One of the unsung benefits of the UK quarantine is being able to spend more time with your family – provided of course that they live in your household!

Have you ever wondered which games are popular in the UK and how we play them? Then look no further. Have a look at our list of UK games below and get stuck in.

Hopscotch

If you’ve been out on your daily walk or run during the UK lockdown, you may have seen a game of Hopscotch drawn onto the pavement. It’s one of the many UK outdoor games, often played on the street or in the garden. It’s been one of the most popular games in the UK for children for a long time!

To play Hopscotch, you need to draw some squares onto a pavement with chalk and hop or skip over them to get to the end. It’s an old favourite, passed down through generations, making it one of the most popular games in the UK.

Twister

Those who love games involving movement will love Twister! There are two main parts of Twister – spin board and a roll out mat with brightly coloured circles. Someone will spin the board, and it will give an instruction, such as “right hand red”. The first player will then need to get their right hand onto a red circle. The next player will then be given a similar instruction, such as “left foot yellow”. This continues until someone falls over! It’s got to be one of the most well-known and popular games in the UK.

Monopoly

Monopoly exists in a lot of cultures, but the original British version is based on the City of London. It’s notorious for causing family arguments, but it’s a classic, and generally considered one of the most popular games in the UK. Rest assured, there will be lots of families playing Monopoly at the moment, and in years to come, it shall be remembered as one of the best most popular games in the UK to try in quarantine.

Scrabble

Perhaps you’ve played this in your classroom before, but it’s a fantastic board game, where points are gained based on how creatively you can spell words. It’s perfect for a rainy day, and is best played alongside a cup of tea and plate of biscuits.

Balderdash

This is another board game played in the UK which focuses on being creative with words. So that means it’s also a great game to play for your English learning! It involves somebody choosing a real, but unusual, English word and the other players write made-up definitions for the word in question. The player then needs to guess which definition is the real one. It’s something that the whole family can get involved in

What’s the time, Mr Wolf

This game has been played by children in playgrounds since time began, and it’s not just a popular game in the UK – many different cultures have a version of it! The game involves one person standing on a finishing line (Mr Wolf) with his or her back to the rest of the players. The players shout out “What’s the time, Mr Wolf?” Mr Wolf can then shout out a clock time, e.g. “It’s 3 o’clock”. The players then need to take three steps towards Mr Wolf. If Mr Wolf shouts “It’s Dinner Time!” he or she chases the players back to the starting point. If Mr Wolf tags someone, they become the new Mr Wolf.

So, as we say in English, chin up – lockdown is not the end of the world! Have a go at some of our best popular games in the UK to try in quarantine.

Looking for some English practice? Did you know that NCG is now online? Head on over to Wimbledon Language Academy to find out all about our shiny new online learning platform!