Fun Activities to Improve Reading, Spelling, and Vocabulary Skills
Boggle Junior Letters
Editorial Review from Toysrus.com & Amazon.com:
There’s no need to be boggled by words. Boggle Jr. helps children learn
letters, spelling, and reading while having loads of fun! This
easy version of the terrifically popular adult Boggle uses pictures
and matching games to allow children to make the connection between
objects and their names. With two skill levels, players can challenge
themselves further as they become more adept at identifying letters
and words. It will seem like no time at all before kids are begging
to play their parents’ version of Boggle! The game, for one or
more players, includes a game tray with word cover, 30 picture/word
cards with 60 three- and four-letter words, and eight letter cubes.
--Emilie Coulter
Boggle Junior Letters
Boggle
Boggle Hand Held
Pictionary, Jr.
Editorial Review from Toysrus.com & Amazon.com
Speed, not artistry, is the key to Pictionary Junior, a party game that
stole the show from Charades in the ’80s. The kids’ version, which
has been updated with hundreds of new words to draw, has hints
and two levels of play. There are 144 two-sided cards. The red
side is more challenging, and the blue side is easier--for younger
players. Both include a theme to be read aloud and start everyone
thinking on track. Teams go head-to-head to guess the word their
"picturist" draws within 60 seconds. How fast can you
draw an apple pie, an eyebrow, or a coin? It takes a quick hand and good guesswork to move around the game board from start to
finish before the other team. A timer and easy-to-read instructions
are included. --Lynne Sampson
Pictionary, Jr.
Pictionary
Scattergories
Editorial Review from Toysrus.com & Amazon.com:
Scattergories is a fast-paced word game that’s a real crowd pleaser. Each player
takes a category list with 12 categories--such as vegetable, state,
president, things you throw away--and must write down the name
of one item that fits into each category. Sounds easy enough,
but each item has to begin with a specific letter that is determined
when the 20-sided die is rolled. For instance, you roll the letter
"R."
Your answer list for the above categories might look something like this: rutabaga, Rhode Island, Roosevelt,
rubbish, etc. You have to think fast, because a round lasts only 3 minutes! Players score points for each unique answer. --Alison Golder
Scattergories
Scattergories Bible Edition Game
Scrabble Junior
Editorial Review from Toysrus.com & Amazon.com
If there’s any game out there that normally makes little kids feel
left out, it’s Scrabble, the word game that’s usually played by
adults and older kids. But Scrabble Junior is a great way to introduce
young children to the game and get them interested in how words
are formed. In the beginner game, specially developed for younger
kids, players draw seven tiles from a pool, then work to match
letters to the ones printed on the board. As they work through
their tiles, they spell out the words, one letter at a time, and
receive points for finishing each word. By the end of the game,
they’ll have used over a hundred letters to work through a variety
of different words. On the other side of the board there is a
basic version of the classic Scrabble game with simple scoring
rules. Once your children master the advanced game, you might
be surprised to see that they’re ready to take you on in a match
of the original Scrabble. Just be prepared to lose gracefully.
--John Longenbaugh
Scrabble Junior
Also:
Disney Scrabble Junior Game
Monopoly Junior
Taboo Junior
Editorial Review from Toysrus.com & Amazon.com:
Now younger players can experience the fun of Taboo with this junior
edition featuring over 200 words specifically chosen for kids.
The rules sound simple enough: get your team to name common words
without voicing a few choice descriptors. But can you describe
bubble gum without mentioning pink or blow? Taboo rewards those
who think--and speak--fast. The team that correctly identifies
as many words as possible in a minute (measured with the included
hourglass timer) wins. If a member of the opposing team, armed
with the blaring buzzer, catches the clue giver using any of the
taboo words, a point is deducted from the group’s score. It’s
a good idea to separate people who know each other well, because
familiarity can be too advantageous. Playing Taboo requires one
AA battery--and a sense of humor.
Taboo Junior
Taboo
Upwords
This is an excellent game to teach word families.
Editorial Review from Toysrus.com & Amazon.com:
Upwords takes the likes of Scrabble to new heights. Players get more power
out of every word and create more play possibilities . Players
can build from words crossword puzzle-style or by stacking letters
on top of tiles already on the board. The challenge is to make
new words each time. For example, "stack" becomes "snack,"
then "snapshot." --Lynne Sampson
Upwords
