| Summer is here -- that wonderful season when we | | | | can win by guessing the word or by posing a riddle |
| take our kids on trips to enjoy nature and some | | | | that the first player cannot figure out (it must be a |
| relaxed family time together. Of course, whether it is | | | | riddle that gives a good description of the word, as |
| the cottage, a camp site, or a resort, we have to | | | | decided by the rest of the players). If all the players |
| get there first and that's not always easy. Whether | | | | give up and cannot guess the word, then the first |
| driving in the car, waiting for a bus, or waiting at the | | | | player wins. The winner gets to start the next game. |
| airport, having something to do with the kids can be | | | | We also play this game with kids smaller than 7 by |
| a lifesaver! What our family loves to do is to play | | | | having an older player give them a little help. |
| games. I have assembled here some of our favorite | | | | Ghost: Ghost is one of our favourite word games |
| games. The first two are car games, but the rest | | | | and we often play it on a long trip (the only danger is |
| can work anywhere. Enjoy! | | | | that I have sometimes gotten so involved that I |
| Travel Alphabet: Travel Alphabet is a simple, | | | | missed my exit on the highway!) Players alternate |
| cooperative car game in which everyone works | | | | calling out letters that could make up a word and the |
| together to find an object outside that starts with | | | | goal is to try and not be the one who calls out a |
| each letter of the alphabet (difficult letters like Q, X, | | | | letter that finishes a word, with a minimum of three |
| and Z can be omitted). For example, for A, "air," | | | | letters. If you see no way out, you can fake it and |
| "airplane," or "animals" are some possibilities. I like that | | | | call out a letter even if you have no idea if it could |
| this game encourages the children to look out of the | | | | lead to a word. At any time, a player can challenge |
| window and to see the scenery (of course this game | | | | any other player and then they must say what word |
| doesn't work at night, but by dark, hopefully, the kids | | | | they were thinking of that the string of letters could |
| are asleep). | | | | make. If they have a word, then the challenger loses. |
| Silly License Sentences: This game starts with the | | | | If they do not have a word, then they lose that |
| first player challenging the next player to come up | | | | round. Each time a player loses, they get one letter in |
| with a sentence using the words that start with the | | | | the word, "Ghost." When a player gets the word |
| letters on a license plate -- in order! So if the license | | | | Ghost (loses 5 rounds), then they are out of the |
| plate was AKPA 569, you might come up with, "All | | | | game. At that point, the players might finish the |
| kangaroos play around." The sentences can be | | | | game. The order of first-to-last place is decided on |
| extremely silly but must be grammatically correct. | | | | by whoever lost the least number of rounds or they |
| Hum That Tune: Can you guess the mystery song? | | | | can continue playing until all players but one are "out." |
| The first player hums a section of a song for the | | | | In this game, all words are allowed (not only nouns), |
| other players to guess (it must be a song that the | | | | except proper nouns (people's names, place names, |
| other players have heard). The next player can either | | | | etc.). An example with three players: (player 1), "L;" |
| be the one who guessed correctly or the next player | | | | (player 2), "I;" (player 3), "V." Player 1 realizes that by |
| in order from youngest to oldest. | | | | saying "E," she would be out of the game and then |
| Alpha and Omega (or First and Last): This is a word | | | | thinks of the word "LIVING" and says, "I"; player 2 |
| chain game where the next player must make a | | | | realizes that he is stuck, so he accepts the point and |
| word that starts with the last letter of the previous | | | | gets a G (first letter of ghost). Variations are: |
| word. Players alternate calling out unique words (that | | | | Advanced ghost: Letters can be added on either side |
| have not been said in the game so far) that start | | | | of the word. This makes the game quite a bit more |
| with the last letter of the previous word. This is | | | | challenging and is a good game for great spellers. |
| usually played with some restriction of subjects (for | | | | Reverse Ghost: This game reverses the object of |
| instance fruits, mammals, birds, etc.). Usually no | | | | "Ghost" which is to conclude with the shortest word |
| proper nouns are allowed (names) unless it is | | | | possible. The round in "Reverse Ghost" does not end |
| specifically tied to the subject as it is in Geography. It | | | | with the first word made if a longer word can be |
| is called Geography when cities, towns, countries or | | | | achieved. For example, if "c," "a," "t" has been called |
| provinces are the allowed words. | | | | out to spell "cat", the game continues with the next |
| Crambo: Crambo is a fun game in which a person | | | | player realizing that they can call out "a" to make the |
| thinks of a word and the others have to guess which | | | | word "catalogue." |
| word it is. It utilizes rhyming, expands the vocabulary | | | | Preacher's Cat: This is another fun game where kids |
| and pushes one to think of riddles. All players | | | | get to practice matching adjectives and names while |
| participate all the time. The player who begins the | | | | travelling through the alphabet. Each child says, "The |
| game thinks of a word that belongs to a large | | | | preachers cat is a/an __________ cat and his/her |
| rhyming family (a word with many rhymes), like | | | | name is ____________" with an adjective in the |
| "mat," and gives the others a clue by giving a | | | | first blank spot and a proper name in the second, |
| rhyming clue, such as, "I am thinking of a word that | | | | both starting with the same letter of the alphabet. |
| rhymes with cat". The other players try and guess | | | | The first player starts with "A". For example, the |
| the word indirectly by giving a short, descriptive riddle | | | | player could say, "The preacher's cat is an awesome |
| as their guess. For instance, if a player wants to | | | | cat and her name is Angeline." Play continues all the |
| guess "rat," she might say, "Is it a small animal with a | | | | way through the alphabet, skipping X. Usually we play |
| long tail?" The first player must then guess what | | | | this just for fun. We have no winners or losers and |
| rhyming word the challenger is alluding to in their riddle | | | | help out a child who asks for help and is stuck. |
| and must answer it, i.e., "No, it is not a rat." A player | | | | Follow the link for more great game descriptions. |