Playing spelling and word games is a fun way for families to learn together without academic pressure. Games like Scrabble and Boggle can be adapted for different skill levels, while games like hangman and Ghost require only a pencil and paper. Other games, like naming geographical places or playing charades, can also be enjoyable family activities.
There are many spelling and word games that are easy to play and fun for many families. Playing a word or spelling game is often a fun way to teach these concepts without the grade pressure or academic environment that makes some kids squirm. You can enhance your learning, spend quality time together as a family, and all have fun doing it.
Different spelling and word games are recognized by many. Scrabble® has long been a popular game, as has Boggle®. These games can be a little more challenging when children’s spelling or reading levels are far apart. It’s a good idea to pair a younger child with an adult if you plan to play Scrabble® or Boggle® or group people by skill level. Another way to play Scrabble® with less pressure is to not count points, but simply offer praise, or for younger spellers, Junior Scrabble® may be easier to play. A variation of Boggle®, where players try to make words from a group of letters, is to play “How Smart Are We?” or “Everyone wins”, version. Instead of using the complex scoring for words, have everyone write down as many words as they can find and count them towards a total family score.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to play spelling and word games, or even to buy a game. A classic game that people can play together is hangman, where people try to guess a word before a stick figure is ‘hanged’. All you need for this game is a pencil or pen and a sheet of paper for notes. If you find the idea of hanging the stick figure too brutal, you can choose other symbols, such as drawing the tail of the head, body and paws of a dog or cat. Simply call the game “Dog” or “Cat”.
Even without a pencil and paper, you can play spelling and word games like “Ghost,” a simple spelling game where the goal is not to make a word, but still add letters to a word that is real. The game usually bans three-letter words, and each player contributes a letter to their turn, with the ultimate goal being to trap someone else into spelling a word. For example, the first four players could choose the letters M,E,R,C. The next player might think the word is mercy and feel trapped adding a Y. The higher player might think of the word merciful or merchant and contribute an I or an H. Each time a player writes a word, they get a letter of the word ghost, until someone becomes the Ghost. Some people also pay for the phantom sentence, where people contribute words until a sentence is formed.
Another of the spelling and word games teaches about geographical places (states, cities, countries). The first player names a place and the next player has to name a new geographical place starting with the last letter of the previously named place. If you were playing with countries, someone following a player suggesting the US should think of a country that starts with S. This may or may not be timed.
Word games like charades can be fun to play, or alternatively families can play spelling and word games like Wheel of Fortune®. Watching the program can also be a good way for families to participate together in understanding sentences. Other puns involve memory and, again, are quite adaptable to travel. A popular one is “I’m Packing Grandpa’s Trunk.” Each player contributes something odd to Grandpa’s chest, and the next person must remember the entire list in order while adding something else to the chest. This game is a great way to sharpen your memory and you can put a lot of unusual and silly things in the trunk. Other games like Twenty Questions or I Spy are great family entertainment at home or on the go.
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