Word games to play with kids

Word Games to Play With Kids

Word games are great because they help children focus on sounds and letters, and develop skills they need for reading, writing, and spelling. By playing word games with our kids, we give them the benefit of our company, as well as demonstrating to them that playing with words is lots of fun. There are also word games that have become board games and toys, but the ones you'll find below need minimal equipment.

Guess the animal: Give children a rhyming word and have them guess the animal. "I rhyme with mat. I am a …"

I spy: This is a simple word game most people know. Spot something nearby and tell kids the sound or letter it begins with. Children must look around and try to guess what it is you "spied."

MORE: Shop 'I Spy' Books in Our Store

Make a word: If you have plastic letters, magnet letters, or letter blocks, you can play this as soon as your child is old enough to spell. Play it mentally with older kids, or with paper and pencil. Simply give your children some letters and challenge them to make words from those letters. Great beginning for board games like Scrabble.

Categories: This is a game I loved as a child. Do you remember it? Simply draw a grid on a piece of paper. Then write some categories (for instance "plants," "girls' names," "cars," "grocery items") down one side of the grid and write alphabet letters across the top. It needn't be the whole alphabet. The aim is to try to think up a word for each letter and category.

Hink Pink: Kids adore this game! One person thinks of two-single syllable rhyming words, like fat cat. She works out a clue that should lead (eventually!) to the answer "fat cat." One clue could be "an obese mouse-catcher" or "a pet that eats too much," depending on the age of the guesser. The guesser tries to work out what the two rhyming words are. The game can be extended to Hinky Pinky (two syllable rhyming words), like happy chappy = "joyful fellow." Or Hinketty Pinketty (three syllable rhyming words, much harder), like mellower bellower = "less angry bull. " Mix and match with Hinky Pinketty or Hinketty Pink!

Here are some Hink Pinks you can use to get you and your child started.

Clues 1. seafood platter 2. huge oinker 3. head cover that's been squashed by a truck 4. warmed up joint between two ropes 5. Rained-on puppy

Answers 1. fish dish 2. big pig 3. flat hat 4. hot knot 5. wet pet

If your child has trouble working out how many syllables are in a word, play a game where you tap the syllables on her arm as you slowly say the word: "butt(tap)-er (tap)-fly(tap)." Or march and dance the words, making strong body movements for each syllable. There is nothing more joyous than the sight and sound of 30 youngsters marching about, chanting the syllables in given words!

Once older kids are used to the game, it can provide a lead-in to crossword puzzles, and then cryptic crossword puzzles. All of these word games are great for developing thinking skills, as well as giving the whole family a way of celebrating the joy of language.

Word Game: I have no idea of the name of this game, but this is how we play it. One person, A, thinks of a five-letter word. A tells B the first letter of the word. B makes guesses at the word and finds out if letters are correct and in the correct place, correct but in the wrong place, or not correct at all. B gets five chances to guess the word.

Here's an example:

A – My five-letter word starts with D.

B – Is it drive?

A - It's not drive. There are no correct letters.

B - Is it donut?

A – It's not donut. The N is correct and in the right place. The U is correct but in the wrong place.

B – Is it dunny?

A – It's not dunny. The U is correct and in the right place, the N is correct and in the right place.

B – Is it dunks?

A – Yes! That's it. The word is dunks.

This game is much easier if you use pencil and paper to keep a record. But doing it mentally is very good memory training! Our family tends to play for fun, but you can keep a running score if you want – the guesser gets 5 points for guessing the word first go, four for guessing on the second go, three for third, two for fourth, one for fifth, and none for missing the word in five guesses. Try four-letter words with younger kids.

40 Word Games for Kids (To Nurture Literacy Skills)

Word games have the advantage of being both boredom busters and literacy boosters. There is a word game out there for every child and situation. Whether it’s a spoken word game for impromptu play on a rainy day or an online word game when you’re out and about, we’ve got you covered.

We’ve got online games to play on the go, word game printables, and board games as well as the traditional games you played as a kid.

Table of Contents

• Classic Word Games for Kids
• Word Board Games for Kids
• Printable Word Games for Kids
• Online Word Games for Kids
• Benefits of Word Games for Kids
• Not Just A Game

Classic Word Games for Kids

This list of classic word games begins with those you can play verbally, without any preparation.

Then we move onto those that can be played spontaneously but need a pen or pencil and paper.

I-Spy

A perennial classic, I-Spy can be played with kids of all ages and interests. The “spy” begins by saying “I-Spy, with my little eye, something beginning with….” and the other players must guess what the item is. The first person to guess correctly becomes the spy.

For younger children, you can adapt the game by “spying things” of a particular color.

I Went To The Zoo

To begin, the first person says, “I went to the zoo and I saw a…” and they choose an animal. The next person says “I went to the zoo and I saw a …” and they say the first player’s animal and then add one of their own. Players take turns until someone recites the string of animals incorrectly.

