1. Do some research & planning up front

Without a doubt, the best way to make sure that your kahoot has the right impact on learners is to do a bit of planning! Before even jumping online, most of our Top Kahoot!’ers take a bit of time to make notes about the learning game, how it will be played, and the learners themselves. Aside from researching the questions and answers, here are some things you might want to think about:

  • Why are you making the kahoot?
  • What do you hope the outcome will be?
  • What do the learners already know?
  • How do they learn best?
  • How might you make it accessible to all types of learners?
  • How might you give everyone who plays this game a chance to feel success?
  • Where is it likely to be played?
  • Do you need to build in breathing space for discussion, debate or other activities between questions?
  • Are you intending to open it up to the public? How would you make sure it’s found and enjoyed by the people who need it most?

2. Ask the right questions

Now you’ve done some research, it’s time to think about the specific questions and answers. Look at the best kahoots and you’ll see that there’s tremendous value not in just asking questions, but in asking the right questions…

You might want to think about including questions that:

  • Have multiple correct answers, sparking discussion or debate
  • Help you spot gaps in your learners’ knowledge so you can set time aside later to help them build their understanding
  • Prompt learners to recognise – and fill in – the gaps in their own knowledge
  • Recap on what they’ve already learned
  • Teach subtleties or dispel myths and misconceptions
  • Build learners’ confidence in a certain subject

3. Make sure your kahoot holds all the answers

One of the things our Top Kahoot!’ers love best about creating learning games is thinking up the right wrong answers, and making sure there is enough time on the clock for learners to work out the answer.

  • Are the incorrect answers plausible?
  • Are they tricky enough to be challenging and prompt critical thinking, but still give everyone a chance to feel success?
  • Can you use the answer from this question as a natural segue to the next, or even as a clue for a later question?

4. Get creative with high impact images and videos

High quality images, videos and animated gifs are an absolute must, and not only because they make your kahoot more engaging! Here are a few things to try when making or finding imagery for your game:

  • Imagine how your kahoot will look when played on a large screen or an interactive whiteboard – using high resolution images and playing in Full Screen can make a world of difference!
  • Use multiple images instead of just one – you can easily create a mini slideshow-style animated gif using Giphy, or a collage in PicMonkey or Pixlr Express.
  • Inject a little humour and surprise learners with your own take on a meme
  • Maximise learning opportunities by adding instructional images, diagrams, charts, or YouTube videos – either the ones you’ve found or something you’ve created yourself!
  • Build anticipation or gradually give learners little hints with an ‘image reveal’ animated gif
  • Hide some clues in the image!

5. Take learners on a journey

Like the best presentations or lectures, awesome kahoots have a natural flow to them. There is a real art to building a narrative or flow into your learning game – here are some tips to get you started:

  • Use the questions as building blocks to introduce a new subject with the kahoot – once learners understand the answer to Question 1, they’re ready to move on to Question 2, then 3, and so on.
  • Take them on a journey. A great movie hooks you with scene setting, highs and lows and moments of celebration – you can do the same with your kahoot by weaving back and forth between questions with multiple correct answers, quick-fire ‘easy’ questions, challenging problem solving questions, and game-show-style bursts of fun or humour.
  • Use the answers or images as a natural segue from one question to the next. For example, an incorrect answer from Question 1 might form the basis of Question 2.

We’ll be going into more detail about all of these tips (and more!) over the coming months – stay tuned on Twitter @GetKahoot and Facebook/GetKahoot.

6. Celebrate with the podium

Last but not least: To celebrate your top 3 players, add some extra celebration at the end of your game with our newest feature, the top 3 podium! Read more about how to use this feature here.

Kahoot podium

Learn how to make awesome kahoots for different subjects: