Word games to play with family

Summertime wordplay

The long and lazy days of summer don’t have to soften the brain. Keep your kids’ neurons firing with these six word games that build vocabulary, work out memory, rev up critical thinking, and stimulate creativity.

An extra perk: These mental acrobatics are great to have in your parental tool kit to stave off boredom during long drives — or any time you’re looking to keep your kids both amused and alert while school’s out.

The license plate game

This classic road-trip boredom buster is also a zippy brainteaser — but easy enough for younger kids to join too.

Look for each letter of the alphabet on other cars’ license plates. Check them off a master list — finding the letters in any order (easier for younger kids) or in alphabetic order. You can play this game competitively, so that whoever finds all the letters first wins. Or play as a team: Time yourselves to see how fast you can get through the alphabet, and then try to beat your previous record.

Extra challenge: To made the game even more of a brain twister, add a “word jumble” component — write down all the letters in the next 5 to 10 license plates you see. The winner is whoever can form the most words from that set of letters.

First letter, last letter

Even though this is an easy game for younger and older kids to play, “First letter, last letter” is a fun way to teach children to think fast. The first person starts by saying any word, and then the next person has to come up with a word that starts with the last letter of the previous player’s word.

For example:
Player 1: “Rat”
Player 2: “Time”
Player 3: “Egg”

Extra challenge: Clap your hands on a regular beat. Players must say the word on the beat, otherwise they’re out. You can increase the clap tempo as players get eliminated, so that the final two will have to fire words back and forth lightning fast.

Rhyme time

Turn your kids into the next Will Shakespeare with this rhyming game that can be simplified for preschoolers too. A player names something he or she sees out the car window (or in a room), and the other players have to say a word that rhymes with it.

You can play with points (the first person who calls out a rhyme gets a point) or by elimination (whoever can’t think of a rhyme in a certain number of seconds is out). For the youngest kids, simply asking for words that rhyme with things you point out is a game in itself.

I’m going to the moon

The first player names an object he or she is bringing to the moon (or Timbuktu or Old Aunt Alice’s house — whatever destination strikes your kids’ fancy), and the next person repeats that object and adds another one to the list. Players who make a mistake repeating the list are out. The winner is the last one left.

For example:
Player 1: “I’m going to the moon, and I’m bringing a dog.
Player 2: “I’m going to the moon, and I’m bringing a dog and a kite.”
Player 3: “I’m going to the moon, and I’m bringing a dog, a kite, and a flashlight.”

Alphabet twist: For a variation, add objects alphabetically.

For example:
Player 1: “I’m going to the moon, and I’m bringing an atlas.”
Player 2: “I’m going to the moon, and I’m bringing an atlas and a boat.”
Player 3: “I’m going to the moon, and I’m bringing an atlas, a boat, and a cupcake.”

To the moon! Instead of adding items, players have to figure out the secret of what kind of objects they can bring — whatever the first player decides this will be (such as the number of syllables in a word, green things, going alphabetically backwards, etc.) The player who figures it out gets to start the next round.

For example:
Player 1: “I’m going to the moon, and I’m bringing a harpsichord.
Player 2: “I’m going to the moon, and I’m bringing a drum.”
Player 1: “Sorry, you can’t go to the moon. I’m going to the moon and bringing a telephone.”
Player 2: “I’m going to the moon and bringing a thunderbolt.”
Player 1: “You can go to the moon!”

(Hint: In this case, words have to be three syllables.)

Complete the word

The first person says a sound or syllable, and the second person adds a syllable (or syllables) to complete it. Then they both say the word together:

For example:
Player 1: “Mon-”
Player 2: “-key”
Together: “Monkey!”

Player 2: “Con-”
Player 1: “-centrate”
Together: “Concentrate!”

This a great way to practice roots and syllables — there are, of course, lots of ways to “complete” the first syllable, and the person who starts may have a different word in mind than the second player’s.

Extra challenge: If the second player blurts out a syllable that doesn’t form a word when joined with the first, the second player then offers a made-up definition.

For example:
Player 1: “Ru-”
Player 2: “Ru-push?”
Together: “Rupush!”
Player 2: “‘Rupush’ is smelly green fuzz that grows on bicycle seats if they go unridden for too long.”