You can play by either:

• Using a single letter. If you choose L, all of the animals would begin with L.
• Using all of the letters of the alphabet, in order. So the first person chooses an animal beginning with A, the second an animal beginning with B, and so on.

For older children, you can restrict the animals from a particular continent or eco-system. To be able to play with younger kids, your child will need to learn the alphabet or at least some of the letters and their sounds.

The Prime Minister’s Cat

To play The Prime Minister’s Cat, children should have a vocabulary large enough to include plenty of adjectives.

The first player begins by saying, “The Prime Minister’s Cat was a ?? Cat” and they add an adjective beginning with A. You might say “The Prime Minister’s Cat was an attentive cat.” The next player repeats the process, but with the letter B, and so on.

Hink Pink

Hink Pink is a word rhyming game. The first player thinks of two words which rhyme, such as “Big Rig” but they do not tell the other players what their words are.

The player then gives a clue to their words. So, using “Big Rig,” the clue might be “large truck. ” Other players must then try to guess the rhyming pair.

The first person to guess then takes a turn. This game is best suited for those 4 years and older.

Shopping List

To play this game, the first player says they’re going to the store to buy X, and names a grocery item. They then turn to the player on their left and ask if they “want anything at the store.”

The second player must ask for something that begins with the last letter of the previous item. If the first item is dog food the next person chooses something beginning with D.

The first player then says “OK, I need” and lists the two items. This continues until the “shopper” makes a mistake on their list. The shopper’s role then passes to the person on their left.

Words In Words

Each player needs a pencil and paper. One player chooses a word and everyone writes it down. Players then write down as many words as they can within an agreed-upon time limit, using the letters in the first word.

One point is awarded for each correct word, and the winner is the one with the most points.

This game is best for children who are at least in their early elementary school years. Adjust the game difficulty to match the age of the players.

Meanings

Each player has a pencil and paper, and one player chooses a word. Players then write down as many words as they can think of, which have the same meaning as the chosen word. Everyone gets a point for each word and the person with the most points wins.

This is better suited for middle school students and older.

Tutti Frutti

Each player is given a pen and paper. All players take turns to think of a category such as animals. Each player writes down as many of those things they can think of in a set time.

The winner is the person with the most items.

A child must be able to write to participate in this game. If you want to play with younger children, you can do an oral version where you write down their answers in a separate room from the other players, so they don’t hear the answers.

Make it more difficult for older children by narrowing the category, such as animals that begin with the letter P.

Mouse And Cheese

Begin by drawing a zig-zag line to represent steps. Then draw a mouse at the bottom of the steps.

One player thinks of a word and draws a series of dashes, one for each letter. Other players take turns naming a letter. If they’re correct the letter is written on the corresponding dash.

If the guess is incorrect, you draw an arrow to represent the mouse climbing the stairs. The first player to guess the word wins, or, if the mouse gets to the top, the game is over.

Letter Ladders

Give each player a basic ladder diagram with a word of your choice at the top. Players then change one letter to make a new word and write the new word on the next rung. The winner is the person who gets furthest down the ladder.

Make the game more difficult by writing one word at the top, one at the bottom, and challenging your child to get from one to the other by changing a letter at a time.

Word Board Games for Kids

There’s an extensive variety of word-based board games for kids. They range from basic junior versions of well-known family board games to quirky high-energy games played with word or letter tiles.

We’ve also thrown in a couple of card tricks rather than board games, but they’re both so good we couldn’t leave them off the list.

Boggle Junior

Boggle Junior consists of a set of stands, 30 word and picture cards, and eight dice with a letter on each face. You can play one of four ways, each of which helps to build a different literacy skill. Begin with the letter matching and work up to the spelling game.

This game is best suited for those who are 3 to 6 years.

Zingo Sight Words

Each player is given a Zingo card. Push the slider on the Zingo machine to deliver two tiles. If a tile matches a square on their card, the player calls out and is given the tile.

The first player to cover all of the words on their card wins. The best age range for this game is 3 to 6 years.

Scrabble Junior

On one side of the board, players take turns to match their tiles to pre-written words and move their token one place per point. The first to the finish wins.

On the reverse, there is a board with a blank grid for a more traditional game of Scrabble, but without the double and triple score options.

The recommended age range is 4 to 8 years.

Blurt!

This award-winning game for 3 to 13 players builds listening skills as well as vocabulary.

A player reads out the definition of a word, from one of the Blurt! cards. The first person to “Blurt” out the correct word moves their game piece along the board.

This game is best for those 4 years and older.

Sequence Letters

Players take turns to match the letter on one of their cards to the initial sound of a picture on the board. When they do, the player places one of their tokens on the picture. The object is to get five tokens in a row, which is not as easy as it sounds.

Children ages 4 to 7 years are best suited for this game.

Bananagrams

Players use tiles to make as many words as possible in a crossword-style grid. The beauty of this game is that speed is more important than having a large vocabulary or strategically arranging tiles on a board.

