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One of the most effective ways for young children to gain knowledge and develop crucial abilities is through play. So, if you’re in search of some fun and educational activities to do at home, word games for kids are the perfect option to keep your little one engaged. This game also makes learning at home enjoyable and lays the foundation for successful school learning. Moreover, word games assist your kid improve their vocabulary, spelling, grammar, writing, reading, verbal, and communication skills. Parents can study alongside their kids as children like having their parents participate in their learning. In this post, we present you with a list of fantastic word games that kids and adults may enjoy together. Read on.
Benefits Of Word Games
If you are wondering why word games for children are beneficial, here are some reasons:
- Develops vocabulary
- Improves fluency in the language
- Hones comprehension and reasoning skills
- Develops a love of words and reading
- Sparks their imagination and memory
- Improves their problem-solving skills
- Encourages creativity
- Serves as a great pastime for the family
- Stimulates the brain
- Improves concentration
There are many word games for kids that help them learn new words. These games are entertaining and educational, making them enjoyable for everyone involved.
We have listed the 20 best word games for kids. These games will ensure you and your children have a great time learning new words.
1. Hangman
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Hangman is a fun paper and pencil guessing word game for kids that can be played between two players. More players can participate and take turns as well. It is a simple game where a stickman is hanged if a player fails to get the word right.
Age group: 6 to 10 years
No of players: 2
How to play:
- Take a sheet of paper and a pen and draw gallows.
- The first player thinks of a word and draws dashes above the gallows equal to the number of letters in the word.
- The other player starts guessing the letters one by one.
- If the letter the player says is in the word, the first player writes it in the corresponding spaces on the dashes.
- If the letter is not in the word, the first player draws one part of the stickman, starting from the head and followed by the body, hands, and legs.
- If the stickman gets completed before the second player guesses the word, that player loses.
- Switch sides and start again.
- Proper nouns or slang words are not allowed.
2. Name the animal
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Name the animal is a multiplayer kids word game that can help teach your children animal names and improve their reasoning skills. This game also offers your child the opportunity to exercise their lateral thinking skills.
Age group: 4 to 7 years
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- You can be the host of the game.
- Make a list of common animals and a list of words that rhyme with these animal names.
- Call out each player and present them a rhyming word, and let them guess the animal name. You can say things like, “I rhyme with fog. I am a …..”
- The player who gets the maximum words correct is the winner.
- You can also teach them animal sounds by substituting animal names with their sounds.
3. I spy
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I spy is one of the easiest games of the lot. All you need is your imagination and some eager players.
Age group: 4 to 6 years
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- Locate an object, and tell your child its first letter saying, “I Spy an object starting with the letter ….”
- Your child looks around and recognizes each object corresponding to that letter.
- Stop when they get it right and continue the game with the next player.
- You can also mention the color or shape of the object and let your child guess it correctly.
4. Make a word
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If your child is starting to learn new words, this word game for kids is useful. You can also play this game with older kids to make them learn difficult words and improve their memory. This game lays a solid foundation for playing advanced spelling games, such as Scrabble.
Age group: 4 to 12 years
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- You can play this game with younger children if you have magnetic letters, plastic letters, letter mats, or letter blocks.
- Give them a set of letters and ask them to make two- or three-letter words with them.
- For older children, you can play the game mentally or write a set of letters on a piece of paper and ask them to make as many words as they can from them.
- You can even play a timed version of the game with older children as they enjoy a good challenge.
5. Rhyming words
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Rhyming Words game is a variation of Name the Animal. This word game for kids encourages your child to learn new words and helps hone their reasoning skills.
Age group: For ages 3 to 6 years
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- Name any animal.
- Ask your children to say the words that rhyme with the name of the animal, in turns.
- For example, when you say the word “dog,”your children should come up with words such as fog, hog, and log.
- Continue with a player until they run out of words and repeat the game with the next player.
6. Name, place, animal, thing
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You might remember playing this game as a child yourself. This game helps in expanding your child’s knowledge and memory.
Age group: 5 years and above
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- Give each player a sheet of paper and a pencil.
- Say a letter of the alphabet and start a timer.
- Each player must write the words of a name, place, animal, or a thing starting with that letter. For example, if the letter is A, a player may write, “Alex, Australia, Ape, Apple,” under each of these categories, respectively.
- You can assign different letters to different players or the same letter to each one.
- You can include other categories as per your convenience.
7. Hink pink
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Children love this game. This word game for kids is designed to maximize fun while learning new words and their meanings. The game can help improve your child’s ability to solve crossword puzzles and cryptic crosswords.
Age group: 4 to 12 years
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- Ask each player to come up with a set of rhyming monosyllabic words, e.g., fat rat.
- Help them make a clue about their words. In this case, the clue will be “a rodent that is not thin.”
- Each player says their clue aloud, and the others try to guess what the rhyming words are.
- If the children are older, you can play Hinky Pinky (two-syllable words) or Hinketty Pinketty (three-syllable words). You can even make different combinations between different syllabic words.
- Ask the children to act out the words too so that all of you have lots of fun while the children learn difficult words.
- Here are some more words to get you started: Thin Pin, Big Pig, Tan Pan, Fan Man.
