Match Up: a drag-and-drop matching race for interactive touch screens
A matching race for the touch screen: two students drag each word onto its picture, meaning or question, and the first to match all four wins. Free.
Match Up is a drag-and-drop matching game for the classroom, made for interactive touch screens. Two students stand side by side at the board, one from each team. Each side shows four pictures (or meanings, or questions) with an empty slot beside each, and four word cards in a different order. The students drag every word into its slot, and the first to match all four wins the point. Both drag at the same moment, because every finger moves its own card.
At a glance
| Players | The whole class in 2–4 teams free (up to 8 with Pro); two students at the board each round |
| Time | 5–10 minutes for 12 rounds |
| Works with | Any set: English words with pictures or meanings, and subject sets (each question matched with its answer) |
| Best for | Vocabulary review, definitions, quick checks in any subject, interactive touch displays |
| You need | A touch screen (a projector works with your phone as the judge), and your phone as the remote; a set with at least 4 items |
How to play Match Up
- Make or pick a question set. Snap a textbook page, paste a word list or type a topic, or open a free set from the library.
- Pick Match Up, set the teams and start. Two students come to the board: the left one plays for the team on the left, the right one for the team on the right.
- Play. Both students drag their word cards into the slots beside the pictures. A right card clicks into place; a wrong one turns red and bounces home. The first side with all four matched wins the point, with stars and confetti, and both sides show the answers. Then the next two students come up.
Rules and scoring
- First to match all four: 1 point for that team.
- Wrong drop: the card bounces back to try again. No time penalty, so careful students can still win.
- A different order on each side, so nobody can copy their neighbour.
- New pairs every round: each round brings the next word of the set with three others.
- Three or more teams: two teams face off each round, in turn, so every pair of teams meets. The corner of the screen says who is up.
- Double and triple questions are worth 2 or 3.
- Settings: a timer per round (off, 10, 20, 30 or 60 seconds; running out means nobody scores), hide the score, calm or no effects.
What you can teach with it
Match Up works with every Oly set, so you can use it in any lesson.
- Pictures at Pre-A1 and A1: animals, food, clothes, classroom objects.
- Meanings at A2 and B1: the word in the class's language on the left, the English word to drag.
- Maths: "7 × 8" with 56, "half of 30" with 15.
- Science, history and geography: terms and definitions, capitals and countries, dates and events.
Tips from the classroom
- Line the class up in two rows, one per team, so the next pair is ready.
- After each round, have the whole class say the four words together.
- For a calmer round, let each student choose a buddy who points while they drag.
- On a projector without touch, the students say the pairs out loud, and you tap the team that was first on your phone.
- Keep text short in subject sets: questions up to about 70 characters fit best on the cards.
Play it without a screen
- Make two sets of picture cards and word cards.
- Stick the pictures on each half of the board and give each student a pile of word cards.
- The first to place all four words correctly wins the point.
- Keep the score in team columns.
The screen version picks new pairs every round, shuffles each side, checks every drop and keeps the score.
Questions teachers ask
Is Match Up free?
Yes. Playing is free, with library games and your own typed questions. The free plan also includes 10 AI question sets a month (3 from photos).
Does it work for maths and science?
Yes. In subject sets each question is matched with its answer, so you can review facts, definitions or calculations. True or false questions are left out, because their answers are not unique.
Do I need a touch screen?
It is made for one, where dragging with a finger feels natural. On a projector you can still play: the students say the pairs, and you tap the team that was first on your phone.
Do students need devices?
No. The class plays on one shared screen. Only your phone is used, as the remote.
Can a team lose points?
No. A wrong drop only sends the card back.
What is the difference from Memory Match?
In Memory Match the cards are face down and teams take turns remembering where pairs are. In Match Up everything is face up and two students race to match their pairs at the same time.
For more games made for the board, try Word Swat or Word Search, and see interactive whiteboard games.