For regular Bananagrams, the suggested player age is 7 years or older. For Bananagrams Jr., players can be 4 years and older.

Goliath WordSearch

To play, one of the 20 pre-printed word search puzzle discs is placed in the game board. The board is then rotated to reveal one of the words hidden on the disc. Players must then race to find the hidden word and lay their colored markers along it before anyone else.

This game is recommended for players 7 years and older.

Upwords

Each player starts with seven tiles. The first player lays them on the board to make a word and the next player adds some of their own tiles to make another word. Unlike Scrabble, you can stack tiles on top of each other.

Points are awarded for each tile laid. The recommended age for this game is 8 years and older.

Wordical

A challenging spelling game for 2 to 8 players, Wordical players are dealt a hand of random consonants cards. Roll the vowel dice and the players must use the letters on the dice and the cards in their hand to make words.

The player with the highest scoring word wins the round. Wordical is best suited for those 8 years and older.

Quiddler Word Game

The great thing about Quiddler is it can be played together by children and adults. It is also highly portable, so it’s well-suited for travel.

It’s often compared to Scrabble with cards instead of tiles, but we find Quiddler much friendlier and more relaxed than its distant board game cousin.

It’s a game best suited for 8 years and older.

Printable Word Games for Kids

Looking for some informal and fun learning opportunities? Or if you need low cost or no-cost resources for homeschooling or a way to keep your child’s brain nimble, printable word games are an excellent literacy booster.

They are portable, and you can reprint them as many times as you like. Most of these are best for school-aged children.

Word Searches

You can find word searches that are suitable for kids of all ages and interests. These staples of the word game world also range in difficulty. There are simple versions that only have words written forwards, horizontally and vertically, and harder ones that hide the words backward and diagonally.

Anagrams

Print out a list of mixed-up words, then challenge your child to rearrange the letters and discover what they should say.

My top tip is to look for sheets that have lots of room for your child to try writing down the letters in different arrangements. This is especially useful for kids new to anagrams.

Word ladders

Setting up word ladders can take a bit of time and effort, especially if you’re using longer words. If you don’t have the time or the inclination, there are numerous printable word ladders to be found online. However, they are usually for younger children.

Secret Codes

Part word game and part undercover shenanigans, secret codes are a good choice for kids who are not yet confident with their independent reading and writing skills.

Rather than requiring them to know how to spell, these substitution codes help your child to focus on the process of replacing symbols with letters.

Word Bingo

Print on cardstock and you have a game that can be played in two ways.

With option one, play it like a traditional bingo game with a caller and kids covering up the words they have to make a line. With option two, let your child tick off the words as they hear them while watching a show.

Sight Word I-Spy

We are especially fond of this example of printable I-Spy because of the empty space on the side of the sheet. This large blank space gives our kids room to write down the items they find. They can then focus on finding the other item to make the rhyming pair.

Mad Libs

Free-form Mad Libs you write yourself can be fun, but they can also take time to prepare. If your child expresses an interest in doing a Mad Lib activity, and you don’t have the time to prepare, printable Mad Libs can be a life-saver.

They’re also great if your kids have interests that would make a good Mad Libs theme, but you don’t know enough to create one yourself.

Printable Boggle

Although you can play Boggle alone, it’s more fun with family and friends. Consequently, suggesting your child makes words alone with the Boggle game can fall flat. That’s where printable Boggle comes in.

It’s the same principle, but for some reason, it doesn’t fall flat in the same way as a solo game of “proper” Boggle.

Word Match

A word match printable can be simple, with words down one side and pictures down the other.

Using a printable that has more complex words to match to pictures can help your child make the leap from sounding out the entire word to making an educated guess based on the initial letter sound.

Crosswords

Again, you can find printable crosswords for kids of all ages and abilities. Beginners can have crosswords with pictures as clues and three-letter answers while older kids can have direct written clues and answers.

Finally, for those with a strong vocabulary, you can try crosswords with complex and or cryptic clues.

Online Word Games for Kids

While we should keep our kids’ screen time within suitable limits, it doesn’t mean all screen time is bad. Spending time with your child while they use educational apps and other online resources also helps them learn healthy online use habits ⁽¹⁾.

We have chosen ten games that are free, and do not require any memberships or sign-ups to play.

Audio Words

Audio Words presents a series of cards on the screen. Kids click a card, the card turns over, and the game reads aloud the word on the card. You then click a second card and the same thing happens.

The aim of the game is to find matching pairs. It’s excellent for emerging readers.

Word Wipe

To play Word Wipe, children have to click on letter blocks in a grid and then link them to adjoining letter blocks to form a word. Once used, the letters disappear and the blocks above fall down to fill the gap. The game gets progressively harder as children work through the levels.

Letter Dash

Start the game and a series of dashes appear. Try to guess the letters that go in the place of each dash, before the time runs out. A box on the screen lets you see which letters you have used and the game gets progressively harder in response to a win.

This game does require Adobe Flash Player.

