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Word Games to Play with Kids

If you are looking for word games to play with your children, you have come to the right place. Get your children interested in learning new words and all in fun and games, literally. 

Here are 10 games you can play with your children to pique their interest in increasing their vocabulary. 

1. Hang Man

This is one of the most popular word games that have children squealing with glee. One person gives a word for the others to guess and every wrong guess takes the man one step closer to his hanging. 

With every wrong guess, the hangman gets drawn one body part at a time, till he is complete. At this point, the word is revealed. You can add a fun penalty to make the game more interesting. 

1. Rhyming Animals

Let your children chime in with a rhyme! Think of a rhyming word for the word you have in your mind, and have your children try to guess it. For example -  I rhyme with mat, I am a (cat). 

This game is great for children between the ages of 3 to 6. Engage their hyperactive minds in learning and send them on the path of self-discovery. You’ll find that once you make them interested in learning new words, they’ll embark on the quest on their own. 

Never hear “I’m bored,” again!

1. Category Words

Another great way to keep your children engaged is to give them something to think about. You can give them little treats after they complete the exercise successfully. Think of several categories (place, names, animals) and give them an alphabet. They have to come up with one answer for each category. 

This activity can make your children enjoy a quiet car ride, and in turn, you!

1. Big Words, Little words

Get your children to make many words from a big word. Don’t worry if your children don’t know this word, as long as it has a lot of alphabets for them to make words with. 

Next, give your child a time limit and have them think of as many words from those alphabets as possible. You could have the next scrabble champ on your hands. 

1. Word Hunting

Word hunting is perfect for children who are growing their alphabet skills. This game is all about collecting words around you. Sounds interesting? It’s even more interesting to play and increases not only vocabulary but also observation skills. 

It’s quite simple, simply give your child a piece of paper and a pencil. Then give them an alphabet and ask them to write down any word they see around them beginning with the alphabet. 

This game is perfect for long car rides and times you want to sneak in a little nap. Keep your children occupied for hours. 

You can play this game at children’s parties and schools, as well. 

After the children have written their words down, read them aloud to everyone. You can make this game more complex for children who are learning to read by specifying “words on road signs,” and “words with more than three letters.” 

Vocabulary building with children

Children can make great playmates for adults, especially when it comes to memory games. Did you know that five-year-olds have better memories than adults? Try making a string of words that get longer with every turn. You might be surprised at how well your children can keep up. 

If you have older children, you can play games like Scrabble, Quiddler, and Words with Friends. Check out our guides and tips to win at word games like a pro.