Activity Overview
Word Lightning is a great game to introduce word skills to children of all ages. This game can be played with a variety of ages and it is not necessary to declare a winner. In fact, if you have a large distribution in ages, it is probably best to not make it competitive because age appropriate accomplishments can vary greatly. The object of the game is to come up with as many words as possible beginning with a particular letter in one minute.
Word Lightning sounds like it would be very easy to play, but be prepared for the challenge that your brain presents when it freezes up just as you are trying to achieve greatness. This is a fantastic game that can be played just about anywhere with 2 or more players. It can be played in the car or at a restaurant or while in the waiting room to quell boredom and polish though mind skills.
Materials Needed
How to Play
- Players take turns picking a letter for each round of play. They also rotate who will be the score and time keeper for each round.
- After the first player picks a letter, each player gets one minute to call out as many words that they can think of that start with the letter chosen for that round.
- After all of the words have been called out in a round, the player with the most words is the winner and they get to pick the next letter to play in the next round. Depending on the ages of the players in your group, you can adjust this rule so that turn taking goes in order around the table or by age progression, as different skill levels may be significant.