Animal Crosswords

This is a bright, colorful, animated crossword game for kids in second grade. The answer to every clue is the name of an animal which narrows down the possibilities for kids who are overwhelmed by crosswords without a subject focus.

Crosswords are randomly generated so it can be played multiple times. It also requires Flash Player.

PBS: Vocabulary Games

PBS has an entire page of word games for kids, each of which is linked to a specific PBS children’s program. This is useful if you have a reluctant learner who is a fan of a particular show.

However, you don’t have to have watched a program to play the associated game.

Free Words

Open Free Words and you are met with a game board that has six letters. Above the game board, there are a series of columns with a space for each word you can make from the letters provided. See how many of the words you can make before the timer runs out.

Word Hunter

Word Hunter is an online word search game with three levels of difficulty. This game is one of many educational games by CBC, the Canadian national broadcaster.

Games are themed and categorized which makes it easy to find something for your sports fan, animal lover, or budding adventurer, no matter what their literacy level.

Freerice Vocabulary

Free Rice is a site hosted by the United Nations World Food Program. This game tests your child’s vocabulary by providing a word and four possible definitions. If the correct definition is chosen, rice lands in a food bowl, and the object of the game is to fill the bowl.

Another incentive to play this game is that your child will be feeding the hungry as they play. For every right answer, a small donation is made to fight world hunger.

Woodshake

Press play and the game will generate a 4×4 grid of letters. Your child highlights letters to make a word and presses enter. The number of letters determines the points awarded.

There is a three-minute timer, so there is an element of pressure that some children enjoy, but others don’t.

Word Unscramble

This multi-level game combines anagrams with a puzzle strategy for kids from kindergarten to grade 5.

A series of letters appear in circles at the top of the game area. They slowly sink to the ground while the player swaps pairs of letters with each other. The aim is to get the letters in the correct order before they hit the ground.

Benefits of Word Games for Kids

Literacy is about much more than being able to read and write. It is about understanding that words are labels and then knowing how to use those words to convey information, our thoughts, and our feelings ⁽²⁾.

Word games can help our kids lay the foundation for reading and writing, but they also help to develop the vocabulary to express themselves clearly and precisely.

Any game that helps a child focus, take turns, learn to live with losing, manage frustration, and consider others can only be a good thing.

Not Just A Game

Games were once considered a simple way to pass the time.

Now we know there can be significant social, emotional, and cognitive benefits for children who play games.

By providing word games for kids, you are not just putting an educational twist on a frivolous activity.

You are helping your child become a healthier, more rounded human being. And that’s something to feel good about.

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7 word games suitable for children of any age

When there is no energy left for active games that require careful preparation, word games come to the rescue. We've put together a selection of seven cool games that all you need to do is be in the company of more than two people and be in a good mood! You can also play them via video link.

1. "Guess the word!"

Number of players: from 2 people

Very simple and funny game. Headphones are put on one player, in which music plays loudly so that he does not hear anything. His task is to guess the word by the lips when another player says it. If several people are involved, then you can explain the word in turn or split into pairs.

2. “I will never…”

Number of players: from 2 people

Today this game has many variations. We offer the most common version. Participants take turns to name some action that they have never done. For example, player A says, "I've never been late for class." Everyone who was late for them bends one finger. The game continues until one of the participants has all their fingers bent. According to the main version of the game, the person who was the first to bend all the fingers lost, but lived the most eventful life!

By the way, you can also play in English if you want a different level of difficulty.

3. "Thematic words"

Number of players: from 2 people

The rules of the game are extremely simple. You and other participants need to come up with a topic on which you will name the words. For example, "school". Then all participants in a circle should name nouns that relate to the main topic. If one of the participants thinks for more than five seconds or repeats an already spoken word, he is eliminated. The last one left wins. When the circle is over, you can start a new one on a different topic until one of the participants wins, for example, three times.

4. "P"

Number of players: from 3 people

First, all players need to agree on which words will be used throughout the game: only nouns, or names, verbs and phrases can be used. Then one player guesses a word in the ear of the other. He must explain it to another participant in the game, using only words that begin with the letter "p" to describe it. For example: “Please look, think, the postman brings mail ...” The task of all players is to name the hidden word. When it is named, the explainer comes up with a new one for the guesser.

If this version of the game is already fed up, we suggest guessing not only a word, but also a letter with which the player needs to explain the word.

By the way, the explainer also needs to express agreement or disagreement with the train of thought of the players who guess, only in words beginning with the chosen letter. For example, "right" and "think better."

5. "I'm taking with me on a hike..."

Number of players: from 3 people

At the beginning of the game, you need to choose a leader. This person must come up with a principle by which he will take others with him on a campaign. For example, those who name objects with a specific letter, or those whose words consist of five letters.

Next, the players take turns saying the phrase "I'm taking with me on a hike ..." and naming the object. If he fits the conceived principle, then the leader answers: "Yes, and you are going on a hike with me." If the word does not fit: "No, you are not going camping with me."

