Friday, January 1, 2016

Having Fun With Words For Everyone

By Jessica Stone


Language is such an interesting subject matter. It is how we communicate between one another and it's very important to have a good understanding of how language works and can be manipulated in order to develop a strong set of skills in this arena, which can be very helpful in life overall. Learning how to have fun with words can be a great way to develop such skills.

Here are some ideas of games to play with anyone, from family members to friends, no matter what their age. Word games are good for putting the brain to work and continuously challenging it to get better. Adding a twist to such games can enhance the brain exercise, for example, using rhymes or some other type of trick. The list of options is endless.

Many of the best word games are played using the alphabet as a starting point or as a guideline throughout. One example of such is to choose a subject like countries or animals, and then have each player try to name something that begins with the next letter of the alphabet as the game progresses. So, the first player will use the letter A for their answer, the next will answer using the letter B at the beginning of the word, and so on.

To make things even more challenging and trickier for the brain, switch it up by taking the last letter from the previous player's answer and using it as the starting letter for the next answer. This can turn out to be super fun for everyone, trying to stump one another. Adding a time limit will only heighten the tension.

Make games like these more age appropriate for children by letting them use paper. 'Name, Animal, Place, Thing' is a good example of a simple game that exercises their brains quite a bit. Each heading is written across the top of the page, with the alphabet running down the side of the page.

Setting a timer means every player only has so much time to fill in as many answers as they can, using a different word for the various categories. This is great for home or school, at a social or academic level. It's good for exercising the young ones' brains, but also a great way to get them quiet for a while!

There are so many ways to create more challenging levels with any word game. Rhyming can be incorporated to really get people stumped. Why not place some words on pieces of paper into a container and have each person pick a word and then find four words that rhyme? Even better, make up a short poem on the spot!

Other tricks and styles in language can add to the fun besides rhyming. What about using puns, double entendres or onomatopoeia, which is the name for words that reflect the sound something makes? Tongue twisters can be especially difficult and equally funny; whoever says them the fastest wins. Or find the longest word and see who can make the most smaller ones using its letters?




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