We’ve all been there–stuck in traffic, or on a long drive in the middle of nowhere with nothing but static on the radio and restless kids in the back seat of the car. (Ever driven across Nevada on Highway 80?) You’ve fed them all the snacks and their amusements are either used up or out of batteries. They’re getting bored and whiny and are probably starting to pinch each other and breathe each others’ air.
What to do? Try these word games I’ll share over the next few days to make the time pass. Some I learned from other people, and some I made up out of desperation. I’m not telling which are which.
The Spelling Game
This works well with older kids, but any age kid who can spell simple words can play with a few hints. The first person chooses a letter, let’s say “A.” The next person has to add another letter WITHOUT spelling a word. If you spell a word, you’re out.
So after “A,” the next person might say “P.” If the next person (you just rotate through everyone as long as it takes) says “E” she is out, because APE is a word.
Sometimes you’ll lose a round because there’s nothing else to do but to spell a word. For example, if the letters chosen are APPL, and you can’t think of anything to do except APPLE, you lose (I know, you could say APPLI for APPLICATION or APPLIANCE, but we’re playing with kids here. I show no mercy for my teenagers, but go easy on the little guys.)
That leads to another rule: If you add a letter that isn’t leading to a word, you lose. For example, you couldn’t say APPLQ. If someone challenges you and you can’t come up with the word, you lose.
It’s surprising how much elementary school-age kids like this game. Keep it simple, give a few hints and use it as a learning tool. You’ll be playing rounds until you stop for more batteries in Winnemucca.