Alphabet story

Make up a story, one alphabetical sentence at a time. The first person begins the tale with a word starting with A, and each player, continuing clockwise, starts the following sentence with the next letter of the alphabet.

For example:
Player 1: “Arlo was a donkey that lived on a farm.”
Player 2: “Born with a purple tail, he had always been an odd donkey.”
Player 3: “Curious about why his tail was purple, Arlo set out on a journey.”

There are no right sentences as long as they start with the right letter. So no correcting the player before you — just accept his or her addition and see where the story leads! And remember: The last sentence starts with Z.

Fun word games for kids are a great way to fight boredom while also helping kids improve vocabulary, spelling, and communication skills. Kids will retain more vocabulary, remember grammar rules, and learn spelling tricks if they have fun while learning and these word games are a great place to start.

What are the benefits of word games?

I have sorted the games into the following three categories below:

• Thinking word games that require no-prep, some are pen and paper games
• Word board games (Actually none of them use a board, ha ha ha)
• Sight word games, particularly good for the classroom

So, what are you waiting for, start playing! (Note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Purchases made through these links may earn commission.)

Word Games and Vocabulary Games

What I love about all the word game ideas in this section is that they are free word games!They are travel friendly, and even older kids will enjoy them. Play them on the go! Play them when you are stuck in traffic! Play them while you wait in line at the DMV! Improve your kids vocabulary whenever and wherever you want.

Words within A Word

Words within a word is probably my favorite on the list, and it’s great for teachers in the classroom. Write out a long word on a piece of paper or a white board, if you have one. Set a timer for 3-5 minutes and challenge kids to come up with as many smaller words as they can using only the letters in the designated word.

For example, if the word is «onomatopoeia»: poem, name, top, pot, ate, etc.

Unscramble

You will need a pen and paper for this word puzzle.  Write a list of 10 words, but instead of spelling them correctly, mix up the letters and challenge your child to unscramble them. To make it a little more fun, select all words from a single category. For example: kcae, kieooc, epi, ssertde, eci mreac becomes cake, cookie, pie, dessert, ice cream.

TIP: for younger kids choose only 3-5 letter words. I also have a frozen version of this game to play in the bathtub! For older kids, try taking 2 word phrases and scrambling them together as if they are one word.

The Minister’s Cat

You can play this game with 2 or more players and it’s great for learning new words! The first person starts off by describing the minister’s cat with an adjective that begins with the letter «A.» For example, «The minister’s cat is an angry cat.» The next player uses an adjective with the first letter «B,» and so on through the alphabet. «The minister’s cat is a bulbous cat.» «The minister’s cat is a cantankerous cat.»

VARIATION: The Minister’s Cat is also a memory game. Players must remember all the adjectives in order as they are added to the game. Using the above example, the second player would say, «The minister’s cat is an angry, bulbous cat.»  The third, «The minister’s cat is an angry, bulbous, cantankerous cat.»

MORE: Memory Games for Kids

Hink Pink

Hink Pinks are rhyming word puzzles. One person thinks of a two word rhyme and gives a two word description. The other player then must guess the «Hink Pink.» For example, if one person says, «angry boy», the other player responds, «mad lad.» Or, «wet canine» becomes «soggy doggy.»

Hink Pink examples: shy fly, funny bunny, slow crow, big wig.

TIP: If players are having trouble coming up with hink pinks, write down a bunch of hink pinks on individual slips of paper and place in a jar for players to draw out on their turn.

Human Thesaurus

Choose a simple word like «beautiful.» Think of as many synonyms as you can. If playing with others, you can set a timer and trade off with different words, or write words down and see who can come up with the most.

Storytelling Word by Word

Start a story with a single word. The next player says that word and builds the story with another word. The next player says the first two words, adds a third, and so on. Alternatively, you can build sentence by sentence. TIP: keep sentences short.

Hangman

This classic word game probably needs no introduction! One person thinks of a word and draws dashes along a paper to represent each letter in the word. Above the dashes he draws platform and stand. The other person guesses one letter at a time. If the letter is in the word, the first person fills in the blank(s). If not, the incorrect letter is written below and the first person draws one body part at a time.  If the person guesses the word before the body is completed (head, torso, 2 arms, 2 legs), he wins, if not — well, he loses.