8. Guess the correct word
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This word game for kids, if played mentally, is an excellent way to boost your child’s memory. It is a simple game and can be played with pencil and paper if you want to keep score.
Age group: 6 years and above
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- The first player thinks of a word and announces its first letter and the number of letters in the word to the others. If the player has thought of the word “Bananas,” they should say B and 6.
- The other players have to guess the word using these clues.
- If a player says another word but it has some matching words with the original word, the first player will say that the word is wrong but there are matching letters in the correct places or the wrong places.
- The next player uses these clues to make the next guess.
- You can keep the words simple or difficult according to the age of the children.
- As for the example of Bananas:
Player 2: Bullock
Player 1: That is incorrect
Player 3: Bahamas
Player 1: That is incorrect, but the As are in the correct place,
and so on.
9. Word hunting
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If your child is just learning the alphabet, this is an easy game to play. However, you can make some minor changes and tweak it for older children.
Age group: 4 to 7 years
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- Scatter magnetic letters, plastic letters, or letter blocks on a table.
- Ask your child to pick up a letter from the lot.
- For older children, you can write three- or four-letter words on little chits of paper and do the same procedure as above.
- For children who can read, you can ask them to pick words they see outside shops, etc.
10. Change one letter
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This is a great word game for school children. The game promotes out-of-the-box thinking and allows your child to come up with new words and even their meanings.
Age group: 5 to 10 years
No of players: 4 or more
How to play:
- Begin with a short word that has three, four, or five letters (according to the age of the children).
- Ask the children to take turns in calling out new words by changing just one letter of the previous word. E.g., park – part – dart – dark / mark – mare – mart / cart – care – case – cast – mast (and so on).
- You can set a timer or divide the players into teams to make the game more exciting.
11. Call my bluff
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Call my bluff is commonly played at sleepovers and during picnics and is an excellent word game for older children.
Age group: 8 years and above
No of players: 4 or more
How to play:
- Divide the children into teams.
- Give them a set of words that are common but unfamiliar to them.
- Ask each team to look up the meaning of each word, and make up two wrong meanings for each word.
- Each team asks the other team the meaning of a word and gives them the three options.
- If the opposite team guesses the correct meaning, they get points. If they don’t, the team that asked the meaning gets the point.
- For example, let us take the word “Bewildered.” You can give three choices (a) to be left in the wild, (b) shocked or surprised, and (c) out-of-control behavior.
12. Unscramble the words
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Let your children put on their thinking caps and play this game. The word game makes your child think and helps stir their imagination and improve their reasoning skills.
Age group: 5 years and above
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- Think of a word and write it down on paper but in a scrambled form.
- Your child has to think and arrange the word in the right sequence.
- You could even give clues so that they can unscramble the word faster.
- You could also write down a set of scrambled words, set the timer, and ask them to solve as many as they can within the allotted time.
13. Tell me a story
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Children are incredibly imaginative. Children, as young as three years old, start making imaginary stories. You can play this game to fire your child’s imagination.
Age group: 5 years and above
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- Start a “story” with a sentence.
- The next player should say another sentence and continue the story.
- As the story grows, it becomes hilarious and absurd.
- For example, you start with the sentence, “In a village, there was a man named Joe.” The next player can say, “He wore a red shirt every day,” and the next player may say, “One day, a bull charged at him,” and so on.
14. Words in a word
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This is one of the most popular word games for kids and one of the best word-building games of all time. It is useful in improving your child’s English, if it is not your native language. You might have played this game in your childhood. It is now your children’s turn to play the game and keep the tradition alive.
Age group: 5 years and above
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- Think of a long word. A popular word choice for this game is “Constantinople.”
- Ask your child to write words starting with each letter in the word. They should use the letters contained in the word only.
- For example, Constantinople can have words such as con, cot, on, oil, no, nap, sit, and sip.
- You can set a timer and ask your child to write down as many words as they can within the given time frame.
15. I’m going on a picnic
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This game is for older children. It helps hone their creative skills and improves their memory. The word game is usually played in classrooms, but they can play it at a sleepover or even with you as a family game.
Age group: 5 years and above
No of players: 3 or more
How to play:
- The first player starts by saying, “I’m going on a picnic, and I will bring a ….”.
- The next player adds an item to the list and repeats the words.
- Each player has to repeat the items named in the exact sequence.
- If a player forgets a name or the sequence, they are out of the game.
- You can either start the game all over again or ask the next player to pick up the sequence and continue.
- For example, the game goes as follows:
Player 1: I’m going on a picnic, and I will bring a cookie.
Player 2: I’m going on a picnic, and I will bring a cookie and a Popsicle.
Player 3: I’m going on a picnic, and I will bring a cookie and a Popsicle and a bottle of juice, and so on.
16. Crosswords
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Solving crosswords requires practice and a lot of patience. The game will not only teach your children new words but also develop their deductive reasoning skills to a great degree.
Age group: 6 years and above
No of players: 1
How to play:
- Draw a grid with white and black squares and number each row and column.
- Then, write a set of clues at the bottom of the grid with the corresponding row or column number.
- Ask your child to solve the crossword.
- You can set a timer to make the game challenging.
