Word games provide an engaging environment in which children can discover new words and expand their language skills, as well as encourage healthy competition that can increase motivation and boost confidence.
Qourdle takes an unconventional approach to grid games by arranging letters into honeycomb patterns instead. Reminiscent of Boggle but with more options and higher difficulty, Honeycomb takes on a unique challenge that promises endless hours of entertainment!
Name the Animal
Name the Animal is an engaging way for kids to expand their English vocabulary and strengthen it at an early age. They can play this game alone or with friends – making it the ideal educational activity.
Many animals have multiple names. Their scientific name designates their genus (second smallest division of living things), while nonspecialists refer to them by using a common term such as “dog.” For example, domestic dogs’ scientific name is Canis familiaris, but we typically just call them dogs.
Names can also be chosen for impractical reasons, such as honoring their place or person of discovery – for instance, the recently discovered praying mantis has been named Ilomantis ginsburgae, in recognition of Ruth Bader Ginsburg who discovered it.
Rhyming Words
Rhyming words help your child develop his or her auditory and rhythmic skills, as well as build phonological awareness. Additionally, rhyming helps decode new words when reading.
Words that rhyme are known as perfect rhymes; those containing matching last syllables such as cat and rat or ball and doll. Other types of rhyme include alliteration (when two or more words start with identical initial consonants) or syllabic rhymes (two words that share similar vowels at the end, like duck and fudge).
These printable cards allow students to quickly identify rhyming pairs. Simply shuffle and then ask students to flip two cards at a time until they find their match!
Word Search
Word Search is a simple yet entertaining puzzle that involves hunting down words hidden within a grid of letters. Players improve both spelling and vocabulary as they find each hidden word they spot and mark it off their list.
Topical games also help children build contextual vocabulary skills, making these activities ideal for keeping both kids and adults entertained on rainy days or school vacations. Word searches require concentration and perseverance from players as they scour through grids looking for their desired words; failure may lead to frustration but perseverance will increase chances of success.
Word Treasure Hunt
Word treasure hunts can be an enjoyable way for students to practice sight words. Additionally, this game helps develop rhythm and rhyme within children as they hunt their words together. To maximize engagement during their search for treasure, clues should rhyme to add further spice.
Teachers can utilize this activity as an icebreaker activity for content area terms. Divide students into teams and have them search texts for words matching a pattern.
Below is a list of terms related to treasure hunting, with the most pertinent being at the top. Additionally, using the menu provided you can also filter this list according to keywords.
Spelling Game
Use this online game to assess students’ spelling skills. It presents them with a series of scrambled words, and the first person who successfully spells each one correctly earns points.
Form the students into teams. On the whiteboard, draw two large stick people with equal amounts of body parts. Call out a word for team one to spell; if they succeed in spelling it correctly, they get to erase part of another team’s spider’s web.
Word ladders offer another version of this game similar to hangman: players need to change one letter per word in order to form new words and spell them correctly.
Word Guessing Game
In this word game, children examine a picture and try to spell the animal name correctly – scoring more points when they get it right!
One player provides clues for their teammates, either words on a card or their own made up words, that help them guess the correct word from these clues. There may be limits placed upon how many clues or letter combinations a clue-giver may give out at any one time.
Play this light cooperative word game that’s reminiscent of charades! Players work in pairs to produce descriptions of English words on slips of paper that will later be read aloud to the entire class and voted upon.
