Boost Student Engagement with These 5 Fun Number Games in French

Number games in French are one of my favorite ways to bring energy and engagement into my French as a Second Language (FSL) classroom. If we want students to be motivated to learn a second language, they need to enjoy the process! This means creating a classroom environment that is interactive, exciting, and full of fun learning opportunities.

One of the best ways to get upper elementary and middle school students excited about practicing French is through games. Today, I’m sharing my top 5 number games in French that will have your students laughing, thinking, and practicing their numbers—all while having a blast!

(If you love using games in your French classroom, be sure to check out my post on 5 Low-Prep Speaking Activities for FSL for even more fun ideas!)

1) Pamplemousse 🍊

This game is SERIOUSLY so much fun and brings out a competitive edge in students!

How to Play:

1️⃣ Have students stand in a large circle.
2️⃣ Review the range of numbers you want to practice. (For beginners, start with 1-10 and increase as students gain confidence.)
3️⃣ Choose a number to be the “pamplemousse” number. When a student reaches this number, instead of saying it, they say “pamplemousse”!
4️⃣ Students take turns counting aloud around the circle. When they reach the pamplemousse number, they must say “pamplemousse” instead.

For example, if 5 is the pamplemousse number:

• Student 1: “un”
• Student 2: “deux”
• Student 3: “trois”
• Student 4: “quatre”
• Student 5: “pamplemousse”
• Student 6: “six” … and so on!

👉 To make it more challenging, use multiple pamplemousse numbers (like all multiples of 5).

2) Onze 🔢

Onze is another simple but engaging number game in French that helps students practice counting fluently.

How to Play:

• Students form a circle.
• Player 1 says “un”, Player 2 says “deux”, and so on.
• When a student reaches “onze”, they sit down because they are out.
• The next person starts back at “un”, and the game continues until only one student remains!

👉 Want to increase the difficulty? Play up to 21, 31, or even higher!

3) Loto 🎉

We all know and love Bingo, and Loto is the French version! It’s an interactive and low-prep way to reinforce number recognition.

I’ve recently switched to digital Loto to minimize materials and make gameplay smoother. My Lotto Numbers to 100 game is a classroom favorite! You can check it out on TPT by clicking HERE!

4) Téléphone ☎️

This game is a fantastic team challenge that reinforces number recognition and listening skills!

How to Play:

1️⃣ Write a variety of French numbers on the board (either in numerical or word form).
2️⃣ Divide students into two teams, standing in straight lines facing the board.
3️⃣ Whisper a number to the last student in each line.
4️⃣ They pass the number down the line by whispering it to the next person.
5️⃣ The first student in line says the number out loud and hits the correct number on the board.
6️⃣ If correct, their team scores a point!

🚀 This game gets competitive FAST, and students love it!

5) Boom Cards 💻

If you’re looking for an engaging digital option, Boom Cards are a must-have! They are self-checking, interactive, and work on any device.

My students love using French numbers 1-10 Boom Cards for independent practice, and they provide me with valuable data to track student progress.

Ready to Try These Number Games in French?

Using games in your FSL classroom is an excellent way to boost engagement, build confidence, and help students retain what they learn. These 5 number games in French are easy to implement and will make practicing numbers way more exciting!

🎉 Which game do you think your students will love the most? Let me know in the comments!