- You can get some printable crosswords with clues easily on the Internet (you will find some free and printable crosswords in this link). Crosswords regularly appear in newspapers and magazines.
17. Word quest
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Word quest is a word game for older kids. The game involves searching for words using single letters and makes your children use their deduction skills.
Age group: 5 years and above
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- Draw a 10×10 or 12×12 grid on a sheet of paper and divide it into squares.
- Write various words below and to the side of the grid.
- Write random letters in random squares.
- Ask your child to fill in the grid using the words you have written outside the grid.
18. Consequences
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This word game helps stir the imagination and encourages creativity. The game works well with both children and adults.
Age group: 5 years and above
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- The first player writes down a sentence on a sheet of paper and passes it on to the next player.
- The next player writes the next sentence and passes it on.
- Once all the players are done with adding their sentences, you can read out the story.
- You can also write 4–5 sentences with open endings on a sheet of paper and hand them over to each player. Each player writes their version of the story and reads it aloud at the end of the game.
- For example, you can write, “There was a man named …….. He …………. a woman named ……………. They went to …………. He said, “…………………” She said, “……………………” And then, ……………..” and so on.
19. Scrabble
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Scrabble is a popular classic word game for kids. If you want your child to learn new words, this is one of the best games.
Age group: 6 years and above
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- Get a scrabble boards.
- Set it up and read the rules.
- The number on each letter tile tells you how many points it’s worth, and the squares on the board tell you how many points you scored.
- The player who gets the maximum score is the winner.
- After a game of Scrabble gets over, the board looks similar to a crossword.
20. Pass the bomb
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Pass the bomb is an educational game that will test your child’s alacrity. The first player should say a word and pass the bomb as quickly as possible to the next player, who must say a similar-sounding word. The players need to be quick in passing the bomb before it explodes. You can get this board game at a shop or simply make your own set.
Age group: 5 years and above
No of players: 2 or more
How to play:
- Take a set of card papers and write two- and three-letter words on them with a marker.
- The first player picks up a card and passes it around.
- The “bomb” goes off after a certain time. If you have made the cards at home, you can use a timer or even play music.
- The moment the timer goes off (or the music stops), the player holding the card is out.
- However, before leaving, they have to say a word that contains the word written on the card.
- For example, if the card has “ART” written on it, the child who gets out can say a word with ART in it, such as part, mart, or cart.
1. How can word games help children improve their spelling skills?
When children engage in word games, they are required to focus on the spelling of various words, which helps them to learn and remember the correct spelling of those words.
2. In what ways can word games help children with their grammar?
Word games encourage children to think about language playfully and engagingly, making it easier to understand and remember grammar rules. Word games can also help expand children’s vocabulary, an essential component of good grammar. By learning new words and their meanings, children can improve their ability to express themselves clearly and accurately.
3. How can word games help children improve their vocabulary?
Word games are an excellent way to improve children’s vocabulary skills, as they help them learn new words and reinforce their understanding of familiar ones. Games such as Scrabble, Boggle, and crossword puzzles challenge children to think critically and creatively about words, requiring them to use problem-solving skills to develop new words and find hidden ones.
4. How can word games help children become better readers?
Word games can help children become better readers by improving their vocabulary, spelling, and comprehension skills. Such games require children to identify and create words, helping them to recognize new words and understand their meanings. This eventually improves their reading skills.
When education is imparted as activities and games, children tend to grasp it much faster and retain it longer. So, if you want your children to have great communication skills, fluent vocabulary, and fascinating imagination, involve them in word games for kids. Games, such as I spy, make a word, or hink pink, are effective in keeping children engaged and sharpening their grammar and vocabulary. Another good thing about these games is that you can be involved in playing too. So, choose a suitable word game according to your child’s age and have fun while playing.
Key Pointers
- Word games stimulate the brain to improve reasoning skills, vocabulary, and language skills.
- Spur creativity through games such as I spy, rhyming words, and hink pink.
- Test the memory with games such as guess the correct word and make a word.
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The acquisition of new vocabulary is essential in terms of overall language advancement. However, there is always a need to review active words from time to time in order to use them fluently in speech. Here, we will present a couple of great vocabulary revision games which will perk up every classroom. Through these games the learners will feel how fun, entertaining and effective the learning process can be.
1. Charades
Charades is a fun and cool revision game. Students need to practice their acting skills to explain the words. This game is extremely easy to organize with minimal advance preparation. The only thing to be ready for is to keep a collection of vocabulary cards for the words you have studied.
The class is divided into two teams. Each team member takes turns acting out one of the words from the vocabulary set and explains it by acting out the word. If his or her own team can’t guess the word, the opposite team gets the chance to guess it. Each right answer equals one point.
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2. Pictionary
Pictionary is also an entertaining game to play for vocabulary review. The rules are similar to those of charades except that instead of acting out the word, it is drawn on the board.
3. Bingo
Bingo can serve as a good revision game. From my experience, most of the groups/students like playing bingo because it gives them the chance to reflect on the words they have digested.
