The Dictionary Game is a game which will help improve your child’s spelling and vocabulary, as well as teaching them how to use a dictionary. The game itself is simple: someone picks a letter of the alphabet, and a word starting with that letter. The next player then decides if they wish to come up with a word that is closer to the first word listed in the dictionary for that letter, or closer to the last word, and then proposes a new word that is closer to the stated goal. Play then moves on to the next player and the winner is the person who comes up with a real word that is closest to the stated goal (i.e. closest to the first or last word listed in the dictionary for the chosen letter). If you play this game alongside your children, it will help expand their vocabulary as you can use it as a fun way to introduce them to words that they don’t already know.
The dictionary game can be played with any dictionary, such as the Collin’s English Dictionary, and is a fun way to improve your spelling and vocabulary. Parents based in the UK can purchase this dictionary from here, while those based in the US can purchase it from here.
How Long Does It Take To Play? This game is relatively quick and will usually last several minutes for each round, but you can play as many rounds as you like in a row.
Ages: Seven and older. Basically, this game can be played as soon as your child has a reasonable grasp of spelling and vocabulary.
Core Life Skills It Will Help Develop: Academic Skill – Spelling, Vocabulary, How to use a dictionary; Critical Thinking Skill – Non-linear thinking.
What Do You Need To Play It? All that this game requires is a dictionary, and preferably a hard copy rather than a digital or online version. If you don’t already own a suitable dictionary, you can purchase one from here (UK-based parents) or here (US-based parents).
Preparation: No preparation is required for this game.
How Do You Play It? The Dictionary Game is easy to play. It starts with someone picking a letter of the alphabet, and a word of at least three letters in length starting with that letter. The next player then decides if they wish to come up with a new word that is closer to the first word listed in the dictionary for that letter, or closer to the last word, and then proposes a new word of three letters or more that is closer to the stated goal. Play then moves on to the next player (if there are more than two players) or returns to the first player (if there are only two players), and they must come up with another word that is closer to the stated goal. Each player drops out when they fail to come up with a real word starting with the chosen letter that is closer to the stated goal than the previous word someone has played, and the winner is the last player still in the game. Any word played can be challenged by another player, either on the basis that it isn’t closer to the stated goal or that it isn’t a real word (and the challenger must state on which basis they are challenging the word). The person who played it must then state how they think its spelled, and the dictionary is consulted to see if they are correct or not, whether it is in fact a real word and whether it does indeed come closer to the stated goal of the first or last entry under a specific letter. If they are correct, they remain in, and the challenger is eliminated. If they are wrong (in terms of spelling, the proximity to the stated goal or if it’s not a real word), they are eliminated and the challenger remains in. The player who wins a round gets the right to select the letter to be used for the next round, and the game can continue for as many rounds as possible. If you play this game alongside your children, it will help expand their vocabulary as you can use it to introduce them to words that they don’t already know.
When And Where Can You Play It? This game can be played anywhere and at any time as long as you have a suitable dictionary to hand. In general it’s better to play with a real dictionary rather than a digital or online one as it’s harder to see the relative positions of the words in such dictionaries.
Links To Useful Products For This Game
Collin’s English Dictionary Reference Edition: The dictionary that I generally recommend for playing this game is the Collin’s English Dictionary Reference Edition, and you can purchase a copy if it by clicking here, or on the image below. However, you can play it with any dictionary you choose, and you can find other suitable dictionaries listed here.For Parents Based In The UK
Collin’s English Dictionary Reference Edition: The dictionary that I generally recommend for playing this game is the Collin’s English Dictionary Reference Edition, and you can purchase a copy if it by clicking here, or on the image below. However, you can play it with any dictionary you choose, and you can find other suitable dictionaries listed here.For Parents Based In The
USA
About The Author: This post was written by Colin Drysdale, the creator of How To Raise A Happy Genius.
The links contained in this post are affiliate links. This means that we will receive a small commission for each purchase made after clicking on a link. This allows us to run this website and provide the information it contains free of charge. If you don’t want us to receive this commission, simply visit your preferred online store directly and search for the product there.