Word Board Games

You can find some really wonderful word «board» games to play with kids, either for family game night or in the classroom. I put «board» in quotation marks because none of these games use an actual board!

Boggle

Boggle is such a classic game and the shaking sound when mixing up all the letter cubes brings back great memories of playing the game way back when I was a kid.

Find it: Boggle | Boggle Jr.

Word-A-Round

Word-a-round is a relatively new game but great for kids who already know how to spell fairly fluently. It’s also an excellent travel game. Each round card contains words spelled in a circle. Players race to decipher the words before anyone else!

Find it: Word-A-Round

Bananagrams

This classic game is very similar to Scrabble, but without the board. Plus, it comes in a cute banana-shaped pouch! When the kids were younger and had few spelling skills, we played as teams, with each adult paired with a child. Now there is a version for developing spellers.

Find it: Bananagrams classic | My First Bananagrams (ages 4 and up)

MORE: Best Tile Games for Family Game Night

Quiddler

Quiddler is a lesser known card game that we’ve had great fun playing. Read more about Quiddler in my game of the month feature.

Find it: Quiddler | Quiddler Jr.

Sight Word Games

If you are working specifically on sight words with your kids and students, try using these diy sight words games and sight word board games to make learning more fun.

DIY and Printable Sight Word Games

The Measured Mom has a ton of free printable sight word games. Start with this one right here!

Sight Words Dominoes from No Time for Flashcards

Sight Words Pancakes from Playdough to Plato.

Sight Words BINGO with Dolch Words from The Activity Mom

Zingo!

Zingo, Sight Words Edition. The original Zingo is an excellent classic game for pre-readers and early readers and this sight word edition is a must-have addition to the family of games. The Zingo games definitely take the pain out of memorizing sight words and give kids the confidence they need to improve their reading skills.

Other fun literacy ideas: 

• Indoor and outdoor literacy games
• ABC books for kids that parents will enjoy, too!
• Picture books about words that share a love of language

This is a partnered post

Playing word games with kids can help them build a number of different skills. It can help them with their language skills, reading, writing, sounding things out, and lots of other things. You can play word games with children of all ages, wherever you are too. There are board games that can be fun, but plenty of games just need a pencil and paper or can even be played verbally, so you don’t need to write anything down at all. Why not try some of these fun word games with your family today?

You will know some of these – but hopefully not all of them!

Hangman

Hangman is a simple game that
everyone knows, and it’s great to play with children who already know how to
spell. Even kids who have just started with the basics can try some simple
words with just a few letters, and it’s
a good way to practice the alphabet and consider which letters are more common.
To make it easier, you could provide a clue or even a picture of the word you
use. Hangman can be played anywhere with just a pen or pencil and a piece of
paper, or even a chalkboard, easel or whiteboard.

Scrabble

Scrabble is a board game that’s
more suited to older children. However, they don’t have to be too old to
understand how it’s played. If you want to provide a little extra help or just
have some fun without competing, a word
unscrambler tool can help you to find
the best words. If your family can’t manage a full game of Scrabble, try
playing without the board. Everyone can choose eight letters from the bag and
then write down as many words as they can make. This is a bit like Boggle,
which can be a fun game to play too.

The Letter Game

For a verbal game that you can play
anywhere, this game is suitable for two or more people and for different ages.
You pick a category of things to name, which might be colors or pets. One
person says a word and the next person needs to say a word that starts with the
last letter of the first word. So someone might say “cat”, and the
next person can say “turtle”. This game is easy to play, and there
are lots of different things that you can name so you can play it for a long
time too.

I-Spy

This traditional family game can be played by children who already know their alphabet, but it can also be adapted for younger children. Instead of spying something beginning with a certain letter, it can be something that’s a specific color or has some other visual trait. It’s a fun word game to play on long journeys, although it can be a bit confusing if the thing that the person playing has spied is already several miles behind you!

Playing word games as a family helps your child’s verbal skills and spelling, and it’s a fun thing to do without relying on screens to entertain everyone.

We hope you like these ideas – but if you need more inspiration for what to play with the family, why not try some of these ideas too?

Thanks so much for poppping by the see us; if you like these ideas – why don’t you sign up to our weekly newsletter.

Take care,

Helen