Students are given a blank bingo board and are asked to put the review words into the squares randomly. The teacher puts the active words in a hat or a box, takes them out one by one and defines them. If the student has a word corresponding to the definition, he crosses it out on his bingo board. When someone gets five squares in a row, they should shout, “Bingo!”
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4. A memory style
A memory style card game can be another effective way for reviewing vocabulary. It requires some preparation before the game starts. For each word to be reviewed, one card should have the target vocabulary word and another card should have the definition of the word. You also need to have a big playing grid where you put the words and their definitions face down.
Each person turns over two cards each turn trying to find a match. If the cards do not match, he turns them over again and the next person tries to find a match. If he succeeds, he keeps the cards and gets an additional turn. The player with the highest number of cards at the end of the game wins.
The game can be modified even further. If you have accumulated enough synonyms or antonyms to the target vocabulary, you can practice matching target words to their antonyms or synonyms.
5. Categories
Categories is another awesome revision game which will make students energized and empowered. What they need for the game is to draw 4-6 columns on their paper and write a category at the top of each column. Categories fit the topics covered during the course. For example, if you have covered the business topics of Marketing, Work and Leisure, Ethics, Human Resources, Travel, you write these topics as categories.
You time the students and ask them to write as many words as possible under each category. As a further modification, choose a random letter and write it on the board. Give students enough time to write down a word for each category that starts with that letter.
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6. Letter scramble
Letter scramble will make students really competitive and super fast. What you need is to take a list of words that your students have recently learned and write a scrambled version of each on the board. Students need to unscramble the words on their paper. The first one to finish deciphering all the words wins.
7. Stop the bus
Stop the bus is a cool game my students adore. I usually divide the class into 2-3 teams. One student from each team. This student sits on a chair facing his peers. Then from behind the student in the hot seat, show the other students a word from the lesson. The other students must try to describe what the word is without saying the actual word. And the student in the hot seat must guess.
The student who guesses the word shouts out “stop the bus” and checks the word with the teacher. If correct, the team gets a point. If wrong, other teams have the chance to guess the word by writing their versions on a piece of paper and passing the papers to the teacher.
8. Puzzles
Puzzles is another cool and easy tool to review the material in an effective way. What I like about this way of vocabulary revision is that students can work in pairs or groups while trying to find words matching the definition in the crosswords. They learn by listening to each other, cooperating to find the right answer. In this way, they both review the material and improve their teamwork skills.
Follow this link to get templates of different types of puzzles.
We also recommend watching a video with Alexei Konobeev. The speaker shared games to help your students remember new vocabulary. These games do not require special training and you can adapt them to any age and level.
We hope that all these games would serve their best to liven your vocabulary revision sessions and make them more meaningful and effective.
Which of these games have you tried? Which ones have you picked up for your next revision slot?
You found our list of fun and simple vocabulary games for adults.
Vocabulary games are activities that include language and wordplay. Example games include Word Association and Hang Man. Players can enjoy vocabulary games in person or online. The purpose of these games is to strengthen vocabulary skills. These games are also known as “vocab games”, “letter games” and “vocabulary building games.”
These games make great online classroom activities and communication games, and can be used as online fun activities for employees.
This list includes:
- vocabulary games for adults
- simple vocabulary word games for adults
- fun online vocabulary games and activities
- English vocabulary games
- vocabulary games in English
- games to improve vocabulary
- vocabulary building activities
- vocab review games
- vocabulary games for students
Get ready to play!
List of vocabulary games
From Pictionary to word scrambles to synonym memory, here is a list of fun word games to play in classrooms, at parties, or during meetings.
1. Vocabulary Pictionary
Pictionary is a game of charades where players draw words instead of acting them out.
To play:
- Split the group into teams.
- Each round, assign one team member to draw.
- Give the drawing team member a word.
- Allow up to sixty seconds for teammates to guess.
- If the team guesses correctly, then assign one point.
You can give other teams the opportunity to steal, or move onto the next team’s turn. The game is a great way to practice new vocabulary, as players connect the word with an image. Pictionary is a fun game for virtual parties or in-person affairs.
To play Pictionary online, draw on the whiteboard app feature on your online meeting software.
2. Word Association
Word Association is one of the best vocabulary games for kids and classrooms since playing does not require a large vocabulary. The rules are simple and easy to understand. Typically, the game involves two players.
To play:
- Player one says a word.
- Player two responds with the first word that comes to mind.
- Player one either chooses a new word or responds to player two’s word.
- The game continues until one player repeats a word or pauses too long.
The rapid pace of the game generates excitement and occasionally results in funny answers.
If a student makes a mistake, then the teacher can pause the game and ask the student to explain or find a more fitting word. Ideally, gamemasters should allow players a few extra seconds to respond. Players should never feel embarrassed. There are no wrong answers in word association, but the game can serve as a learning opportunity to find better words.
If playing via Zoom, then player one or the teacher speaks a word, and other students answer in the chat. The class counts up matching answers and discusses different responses, guessing the reasoning behind each answer.
3. Vocabulary Hangman
Hangman is a classic chalkboard word game that translates easily to online play, thanks to digital whiteboards.
To play:
- Assign a player a word.
- The player draws a series of blanks corresponding to the number of letters in the word.
- Other players guess letters.