The task of all players is to guess the principle by which the leader selects people. If one of the participants guesses, he should quietly express his guess in the ear of the presenter or write on the phone. The game continues until everyone has guessed the principle.

6. Alibi

Number of players: from 4 people

At the beginning of the game, you need to choose two people who will play the role of criminals. They must isolate themselves from the rest in another room and think through to the smallest detail what they did together on the day they robbed the bank: what the weather was like, what they were wearing, who they met on the street, the whole sequence of actions. The main goal of criminals is to come up with the perfect alibi.

While they are doing this, the other players turn into detectives. They need to come up with 10-15 questions that they will ask the criminals in order to bring them to clean water and solve the crime.

When both teams are ready, the first criminal enters the room and begins to tell what he did on the day of the crime, from morning to evening. It is important that the second criminal at this moment remains in another room and does not hear the speech of the first. When the first one finishes speaking, the detectives ask him prepared questions and memorize the answers. After that, the second criminal enters the room, tells his story and also answers questions.

The team of detectives wins the game if they find three inconsistencies in the criminals' story. For example, one said that they were traveling in the morning by bus, and the other by car. If no disagreement is found, then the team of criminals wins. The number of questions and inconsistencies may change at the request of the participants.

7. "Contact"

Number of players: from 4 people

At the beginning of the game, a leader is chosen. He thinks of a word - a noun in the singular. And calls the other participant the first letter. For example, "a".

Next, any player from the team who has come up with a word for this letter must begin to explain it to his teammates. It is necessary that they guess, but not the host. For example, Sasha says: "This is such a sweet large red fruit that everyone eats in the summer." If one of the players guessed what it was about, he should say: "There is a contact." After that, they together count aloud from one to five. If the word matches, the leader calls the next letter. For example, in". Players must now come up with words based on the beginning with "av". If the words of the players did not match or the leader managed to name the word while two players counted to five, then the participants continue to play with one letter.

Explain with an example. The host announces that his word begins with the letter "a". Sasha comes up with any word and says: “Guys, this is such a public transport ...” Roma guesses what it is about and says: “There is a contact!” Together they count to five, and both say the word "bus" aloud. The word matched. Therefore, the leader says: "The second letter is" p "". Roma says: "A stringed musical instrument." Masha guesses about the word and shouts: "There is a contact!" They start counting up to five, but on the third second, the presenter calls the word "harp", which Roma made up. Therefore, he does not tell them the third letter.

The goal of the game is to guess the word the host has in mind. This can be done both in the process of guessing, and by naming it right away (there are such cases).

Illustration: Shutterstock (arkana.studio)

Word games and exercises for children in kindergarten, Card file of word games in kindergarten №17 Alekseevka Belgorod region

“What is round and what is oval?”

Game progress: The teacher asks the child to name as many round and oval objects as possible. The child starts the game.

If he cannot name, the teacher starts: “I remembered that an apple is round and a testicle is oval. Now you go on. Remember what shape is a plum, and what is a gooseberry? That's right, the plum is oval, and the gooseberry is round. (Helps the child name objects and compare them in shape: ring-fish, hedgehog-ball, cherry-leaf cherry, watermelon-melon, acorn-raspberry, tomato-eggplant, sunflower-seed, zucchini-apple) .

In case of difficulty, the teacher shows the child a set of pictures and together they arrange them into two groups.

“Flies - does not fly”

Game progress: The teacher offers the children to quickly name objects when he says the word “flies”, and then name other objects when he says the word “does not fly”.

The teacher says: “Flies”.

Children call: “Crow, plane, butterfly, mosquito, fly, rocket, dove”, etc. Then the teacher says: “Does not fly”. Children call: “Bicycle, chamomile, cup, dog, pencil, kitten”, etc. The game continues: the words “flies”, “does not fly” are called by one of the children, and the teacher names the objects together with the children. The game can be played while walking.

"Edible - inedible"

The game is played by analogy with the previous one.

"Alive-non-living"

Game progress: First, we explain that we call all living objects "WHO", and inanimate objects "WHAT". Here are some examples.

Then we play questions and answers. You can use picture books.

What is growing? Who is growing?

Who flies? What flies?

Who swims? What is floating?

Who is the biggest? What is the biggest?

Etc.

“What happens below and what happens above?”

Game progress: The teacher invites the children to think and name something that happens only upstairs.

If the children find it difficult, he prompts: “Let's look up, above us is the sky. Does it happen below? No, it always happens only at the top. And what else happens only at the top? Where are the clouds? (stars, moon) . Now think about what happens only below? Look at the ground. Where does the grass grow? Where does she go?” (plants, ponds, earth, sand, stones, etc.) .

After that, the children independently enumerate the objects of nature that exist only above and those that exist only below.

"What can be sweet?"

Game progress:

The teacher offers the children: Listen carefully, I will call something that is sweet. And if I make a mistake, then I must be stopped, I must say: “Stop!”

The teacher says: "Sugar, marshmallows, raspberries, strawberries, lemons."

