Barrier games are specially designed communicative activities to support pupils with SEND in developing expressive and receptive communication skills, speech and language understanding, turn-taking and listening skills. Often used in SEND intervention, speech and language sessions or small-group work, barrier games encourage learners to give clear instructions, follow directions and negotiate meaning with a partner or adult.
These SEND barrier game resources help pupils practise vocabulary, descriptive language and listening skills in a meaningful and engaging way while supporting confidence, interaction and communication development.
Whether you’re targeting social communication, speech sound practice or understanding instructions, you’ll find barrier games that are flexible enough to adapt to different needs and ability levels.
Barrier games are information-gap activities where two or more players work together to achieve the same result while a physical barrier prevents them from seeing each other’s materials. Pupils have to describe, listen, ask questions and clarify information to succeed, making these games ideal for developing key communication skills. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Barrier games can be adapted for pupils with a range of needs, including language delays, ASD, speech sound difficulties or comprehension challenges. You can use simplified language for early communicators or richer descriptive language with older pupils needing extended expressive practice. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Use familiar teaching topics to make barrier games relevant and motivating, or pair them with curriculum content to build vocabulary and understanding in a purposeful context. These activities are ideal in small groups, 1-to-1 speech and language sessions or as part of your SEND intervention plans.
Ready to explore? Browse the full range of barrier game resources above that support communication, interaction and language development for SEND learners.