- If the letter is in the word, then the “executioner” fills in the blank. If not, then the executioner draws one portion of the gallows.
- The game ends when players guess the word, or when the picture is complete.
The best words to use for hangman contain less-used letters like z, x, and q. Examples of hard hangman words include zigzagging, razzmatazz, and quadrants.
4. Word search
Word searches are common classroom vocabulary games. These activities work well for handouts, and you can play during video calls by using the whiteboard feature and enabling annotation.
We made a sample word search you can use.
To make the game more competitive and exciting, turn the challenge into a race and award prizes to the first players to complete the puzzles.
5. Crossword
Crossword puzzles consist of a series of interconnecting boxes, each of which starts blank but contains one letter by the end of the game. Under the puzzle are two lists of clues, across and down respectively. Solvers need to consider the meaning of words, number of letters, and surrounding words, making the game strategic as well as literary.
Here is an example of a crossword puzzle you can use with your class or team.
Here is the answer key.
Crosswords are great word games for any age or skill level because puzzle makers can adjust the difficulty to suit players. To make your own crossword puzzle, use an online crossword creator.
6. Word Scramble
Word scrambles make great games for English class, and adults enjoy these language brain teasers as well. Simply mix up the order of the letters and ask players to unscramble and identify the original words.
Here is a sample to start with.
And here is the answer key.
To make your own word scrambles, use an online letter randomizer.
7. Scrabble
Scrabble is one of the most popular word games for adults or children. Players must use letter tiles to assemble words on the game board.
To play:
- Each player draws seven letter tiles.
- During turns, players can play tiles or exchange them for new letters.
- Players build words on the board, with each new word connecting to an existing word.
- Tiles have a point value assigned depending on the challenge of the letter. When a player makes a word, tally the letter and add the score to the point board.
More challenging letters have higher point values. For example, E is one point, while Z is ten. To find the point values for each tile and read more gameplay tips, check out this guide from Hasbro.
To coordinate the game for language lessons, assign higher scores for vocabulary words, and ask players to use the words in a sentence for extra points.
Scrabble is easy to play online, too, making it one of the best online vocabulary games. To play virtually, simply find a multiplayer online version of the game, such as Words With Friends.
8. Scattergories
Scattergories is one of the most fun and simple word games for adults. The game challenges players to think up words all starting with the same letter.
To play:
- One player rolls a letter die or uses a letter generator to pick the first letter.
- The timekeeper puts 60 seconds on the clock.
- Players write down one answer per category starting with the letter.
- When time runs out, players read the answers.
- Players receive a point for every answer.
Alliterative phrases count for double or triple points. If two players have the same answer, then they must cross it out and neither receives points. Of course, a player will not receive points for blank answers either. At the end of each round, the player with the most points wins.
Here is a list of sample Scattergories categories:
- A boy’s name, girl’s name, or gender neutral name
- Capital cities
- Four letter words
- Types of drinks
- Holidays
- Careers or professions
- Cartoon characters
- Websites
- Desserts
You could create more inventive categories for the game, or challenge players to make up prompts.
To play virtually, use the chat, screen-share, whiteboard functions in your virtual meeting platform. You can also share a Google Doc or Form, or join a multiplayer online Scattergories game together.
9. Tree or Bob Ross
Tree or Bob Ross is a fun video conference game that challenges players to guess a word by asking questions.
The player who conjures the word is The Post. The Post answers This or That questions whose answers help players narrow down the word.
The first question of the game is usually “is it more like a tree, or more like Bob Ross?” and The Post must answer accordingly. For instance, a rose is probably more like a tree, but Pinnochio presents an interesting challenge.
Each turn, the guesser adds a new word. For example, the second question might be, “is it more like a tree or a fern?” The game continues until players guess correctly. For more excitement, introduce a time limit, or award more points if players guess the word during earlier rounds.
10. Vocabulary Pyramid
Pyramid challenges players to guess words from context clues. The pyramid is a collection of six words, arranged with three on the bottom, two in the middle, and one at the top. To win, teams must guess all words within the pyramid in the allotted time.
To play:
- Divide the group into teams.
- Give one player on each team the pyramid.
- The pyramid holder must give hints to teammates describing each word without using the actual name of the item.
- When players guess correctly, the pyramid master can move to the next word. Or, players can say “pass,” and return to the word later.
- Teams receive a point for every correct guess.
When determining the time limit, consider the age of your players and the difficulty of the words. In general, 30 seconds per word, or three minutes total, is a good place to start, but add or take away time to increase or decrease the challenge.
11. Invisible Bridge
Invisible Bridge is similar to six degrees of Kevin Bacon. In both games, you must figure out a way to connect two seemingly distant concepts. Six degrees of Kevin Bacon uses actors, while Invisible Bridge uses words.
To play:
- A player suggests two unrelated words.
- Player one gives a number of planks. This is how many steps other players must use to relate the two words.
- The other players think up words that share similar traits, synonyms, or connector words to move from one term to another.