The children listen attentively and stop him on the word where he "wrong". Then the children themselves name what is sweet.

“Answer quickly”

Game progress: The teacher, holding the ball in his hands, becomes a circle with the children and explains the rules of the game: “Now I will name some color and throw it to one of you ball. The one who catches the ball must name an object of the same color. Then he himself calls any other color and throws the ball to the next one. He also catches the ball, names the object, then his color, etc.”

For example, “Green,” says the teacher (makes a short pause, giving the children the opportunity to remember green objects) and throws the ball to Vitya.

"Grass", - Vitya answers and, having said: "Yellow", throws the ball to the next one.

The same color can be repeated several times, as there are many objects of the same color.

The main feature for classification can be not only the color, but also the quality of the object.

The beginner says, for example: "Wooden", and throws the ball.

“Table,” answers the child who caught the ball and offers his word: “Stone”.

"Home" - the next player answers and says: "Iron", etc.

The next time the form is taken as the main feature. The teacher says the word "round" and throws the ball to any player.

"Sun" - he answers and calls another shape, for example "square", throwing the ball to the next player.

He names a square object (window, handkerchief, book) and suggests some form. The same shape can be repeated several times, since many objects have the same shape. When repeating, the game can be made more difficult by offering to name not one, but two or more objects.

“How are they similar?”

Game progress: The teacher invites the children to look around and find two objects that are somewhat similar to each other.

He says: “I will call: the sun-chicken. How do you think they are similar to each other? Yes, that's right, they are similar in color to each other. And here are two more items: a glass and a window. How are they similar to each other? And now each of you will name your two similar objects.

Games to eliminate the fourth "extra" word

“Be careful!”

Game progress: The teacher says to the children: I will name four words, one word does not fit here. You must listen carefully and name the "extra" word. For example: matryoshka, tumbler, cup, doll; table, sofa, flower, chair; chamomile, hare, dandelion, cornflower; horse, bus, tram, trolleybus; wolf, crow, dog, fox; sparrow, crow, dove, chicken; apple, tree, carrot, cucumber.

After each highlighted "extra" word, the teacher asks the child to explain why this word does not fit into this group of words, i.e., to explain the principle of grouping.

“Listen carefully!”

Game progress: The teacher says to the child: “I will name the words, and you will say which word does not fit: cat, fox, horse, cow; tractor, car, rocket, bus; pear, turnip, beet, carrot; book, pencil case, ball, notebook; water, thermometer, medicine, cotton wool.

In case of difficulty, he slowly repeats a certain set of words and helps the child to highlight the unsuitable for some reason.

Find out!

Game progress: What berries do you know? Now I will name the words, if among them you hear the word for a berry, then clap your hands.

Presentation words - cabbage, strawberry, apple, pear, currant, raspberry, carrot, strawberry, potato, dill, blueberry, lingonberry, plum, cranberry, apricot, marrow, orange.

"Now I'm going to name the words, if you hear a word related to berries, clap once, if it's about fruits, clap twice."

(Words can be used the same, you can come up with others.)

As a basis for systematization, there can be a topic - tools, furniture, clothes, flowers, etc.

Tell me, what are the similarities in taste? color? size?

- lemon and pear

- raspberry and strawberry

- apple and plum

- currant and gooseberry

What is the difference in taste? color? size?

Divided into groups

Game progress: "What groups do you think these words can be divided into? Sasha, Kolya, Lena, Olya, Igor, Natasha.

What groups can be made from these words: dove, sparrow, carp, titmouse , pike, bullfinch, zander".

Match words

Game progress:

1. Match as many words as possible that can be classified as wild animals (pets, fish, flowers, weather phenomena, seasons, tools and etc.) .
2. Another version of the same task.

Use arrows to connect words that match the meaning:

ball | furniture

poplar | flower

cabinet | insects

plate | wood

coat | clothing

ant | crockery

pike | toy

rose | fish

"Similarities and differences"

Game progress: Invite the child to indicate the similarities and differences of the following pairs of words:

Book - notebook | Day - night

Horse - cow | Tree - bush

Telephone - radio | Tomato - cucumber

Airplane - rocket | Table - chair

"Find the opposite object"

Game progress: Calling any object (for example, sugar) , you need to name as many others as possible that are opposite to this one. It is necessary to find opposite objects according to the function "edible - inedible", "useful - harmful", etc., on the basis of (size, shape, condition) , etc.

"Search for an analogy"

Game progress: A word is called, for example, a briefcase. It is necessary to come up with as many "analogues" as possible, i.e. other items similar to it in various essential features (bag, sack, backpack, etc.) Game progress: Invite the child to name a group of objects in one word. We call many specific objects with one word. For example, birch, pine, oak, etc. we call trees.

d) watch and thermometer 9005 Devices)

D) Kit and Lev (animals)

E) Echo and mirror (reflection)

“Words-twin”

The course of the game: This exercise is associated with this a phenomenon of the Russian language, like homonymy, that is, when words have different meanings, but are the same in spelling.

