| I have tutored too many students who feel | | | | first player writes a word. The next player adds a |
| uncomfortable writing in their own language. By the | | | | second word in order to make the sentence grow. |
| fourth grade, they have stopped wanting to write | | | | Each player in turn adds a new word. However, no |
| anything because everything they write receives a | | | | word can be repeated. Your goal is to see how long |
| grade. The two year old who once begged for a | | | | your story can become without repeating a word. If |
| crayon has become the nine year old who is tired of | | | | you are working with children, simply point out the |
| failing. When I tell them that words can be fun, they roll | | | | repeat and ask them to try again. Come to think of it, |
| their eyes and begin working on the twenty-five | | | | do the same thing while playing with adults. This game |
| sentences sent home for them to copy twice as | | | | promotes vocabulary development, team building, |
| homework. | | | | creativity, and fun. |
| Parents always ask me what they can do to help their | | | | The Rhyming Game: |
| kids care about English; I suggest making words and | | | | In this game, everyone tries to have a realistic |
| writing fun. Science has discovered that we tend to | | | | conversation while managing to rhyme the last word |
| recall better what we've learned while laughing. | | | | of his or her own sentence with the last word of the |
| Research has also pointed to a direct correlation | | | | previous sentence. In other words, if some asks, "How |
| between reading comprehension and writing ability. In | | | | was your day?" you could respond with, "I ran into Bill, |
| other words, teach your children to love writing, and | | | | he said hay." You are not allowed to respond unless |
| they will learn to love reading. Luckily, children always | | | | you can rhyme the last word of your response to the |
| have something they want to say. | | | | last word spoken. If the rhyme dies out, then the last |
| You can make writing and words fun for your kids, as | | | | person to speak can say something else and trigger a |
| well as yourself. Here are four simple games that can | | | | new word to rhyme. You can play the Rhyming Game |
| help you begin: | | | | anywhere and at any time. Some of my most |
| Story-Story Grow: | | | | amusing games have happened while cooking dinner. |
| In this game, everyone starts with a blank piece of | | | | This game develops listening, patience, rhyming, word |
| paper. Everyone writes a sentence on their page, and | | | | play, vocabulary, and roll on the floor laughter. |
| then passes it to another player. Meanwhile, a different | | | | The License Plate Game: |
| player passes you their paper and you add a | | | | In this game, you save your sanity while in traffic. |
| sentence to make their story grow. If there are only | | | | Players get points by spotting license plates with |
| two of you, you pass the same story back and forth. | | | | letters that can form words. You get more points if |
| Essentially, you keep passing stories and adding | | | | you can make more than one word. So 34CRN54 |
| sentences until someone calls for final pass. At this | | | | becomes one point for corn, a second point for |
| point, your job is to complete the story passed to you. | | | | Cornwall, and a third point for Cornwallis. Not to |
| Once done, you can have fun reading the stories to | | | | mention, crane, acorn, crown, croon, cairn; you get the |
| each other. Sometimes they are silly; sometimes they | | | | idea. In this game, you can add any letters you want, |
| are wonderful. This game works well in groups of two | | | | but you must keep the license plate letters in order. |
| and in groups of twenty. It works wonderfully with | | | | The license plate game promotes creativity, bonding, |
| fourth graders who have forgotten the fun of writing. | | | | imagination, vocabulary, and interesting drives home |
| You can play it with your kids; you can play it with your | | | | with your kids. Not to mention that the point keeper |
| friends; you can play it with your e-mail writing buddies. | | | | learns record keeping and math. |
| If players don't know how to start the first sentence, | | | | When we make learning fun, learning comes naturally. |
| you can always begin with a prompt. Something like, | | | | Kids are sponges, often soaking up facts unexpected |
| "The most amazing thing I ever saw was..." This game | | | | and alarming. Learn to play word games with your kids, |
| nourishes creativity, understanding, problem solving, and | | | | and they may learn to love words. I know that I owe |
| writing skills. | | | | my love of writing to my mother's love of words. |
| One Word Story: | | | | Make a habit of playing these games with your kids, |
| In this game, everyone works on the same story. The | | | | and they may learn to love words from you. |