An example round might look as follows:
Tiger, Astronaut, eight planks
Tiger – Balm – Lip – Service – Customer – Happy – Pills – Capsules – Space – Astronaut
Meanwhile, Tiger, Astronaut, two planks might look like this:
Tiger – meat eater – meteor – Astronaut
One fun aspect about this game is there can be more than one correct answer, and opposing teams can dispute far-reaches. Invisible bridge encourages players to think about the nature of language and the relationship between words.
12. Poetry Improv
Poetry Improv is an exercise that challenges participants to craft verses on the spot.
To play:
- Pick a poetry style, such as sonnet, haiku, acrostic, limerick, or free verse.
- Give participants vocabulary words to use within the poem.
- Allow five or ten minutes for groups or individuals to complete the verses. If playing online via meeting software, then send groups to breakout rooms to work.
- Ask poets to share the masterpieces aloud.
For extra fun, turn other players into judges by asking them to rate the poems by holding up scorecards. To make the game more fast-paced, ask players to finish each others’ phrases on the spot for a true poetic improv.
13. Synonym Memory
The rules of Memory are easy: flip over two cards at a time and look for matching pictures or words. When players find pairs, they take the cards off the board. The player with the most pairs of cards at the end of the game wins.
Synonym Memory puts a challenging spin on the simple game. Instead of hunting for exact matches, players pair up words with synonyms.
Here are some sample matches:
- enticing/tempting
- assume/suppose
- patience/restraint
- revoke/rescind
- impact/collision
The game encourages players to think in different ways, as participants will need to remember the location of the cards as well as consider meanings of words.
To play online, make your own virtual synonym memory game with an online tool and share screens to play, with one player flipping over the cards at other players’ request.
List of words to use for vocabulary games
Here is a list of great words to use in word games:
- serendipity
- fortitude
- akimbo
- sumptuous
- ineffable
- zephyr
- incorrigible
- medallion
- mauve
- bombast
- denouement
- contemporary
- gossamer
- inane
- hippodrome
- concession
- ideology
- quintessential
- prescient
- regurgitate
- gnash
- cataclysmic
- knell
For further inspiration, use a random word generator or consult online lists of difficult or intersecting words.
Conclusion
Vocabulary games and activities test and strengthen players’ communication skills. These word games minimize frustration by disguising language lessons in the form of an exciting challenge. Not to mention, simple word games are fun for adults and kids alike, and make great icebreaker activities during meetings. Most games only require words and a way to share them, so playing word games online via Zoom or similar platforms is easy.
For even more smart fun, check out our posts on problem solving games, question games and team building brain teasers.
FAQ: Vocabulary Games
Here are answers to common questions about vocabulary games and activities.
What are vocabulary games?
Vocabulary games are word and language games you can play with students, coworkers, or family and friends. These games challenge players to hunt for words or definitions, brainstorm terms, deduce phrases based on clues, or create words under certain conditions. Language games are a great way to teach new vocabulary and help students practice recognizing and using new words. These activities are also known as “vocabulary building games” and “vocab games”, and are similar to “word games” and “letter games”.
What are some fun word games for groups?
Some fun word games for groups include Pictionary, Tree or Bob Ross, and word scrambles.
What are some online vocabulary games?
By using virtual meeting software like Zoom, you can play any word game online. Some good virtual vocabulary games include Scrabble, Scattergories, and online crossword puzzles.
What are good ESL word games?
The best ESL word games are easy to understand and play yet expand the vocabularies of participants. Good ESL word games include word association, word searches, and hangman.
What are fun ways to teach vocabulary?
Word games are one of the most fun and easy ways to teach vocabulary. While some kids get frustrated with straightforward reading or language exercises, word games disguise vocabulary lessons as a fun challenge. Plus, playing language games together is a great teamwork exercise.
Who said learning English is a boring task? Whether the learning session is boring or not, it completely depends on the teacher. If you are a parent, you should consider teaching your children with games. In the case of teaching English, word games are a fun way to learn.
Learning doesn’t mean that someone has to go through hefty books and continue it for hours. Even games can educate someone. Well, in most cases the learner doesn’t even notice that he or she is learning new things, they think they are having a fun activity. This is even truer for young children.
The word games are not new concepts. These game shave been with us for a long time. Actually, kids are always fond of them. You don’t believe me? Then maybe you haven’t seen kids eagerly waiting for the newspaper to arrive just to solve the crosswords puzzle.
But these games are not just a source of fun. In short, they are educative and intriguing. You could call them the gym for your brain!
What are Word Games?
Word games or the word puzzles are a popular form of a board game. It challenges a player to demonstrate the skill of a particular language, especially the English language.
There are a lot of popular forms of word games. For example, in the game hangman, the player has to demonstrate their spelling skills. Basically, Crosswords try to challenge the vocabulary skill of a player.
Word games even turn into popular TV game show. Did you know that Spelling Bee is the first ever telecasted game show? It is now one of the most challenging national competition in the USA.
Now you can take part in online Spelling Bee too! Check out the SBO section on Spellquiz today!
Similarly, Wheel of Fortune is another great example of a televised word-based game show. It is now the longest-running syndicated game show in the USA.
Different Types of Word Games
There are different types of word games available for the kids as well as the adults. I have made a list of the category of the word games. Take a look –
Letter Arrangement games
In this type of word game, a player has to form a meaningful word from the given words. These games serve two purposes – vocabulary testing and lateral thinking capability.