Which word means the same as the words:

1) a spring and something that opens the door;

2) the girl's hair and a grass cutter;

3) a branch of grapes and a drawing tool.

Think of words that are the same in sound but different in meaning.

Additional tasks for the exercise:

4) a crying vegetable and a weapon for shooting arrows (burning vegetable and small arms) ;

5) part of a gun and part of a tree;

6) things to paint on and greenery on the branches;

7) a construction site hoist and a mechanism that must be opened to allow water to flow.

"What is needed"

Game progress: The car runs on gasoline or other fuel; tram, trolleybus or electric train are powered by electricity. All this together can be attributed to the group "transport".

Seeing an unfamiliar car (e.g. truck crane) , they ask: what is it? Why?

Similar exercises are performed with other concepts: tools, utensils, plants, animals, furniture, etc.

“Why?”

Game progress: Now I will tell you words, and you will answer me, which is more, which is less, which is longer, which is shorter.

- Pencil or pencil? Which one is shorter? Why?

- Cat or whale? Which one is more? Why?

- Boa constrictor or worm? Which one is longer? Why?

- Tail or ponytail? Which one is shorter? Why?"

The teacher can come up with his own questions, focusing on the above.

"Choose the main thing"

Game progress: An adult says to the children: Now I will read a series of words. From these words you will have to choose only two, denoting the main features of the main word, i.e., without which this object cannot exist.

Other words are also related to the main word, but they are not main.0003

For example, a garden... What do you think, which of these words are the main ones: plants, gardener, dog, fence, earth, i.e. something without which a garden cannot exist? Can there be a garden without plants? Why?. .. Without a gardener... a dog... a fence... land?.. Why?

Each of the proposed words is analyzed in detail. The main thing is that children understand why this or that word is the main, essential feature of this concept.

Sample tasks:

a) Boots (laces, sole, heel, zipper, shaft)

b) River (shore, fish, angler, mud, water)

c) City (car, building, crowd, street, bicycle)

d) Barn (hayloft, horses, roof, livestock, walls)

e) Cube (corners, drawing, side, stone, wood)

f) Division (class, divisible, pencil, divider, paper)

g) Game (cards, players, fines, penalties, rules)

h) Reading (eyes, book, picture, seal, word)

and) war (plane, guns, battles, rifles, soldiers)

“Dunnet”

Two games: The host thinks of a word or tells the conditions of some completely unusual situation, and the players (children or adults) must guess the word or explain the situation by asking questions that can be answered with one of five answers: "yes"; "No"; "Yes and no"; "there is no information about it"; "it's not significant. "

For example: "I thought of a plant in the middle zone. In ten questions, determine the plant that I thought of."

Themes for "danetok" and possible continuation of the game.

What vegetable did I have in mind?

- Is it a root vegetable? (Carrot, beet, radish)

- Is it a leafy vegetable? (Cabbage, lettuce)

- Is it a fruit vegetable? (Tomatoes, cucumbers)

What name did I think of?

- Is it a male name?

- Does the name begin with a vowel?

- Is there such a name in our group?

What piece of clothing did I have in mind?

- Is this outerwear?

- Are these men's clothes?

What fairy tale did I have in mind?

- Is this a Russian fairy tale?

What historical figure did I have in mind?

- Is this a man?

What must I do in the morning?

What color do I have in mind?

What property of ice cream, light bulb, watermelon, pencil did I guess?

What country did I have in mind?

What kind of writer, storyteller, poet, scientist did I have in mind?

What famous battle did I have in mind?

"Black box"

Game progress: Children are shown a "black box" or just a bag, briefcase and they are asked to guess what is there in 10 questions? Etc.

- Is there a man-made object? Is there something soft? Is there something metallic? Etc.

List the items

Game progress: One leader is selected from the group of children. He leaves the room for 2 minutes. At this time, 7 objects are placed on the table in the room and the situation is thought about. For example, children think of the situation "I'm going for a walk", then 7 items of clothing should lie on the table.

The driver is invited, the situation is told to him and he is allowed to inspect the table for 1-2 minutes. Then he turns his back to the table and faces the group of children and starts listing the things on the table. After each correct answer, the group says "Correct!", after the wrong - "Wrong!". If the driver has not listed all the items, the group says which items he forgot.

"Opposite"

Game progress: The leader calls the group of children a word. The task is to name a word denoting the opposite object.

For example, the facilitator says the word "cup". Children can name the following items: "board" (the cup is convex, and the board is straight) , "the sun" (the cup is made by a person, and the sun is part of nature) , "water" (water is a filler, and a cup is a shape) etc.

Each child in turn offers his answer and always explains why he chose this subject.

"Come up with a riddle"

Game progress: A leader is selected from a group of children. His task is to come up with a riddle. The group must solve this riddle. Then another child comes up with a riddle, and so on. Children of 6 years old love to come up with riddles, the game is lively.

