Pencil and Paper Word Games

I like words. I like to play with words. Our favorite family games revolve around words and wordplay; Boggle, Password, Scrabble, and Take Two. (See "Better Than Scrabble?" in the Archives to learn how to play Take Two.)

Here are two word games that require no more than a pencil and paper:

COULD BE

Object: To create a list of words around two given letters within a two-minute time limit.

How to Play: Players draw four dashes on their paper. One player chooses two letters to use, and the other chooses two positions. For example, the first player chooses E and R and the second player chooses positions 2 and 4: __ E __ R.

The players now write as many words as possible within two minutes that fit this pattern. What words COULD BE formed within this pattern?

The player with the most legitimate words after a series of COULD BE games is the winner. Here is a list of sample words from the above pattern:

1. deer 2. bear 3. fear 4. tear 5. leer 6. gear 7. rear 8. pear 9. wear 10.near 11.year

Be sure to check spellings and compare one another's lists. Use word lists as resources to write short verses and poems.

This game helps players to improve spelling skills, increase vocabulary, and recognize phonics and rhyming patterns.

ACROSS WORD

Object: To make a list of words that fit within AND that start with or include a letter of the letters in a given topic. Okay, okay, it's not so complicated at all - read on!

How to Play:
1) Together the players (2 to 4) decide upon a topic such as presidents, insects, automobiles, animals, flowers, etc.
2) Each player writes the word vertically on their paper.
3) Within a two-minute time limit, each player writes the names of words that fit within the given topic. The words must start with or include one letter of the topic word. No word may be listed more than once. Players try to score as many points as possible using the scoring system below.
4) Scoring: 2 points for each word that begins from a letter in the topic word, and 1 point for each word that contains a leter in the topic word. Here is an example, using the topic word SPORTS:

2 SOFTBALL
2 PINGPONG
1 FOOTBALL
2 RUGBY
2 TENNIS
2 SOCCER

This player's score is 11 points. Very good! Remember, sometimes a player will not be able to think of a word for every topic letter. Just score zero for those letters. Also, categories can be comprised of two or more words, such as FURRY ANIMALS or GIRLS' NAMES, and time limits can be increased to 3 or 4 minutes.

This game helps build classification and vocabulary skills and improve spelling skills, and it's fun!

As a busy homeschooling parent, I wore many hats - homemaker, mommy, teacher, and home business owner. Although I did not work outside of my home, I usually found ways to supplement our income by working from home. We did not have a computer during the 1980's and early 90's, but now stay-at-home moms have Internet options that I never had. One of those options is making money blogging. I know, because I have found multiple ways of doing this and I love it! Companies are always looking for bloggers to post their links within their content, and they pay cash for each link! For example, if I am writing a post about GPS systems, I can be paid to include Chart plotters in my content so that the reader can learn more about this GP product and where to buy it. Cool!

Sometimes the link doesn't quite fit into one's content, and that's okay too. The blogger simply mentions the link as a sponsor of that particular post. For example, I might mention Office Room Reception Chairs here as one of my sponsors, because the truth is, a homeschooling parent might very well find some of these products to be perfect for a creating a comfortable homeschool environment (way better than typical school furniture).

I saved this one for last... Easter Baskets! One of the best gifts I ever received was a gourmet gift basket. Take a look at this site and maybe you'll find something perfect for your precious little bunnies!