Examples: Upwords, Bananagrams, Scrabble, Countdown, and Paperback.
Paper and Pencil Games
As the name suggests, this type of games requires a piece of paper and a pencil or a pen. The aim is simple; you will have to write a word depending on different parameters. Different games have a different set of rules and parameters. For example, a player has to fill out blocks or grids with corresponding words based on the clue. This is the most popular word game in history.
Examples: Crosswords, Scattergories, Word Finder or Word Search, Hangman.
Semantic Games
The semantic games are a little more complex. These games focus on the semantic or meaning of words. The knowledge of a player about a particular language is extensively tested.
Examples: Blankety Blank, Codenames, Mad Libs, etc.
How Popular are Word Games?
In the earlier days, the word games have been just a source of fun for the kids. But since 2000, word games have become a useful tool for “brain training.” People are seeing different forms of brain games online and brain games for adults. Among the brain games, word games are exceptionally popular.
Games like crosswords, scrabble, and hangman have never lost their appeal to the younger audience. With the rise of smartphones, we are seeing a lot of apps devoted to developing this field.
Word games can help a child to exercise their cognitive functions. Millions of fans are getting help from such word games.
You could call it the «golden age» of board games. The increasing competition has let the designers create more fascinating and logical word games that can satisfy the hunger of the common people. These modern games tend to have more difficult sets of rules and often stands apart from the traditional ones.
For example, the popular word games like Decrypto, Codenames, Anomia, etc. have been out there after 2010.
The smartphones also allow the players to play the games together virtually. The friendly rivalry makes fuels the competition and the interest to play the games. These games are extremely educating. For example, the mobile game “Words with Friends” by Zynga accepts 173,000 words. Can you imagine, how could it help your child to increase their vocabulary?
Why Should You Encourage Your Child to Play Word Games?
I have seen the parents telling their kids to «stop playing and start reading» quite too often. You cannot blame the kids; they are supposed to love playing games! The smart move would be to encourage them to play the games that are constructive and not violent.
In this case, the word games come in handy. You could try playing WordFinder with your kids. You could find a lot of word search for kids online. Most of these games are free-to-play. Moreover, you can find thousands of free word search games for kids.
You could try visiting the word games section of SpellQuiz. It has a great collection of educational games for the kids as well as for the adults. So, people of all ages can enjoy these games. You could even share the results with your friends on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+.
Okay, back to the main point – why should you let your child play the word games? Here are some of the critical reasons for you to do so –
Cognitive Exercise
Physical exercise is essential for the human body. But the exercise of the brain is equally important. The primary benefit of playing word games is cognitive exercise. The more you play these word games puzzles, the more polished your brain becomes.
Richer Vocabulary
Most of the word games require strong skill in vocabulary. The more words you know, the better your score will be. Moreover, while playing games, you will more likely gather new words. So, playing these games will passively help you to build up a stronger vocabulary base.
Test Your Spelling Skills
Whether you are playing Crosswords, Scrabble, or Hangman, you will have to have a strong sense of spelling. It is a great way to learn spelling words. There are different spelling quizzes that could attract many players. Playing difficult spelling games and challenging friends is a new trend in social media. So, it could be a great pastime for you and your kids. Needless to say, you or your kids’ spelling skills will get a strong boost.
Fighting off the Boredom
Kids are easily bored with constant studies. They would even try to skip the study sessions when they are feeling too bored with the studies. So, the word games could help them fight off the boredom and learn at the same time.
SpellQuiz: The Ultimate Place to Play the Word Games
Parents are constantly searching for “word games free” or “free online word games.” They need some exciting word games for their kids to amuse them and help them learn in a different way. Luckily, SpellQuiz is a great place for word games online that can help the children to learn and have fun, at the same time.
With SpellQuiz, you could learn geography in a fun way. The website doesn’t only offer brain games and word searches; it also offers a fascinating geography quiz.
Who doesn’t love challenges? If you are one of those people who are just hungry for some great brain teasers, you could try out the Difficult Spelling Quiz and the Hard Spelling Test. The tricky games will not only fascinate you but also teach you a lot of new things.
Are you worried about improving your kids’ grammar skills? Then, you could try the «Conditional Test.» The word origin test will, on the other hand, test your knowledge of the English language with some interesting and tricky questions.
Concluding Ideas
Games are always a fun activity, for both the kids and the adults. Rather than pressuring your kids for studies, you should let them have some with the word games. The word games will do the trick and teach your kids in an intriguing way that is both effective and fun.
Also, try this vocabulary test to understand your current skill level! Try these spelling tests to master English spelling! Also, don’t forget to check the complete list of spelling words.
A list of fun English word games for kids to help improve children’s spelling, reading, and vocabulary. This list of word games for kids includes word games that encourage conversation and early literacy that you can play on the spot or prepare yourself with just some paper and pencil.
Why are Word Games Good For Kids?
Word games and vocabulary games for kids are great because they get kids talking and using language while having fun. When you make a learning activity fun, kids don’t realise they are learning.
For reluctant learners, playing these word games can help and motivate them to want to play and learn more.
*This post may contain affiliate links, read more here.