"Who is whom (than) will be?

Game progress: The good thing about the game is that you can play with the company or together with your child anywhere. Ask each other questions, make sure that the baby answers the question correctly.

Who will the egg be? (may be a chick, a crocodile, a turtle, a snake.)

- a chicken - a rooster;

- a boy - a man;

- calf - cow or bull - paper - book;

- snow - water;

- water - ice;

- seed - flower;

- flour - pancakes;

etc.

Reverse game: "Who was who?".

- horse - foal

- flower - seed

"Third extra"

Game progress: Adult says three words - owl, crow, fox. The child should quickly analyze these three words in his mind and determine that all three words refer to wildlife, however, an owl and a crow are birds, and a fox is not. Therefore, the fox is superfluous here.

More examples for younger preschoolers:

- milk, juice, bread - all three words mean edible. But they drink milk and juice, but eat bread;

- car, horse, tram;

- hat, scarf, boots;

- rose, birch, tree.

For children aged 5-7 the tasks become more difficult:

- rain, snow, river;

- doctor, tourist, driver;

- shadow, sun, planet;

- frost, blizzard, January;

- stone, clay, glass;

- door, carpet, window;

- sea, river, pool.

“What happens?”

Game progress: First, the adult asks questions, and the child answers. Then you need to give the child the opportunity to express themselves.

Examples:

- What is high? (tree, pole, man, house) . Here it is appropriate to ask which is higher - a tree or a house; person or pole.

- What is long? (short)

- What is wide (narrow) ?

- What is round (square) ?

A variety of concepts can be included in the game: what is fluffy, soft, hard, sharp, cold, white, black, etc.

“What is outside, what is inside?”

Game progress: The adult names a couple of objects, and the child says what can be outside and what can be inside. House - closet; book - cabinet; purse; wallet-money; pan - porridge; aquarium - fish; booth - dog; nora - fox.

Then switch roles - let the child think of pairs of words.

Who is this?

Game progress:

Option 1: We ask questions: who treats the sick? Who teaches children at school? Who is preparing dinner? Who is working on the tractor? Who delivers letters and newspapers? Who sews the dress?

Option 2: Questions: what does the janitor do? What does the doctor do? What does an electrician do? What does the teacher do? What does the driver do? What does a painter do? What does a hairdresser do?

3rd option: We come up with riddles. For example: this person works on the street, he has a broom, a shovel.

4th option: "Who needs what?" What does the postman need? What does a hairdresser need? And vice versa: who needs scissors? Who needs a needle?

"Guess the object by its parts"

Game progress: Children name the parts of the object. The first person to guess what it is about gets one point. This option is good because you can play together with your child anywhere. For example, on the way to kindergarten, while waiting in line to see a doctor, etc.

Examples:

Four legs, backrest, seat.

Numbers, arrows.

Letters, pictures, sheets.

Trunk, branches, leaves.

Root, stem, leaves, petals.

Screen, buttons, electric cord, remote control.

Spout, handle, lid, electric cord.

Paws, tail, collar.

Paws, tail, trunk.

Does everything seem too simple at first glance? But in fact, not all children can describe objects. Try it!

"Guess the object from the description"

Game progress: Game conditions are the same as in the previous one. But the task here is more difficult. It is necessary not only to find the correct definitions of objects, but also to correctly coordinate adjectives and nouns by gender, as well as to know such concepts as furniture, vegetables, fruits, insects, domestic and wild animals, etc.

Wild animal, lives in the forest , big, shaggy, likes honey.

Wild animal, sly, red, with a fluffy tail.

Insect, with colorful wings, similar to a flower.

Transport, large, heavy, with wings and tail.

Vegetable, red, round, put in salads and soups.

Sweet, small, in a beautiful paper.

“Think and choose!”

Game progress: Now I will read you a proverb, and you try to find a suitable phrase for it that reflects the general meaning of the proverb, for example:

Measure seven times, and cut once

a) If you cut it wrong yourself, then do not blame the scissors

b) Before you do it, you need to think carefully

c) The seller measured seven meters of fabric and cut it off

The right choice here is "Before you do, you need to think carefully"

Example tasks:

1. Less is better.

a) One good book is more useful to read than seven bad ones.

b) One delicious cake is worth ten bad ones.

c) What matters is not quantity, but quality.

2. If you hurry, you will make people laugh.

a) The clown makes people laugh.

b) To do a job better, you need to think about it well.

c) Haste can lead to ridiculous results.

3. Strike while the iron is hot.

a) A blacksmith forges hot iron.

b) If there are favorable opportunities for business, you should immediately use them.

c) A blacksmith who works slowly often gets more done than one who is in a hurry.

4. There is nothing to blame on the mirror, if the face is crooked.

a) You should not blame the cause of failures on circumstances, if the problem is in yourself.

b) A good quality mirror does not depend on the frame, but on the glass itself.

c) The mirror hangs crooked.

5. The hut is not red in the corners, but red in the pies.

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