Playing in English lessons is a challenge! On one hand, it is important to convey to students the joy of language acquisition, while on the other hand, they should also achieve concrete, measurable results. This paper analyzes the contribution that different forms of play can make to educating students in intercultural action and communication skills. It demonstrates that the use of games offers a variety of opportunities to make English lessons as interesting as they are diverse, while also achieving curriculum-relevant learning objectives. Concrete examples illustrate that English lessons can be so much more than just memorizing vocabulary and grammar.