10 Fun Word Games for Kids
Many of these word games for kids can be prepared easily at home with materials you already have. However if you don’t have time to prepare your own, you can also purchase a range of fun word games for kids HERE.
1. Hang Man
Probably one of the most popular word games for kids is the popular Hang Man. Player 1 thinks of a word and Player 2 has to guess it before they get “hung.”
Player 1 writes spaces for letters are written on the page so they know how many letters there are in the word. Player 2 proceeds to choose a letter they think may be in the word.
If it is correct Player 1 writes the letter down where it goes. If it is incorrect Player 1 draws part of the “hangman”. If the drawing is complete by the time Player 2 guesses, then Player 1 wins.
2. I spy
A really easy and fun word game for kids is I spy. You don’t need anything for this game except your imagination.
Player 1 thinks of a word and tells the others the first letter. “I spy with my little eye, something beginning with __” The other players need to guess the word. Whoever wins gets to be the spy!
This is a really great car game for kids too and helps to build vocabulary.
3. Bingo
Such an easy word game to prepare for kids. There are some really good versions on Amazon HERE. You can purchase the game, or use it as an example to make your own.
Draw a square grid on a page and choose a theme. Write out some words using the theme. Eg, beach: swimming, sand castles, water, sea shells, dolphin, sunbeds, picnic etc.
Make an extra copy of the words ensuring there are a few extra than the amount on the page. Cut them up into squares and put in a bowl scrunched up.
Take turns in pulling out a word and reading it out loud, then finding it on your page. The first person to find all of the words calls out Bingo and is the winner.
This fun word game for kids helps with reading and talking aloud.
4. Word Family Game
This game requires children to rhyme. Select one word and everyone needs to write as many words as they can that rhyme with that word. Eg. If the word is “Cat”, answers could be: hat, bat, rat, sat etc.
This is a great word game to help build kids vocabulary and help their language skills.
5. Word Search
Another fun but challenging word game for kids is a word search. Draw a grid of 10 x 10 squares and place as many words as you can within the grid. Words can go up, down, or diagonal, and letters can overlap to be used more than once.
Create a list on the side or bottom of the page of the words you have entered. Then once you cannot fit anymore words in, fill the blank boxes with random letters.
Kids will need to find the words as quick as possible. This can be a fun word game to do individually or as a team. For kids who like to compete, you can make identical grids and see who finishes first.
This word game encourages persistence and helps to improve their literacy skills.
6. Unscramble the words
A simple word game for children that will get them really thinking! Write a list of words down on paper but scramble the letter order while writing. Kids will need to look at the letters and try to work out what the word is and guess it.
This can be quite a competitive word game, but it helps to really get their mind ticking.
7. Scategories
While this is also an official board game, (which you can find online here) you can also make it yourself quite easily. Each player has a piece of paper and pencil.
Select 10-15 categories. These can be anything you like but remember they should be popular enough that you can guess something with most letters. Eg. Country, Movie, Body Part, Actor or Actress etc.
Once you have your categories it is time to choose a letter. Without a dice, the easiest way is to write the letters randomly on a piece of paper.
Then one person closes their eyes and points to a letter. When the letter has been chosen, players have 2 minutes to fill in the gaps with something in each category starting with that letter.
Winner is the one with the most filled in at the end, or the first to finish.
This is a really fun and competitive word game for kids that helps to improve their vocabulary, spelling, and conversation skills.
8. Words within a word
This word game requires kids to create their own words. Choose one really long word with at least 8-10 letters. The longer the better.
The aim of this word game is for kids to try to make a list of small words out of the letters of the long word. So for example the word COMPUTER includes: put, cot, term, core, mop, top, pet. Etc.
This is a really fun word game to help children’s spelling skills.
9. I am going on a picnic
A fun word game to help with your child’s memory and to get them talking.
One person starts and says “I am going on a picnic and I will bring some… fruit”
The next person says what the first person said, and adds something of their own. “I am going on a picnic and I will bring some fruit, and some sandwiches.
The next person says what the first, and second person said, and adds something of their own. “I am going on a picnic and I will bring some fruit, some sandwiches and some ice-cream.
You continue on and on and it gets more difficult to remember everything. We usually can get to at least seven or eight, and surprisingly my pre-schooler can often remember more than me!
This conversational game helps with memory, and also learning new vocabulary.
10. Story prompts
This word game involves making up a story by taking turns in saying sentences. One person starts the story, and says the first sentence. The second person continues the story with another sentence, and so on.
The stories can become very interesting as each person has different ideas. Bilingual flashcards are great for this or you can find a great version online HERE.
This conversation activity helps kid’s imagination, as well as building their vocabulary.
Other Fun Learning Resources for Kids?
If you love these English word games, check out these posts!
English Classroom Games – To play in class or at home
Knock Knock Jokes – To get the kids laughing
Best Board Games for Kids – Educational and fun
Top Book Sets for Kids – For all ages
Which English word games do you play with your kids?
These fun English word games for kids can be played with children of all ages and also with adults just by adapting certain aspects of the game to suit the age of the player.
This list of word games for kids will keep kids entertained for hours on end without feeling like they are actually learning.
