Games
Take a tour of the fascinating buildings. Test your knowledge of who’s who in Parliament. Swing from a rope to clean Big Ben. Or take the Speaker’s Chair and try to keep order in the House of Commons. Our games cover a range of ages and topics.
Race Against Chime
Big Ben needs you to swing into action! Dangling from the Clock Tower can you clean the world's most famous clock face in time for its 150th anniversary party? You'll also discover fun facts about Big Ben in this addictive game.
Tour of Parliament
Explore the fascinating and historical Palace of Westminster. What happens in the Royal Robing Room? And who handcuffed themselves to a statue in St Stephen’s Hall?
Who am I? Key stages 1 & 2
Who opens Parliament every year? What is the person in charge of the Government called? Who sits on the Woolsack in the House of Lords?
Who am I? teacher's notes
Aims
Introduces some of the main roles within Parliament.
Usage
Can be turned into a whole class activity. Groups or individual pupils research one of the roles and then present the information to the rest of the class. This could be in the form of a short play, talk or even a mime. The rest of the class guesses who they are.
Related links
Snakes and Maces Key stages 3 & 4
Choose a bill and guide it through the different stages to become a law. Landing on a mace will speed things up, but watch out for set-backs from the snakes.
Snakes and Maces teacher's notes
Aims
Reveals the stages of a Parliamentary bill as it becomes law, and highlights the different types of bill and the factors that influence their progression through Parliament.
Learning Outcomes
- How laws are made and shaped by people and processes, including the work of parliament and government (KS4 Citizenship, 3c)
Usage
Can be used by pupils independently, in small groups or as a class activity.
Related links
Parliament is not responsible for the content of external links.
Law-makerKey stages 3 & 4
Would you make a good law-maker? Find out as you take important decisions and face tricky questions from MPs and Lords about your bill. Choose from five bills, each with their own challenges and problems.
Law-maker teacher's notes
Aims
To inform how laws are made.
Learning outcomes
- How laws are made and shaped by people and processes, including the work of parliament and government (KS4 Citizenship, 3c)
- The operation of parliamentary democracy within the UK (KS4 Citizenship, 3e)
Usage
Suitable for use by individual pupils or small groups.
Related links
Parliament is not responsible for the content of external links
Speaker's Chair Key stage 4
Can you control a debate in the House of Commons? The Speaker must keep order in the Chamber and be fair by calling the MPs to speak at the right times.
Speaker's Chair teachers notes
Aims
By taking the role of the Speaker, pupils begin to understand: (a) that in order to be fair, debates need to be chaired according to a set of rules; and (b) the important role the Speaker has in the running of Parliament.
Learning Outcomes
- The operation of parliamentary democracy within the UK (KS4 Citizenship, 3e)
Usage
Suitable for use by individual pupils or small groups. A classroom debate on one of the three issues raised could be held as a follow-up activity. It may be helpful to carry out a role play of the scenarios, by selecting an appropriate topic for debate and choosing pupils to act as the Speaker, Ministers, Backbenchers, Opposition Spokesperson, etc.
Related links
Booking and enquiries
Education Service
Houses of Parliament
London SW1A 2TT
020 7219 4496