuts etc.
If you've already taught verbs, you can mix topics, and yell out a different action word each time the music plays i.e. "Swim" "Fly" "Jump" and they all pretend to swim/fly/jump around as the musics playing. This will help review and it keeps the game fresh.

4. As soon as the music stops, students have to quickly and quietly sneak to one of the 4 corners (which they suck at, and I can usually get a bunch of them out in the first go).
Point to one of the 4 corners and say the correlating item of vocab. Those students are OUT! Best to do a trial run first, so the kids stay happy.
After a few rounds, just saying the vocab and let the kids correct each other "You're OUT!!! TEECHA SAID MANGO  !!!"

You can build it up to written words if they know their phonics. Heck, if they're really good at phonics, you could lead in with this activity and have the students work out the words you'll be teaching and whose corner is out all by themselves. This is good if you have a grade 1 and 2 mix. 2s will teach the 1s.

You can easily use it for pre-build to a sentence (in your next lesson). The main focus though, is just the vocab word at the end, but I believe passive exposure really helps students pick up language. Using this game at the end of a vocab class with the target sentence for next lesson is an ideal format. So when you come to the functions lesson, they're already familiar with it.
i.e. "I like MANGOs!" "I like ORANGEs" "I like BANANAs" (for a fruit vocab lesson or plurals preteach)

NB: You can try letting the winner of four corners be the teacher and say the vocab items (you will need a blindfold, or they WILL cheat)

Oh, if you have big classes. A good way to cycle the students who are out, back into the game, is to give them a coloured board marker and tell them to write the alphabet on the board while the other kids keep playing. As soon as they're done, they can rejoin the game...
YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN THE ALPHABET WRITTEN SO QUICKLY!!!
1-10, or writing words beneath flashcards is a good way to. Whatever your kids can handle that isn't going to demotivate them too much. THEY want to play, and will complete whatever short task you give them.

They write.
You quickly check.
You chuck them back into the insanity that is 4 corners.
DO NOT STOP THE GAME FOR THIS! Check while the music is playing.

NB: I keep a bunch of board different coloured board markers handy to give to the kids for this, so if 5 kids are out at once, it's easy to glance check their work.
"Sally says she's done . Her pen is green. But green alphabet is missing letters j-k . Sally is taking me for a sucker!"
Good try Sally, but no!


Ok, there are a few more... I hope people will share.
...But, you get the idea I right?
I'm still working on this problem myself.
But just remember. Kids NEED TPR. They NEED to touch stuff. They are CRAZY! They NEED TO WIN at any cost! They HATE to loose!

Most important, they LIKE repetition... if they can get good at something. They want to keep doing it.
I thought they always wanted new stuff... But I was wrong. Just, keep activities in a cycle, so they don't get bored with an activity. Once a game is dead. You can't use it again... Imagine a world of ESL with no Simon says, no pictionary, no hot seat ... *shudder*

Use these things together in combination with your regular phonics work, sentence builds, vocab presentations etc. and you're golden. Just try to match the game skill with your target for the day.


Oh, and this is how I stage my lessons, should you need that too.
1. Phonics (+ reading)
2. Vocab listening (+ TPR association)
3. Vocab listening/speaking
4. Statement (I ask they answer in a sentence)
5. Statement + questions (they ask!!! Everyone else answers... If they can do that, I move to pair work).

Fantastic!   I try to play some games to music and I found that this website is a pretty decent resource as well.   Basically, I hate keeping the kids in their seats. 

http://www.funandgames.org/games/GameMusic.htm

Joeyg,

Thank you for the post.

This is a simple game I used for my elementary kids (5th and 6th). Maybe you can change it up for other lessons.

Target language at the time: "Do you like (food/subject)" "No, I don't/Yes, I do"

Prep: Large pictures of the (food/subject), tape, blindfold, target language somewhere they can all see.

1. Tape up the pictures.
2. Choose 1 student to be blindfolded. [This student should secretly choose 1 of those pictures]
3. Have the rest of the students choose and line up in front of the pictures.
4. ALL STUDENTS ask "Do you like {A}?"
5. Blindfolded student should answer "No, I don't"
6. People in that {A} line should sit down. (seated students should still ask the question with the rest of the people who are still in line)
7. repeat 4-6 until answer is "Yes, I do"

My kids for some reason really love this game.

Suggestions for change:

~They liked to scream out to let the blindfolded student know where they were.. so I recommend keeping them all silent OR you can make those talkers sit automatically.

~Sometimes they were all huggy and talkative in those lines. Maybe think of some action they should be doing while in line(?) I'm not sure, I'm still working that out. Most of the time it's not disruptive, as long as they say the words and aren't giving away they're location, I let them continue.

These are such great ideas. Thank you so much for sharing! I'll definitely be trying these out with my kindergartners soon :).

thank you so much for all these ideas. I'm teaching grades 1 and 2 and I had no idea what to do with them. You saved my sanity

Fantastic post!

Just saw your message Wizall. I'm sure you've done this already, but it might help someone else. Will edit it out later to make it clearer for people.


Pictionary

Pictionary works really well for larger classes that can't move around and it's PERFECT for getting those first timid sentences out of the young learners after you've had them for a while. Remember, keep it simple. And remember the activity can be changed to fit lots of different simple sentence structures.

Here's an activity to try after you've had the students long enough to teach them vocab and "What's this?".

Once you've worked through teaching 30 pieces of vocab and your students are comfortable with them and with the structure: What's this? It's a ____. Move them on to answering with negative or positive statements.

Use pictionary to enforce full sentences and the simple structure
"What's this?"
"No it isn't!" or "Yes it is!" extension "Yes it is. It's a _____"

1. Students come up and choose 1 picture from your computer screen (you can copy images of taught vocab into a folder for easy selection) or a bunch of flash cards.

2. The student can draw for 15-30 seconds.

3. They stop.

4. They choose someone to ask by saying "What's this?" And pointing to someone (or by asking "What is it [name]?"

5. Student chosen has to say the full sentence: It's a _____

6. Student who was drawing then says "Yes it is!" or "No it isn't!" (then chooses someone else)


Good items for pictionary are forms of transport, fruit, classroom vocab. Since students will usually have to guess a bunch of other stuff until they get the right answer (a peach, apple, orange an eraser can look so similar... but it's a good thing:Lots of speaking practice).

How it's adaptable to other structures:

Later you can use it to get students saying
"What do I like?"
"You like chocolate!"
"No I don't" or "Yes I do" Extension "Yes I do. I like Chocolate."


Slowly build them up =]

You can also do the flag game. Your students probably know it. They get two flags, one in each hand. If they hear the right sound or the answer is yes, x color flag goes up. If it's a different sound, or the answer is no, the other flag goes up. I just use origami paper for flags. They can sit for the whole thing. All of the students should have the same color in their right hands, and the other in their left. It works well if you can get some of the students facing each other, because they like to see if anyone messes up. This is a chaotic game, but my classes love it.

Example topics:
"Animals with four legs" = blue flag, everything else = red flag
"Do you like ...?" (Yes = blue flag, No = red)
Phonics

You can also do a speed round and just call or show the color flags, get them to imitate you. It's a good way to end the game, if it's the end of class.

This seems really great, can't wait to try it. Thanks a bunch!