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Getting your kids to develop their vocabulary at an early age will help them learn and communicate better. 

You can go through the academic route to introduce new vocabularies to your kids, but you will soon realize that it’s never as fun, exciting, and engaging as presenting it in a game format. This is because games are the ultimate vehicle for learning. 

Here are the top ten Vocabulary games for kids. They are great because they will help your children to develop the skills they need for reading, writing, and spelling. 

So let’s get your kids learning and communicating faster than you think.

1. Categories Vocabulary Game

Almost everything in life is categorized and the sooner your kids realize that, the easier it is for them to develop the appropriate vocabulary for each category.

This vocabulary game for kids is fun and easy to learn too.

How to play Categories:

• First Choose a category like fruit, animals, plants, kitchen, bedroom, clothes, classroom, car, etc.  
• Write down each category on a sheet of paper or whiteboard.
• Then take turns to guess words for each category and write out each correct guess under each category. If your kid has not developed their writing skill you can help your kid to write it out on the sheet or whiteboard. The great news is that it’s also a good opportunity to help your kid practice writing.
• The ground rule for this vocabulary game for kids is that each correct guess must be said once.

With this vocabulary game for kids, your children will come to see that words do not exist in isolation but work together in context.

As your kids gain mastery of the game you can make it more challenging by introducing less common categories. 

2. “What Am I?”. 

This vocabulary game for kids is exciting and mind-blowing. You’re guaranteed that it will get your kid’s imagination racing.

So, this game is about finding the words to explain something. 

How to play “What am I?”:

• Ask your child to close his or her eyes.
• Find an object in the room that your child is familiar with and hide it behind your back.
• Ask your child to open his or her eyes.
• Then you must describe the object while your child guesses what it is. You may use riddle phrases such as I am long, I have four ends, I am used to eating noodles, What am I? (a spoon)
• Give your child as many clues as possible until he or she gets it right.
• If your child doesn’t get it right, reveal the object and then play the game again by picking another object.
• When your child finally guesses correctly you switch positions. You get to close your eyes while your child gets to hide an object behind the back and describe it.
• In playing this game you should always go first in order to model how to use descriptive phrases without giving away what the object is.

This vocabulary game for kids is sure to expand your child’s vocabulary of adjectives and verbs. By playing this game often you will get to see your child’s progress in his or her vocabulary. As your child will gradually move from giving very short, obvious clues to using language to describe the texture, colour, size, function, etc.

3. I Spy

This vocabulary game for kids is similar to the previous game “what am I ?”.

Unlike the game “what am I ?” where some players get to close their eyes here everyone keeps their eyes open and there is no hiding of any object behind one’s back.

So with this game, you don’t have to be actively involved as you can play the game even while working on your laptop.

How to play I Spy:

• Begin the game by spotting something in the same room you are both in. Describe the object briefly and let your child guess what it is. Say something like “I spy with my little eyes, something that is flat and has four legs  …(Dinning table)”.
• Only give one set of descriptions and then let your child have as many guesses as necessary until your child guesses right. You add one or two last clues if you think your child needs some assistance.
• If your child doesn’t get it right then reveal the object and have another go at the game.
• When your child guesses right, it is his or her turn to spy at something, while you do the guessing.

This vocabulary game for kids is not only good for building vocabulary but is also good in helping your child to become more conscious of his or her environment. 

4. A Bird Flies

Want your child to gain prowess in using action words? Then this vocabulary game for kids is a must for you!

The game is easy to play and will expose your child to a wide range of verbs.

How to play A Bird Flies:

• Start by choosing either an object, a person, or an animal (e.g. a bird)
• Then ask your child to think of something that the object, person, or animal does (e.g. a bird flies, bird chirps, a bird sings, a bird hops)
• Take turns choosing words and guessing the corresponding action.
• You can make the game more challenging by choosing less familiar objects, persons, or animals when it is your turn (e.g a refrigerator)

The good thing about this game is that it can be played on the go and you can involve as many players as possible.

5. Odd One Out

In this vocabulary game for kids, you get to present a written or spoken list of words in a particular category to your child. Then your child has to think of the context of the words and pick the odd one out.

Be sure to use a spoken list for much younger children and a written list for older children.

How to play Odd One Out

• Choose a category (without saying it out loud)
• Say or write a list of 4 or 5 words, all belonging to the category, except one word which should not belong to that category. For examples are;
• (FRUIT) – Orange, Apples, Pineapples, Cat and Bananas.
• (KITCHEN) – Spoon, Fork, Pillow, Microwave, and Oven
• Let your child must spot the word that doesn’t belong
• Remember you are not to tell your child what the actual category is.
• Your child has to listen to all the words and find a common relationship between all but one. And then guess the odd one out. 
• Switch roles when your child guesses correctly.
• You can vary the complexity of the category with your child’s age and willingness to be challenged. 

This vocabulary game for kids will not just excite your child but will challenge their sense of reasoning. It will also help them to understand the inter-relationship between words and help develop their vocabulary skills too.

6. What Is It? Or “ Who Am I?”

This vocabulary game for kids is a bit similar to two games – “what am I?” and “I spy” that was earlier mentioned. But, unlike those two games that have to do with describing things within close range, this game is about using riddles to describe things that are not within the actual environment.

How to play What is it? or “Who am I ?”

• Choose an object, person, or animal. 
• Describe it in a riddle form. For example, you may say “ I am thinking of something that lives on the farm, gives milk and its name ends with “W”. What is it? (cow)
• Switch roles each time the other party gets it right.
• Once your child has guessed the animal, your child takes the turn to choose an animal, person, or object and make up a riddle.
• Sometimes it’s best to play this game using the same theme, such as animals, for a few rounds until your child has learned how to make up a riddle.
• Later on, try a different theme such as people at work. For instance, “I wear a uniform, I work in an airport, I fly an airplane. Who am I?” (A Pilot).

This vocabulary game for kids will teach your child comprehension skills as they use the information given to solve the riddle. It also encourages creative thought as your child also gets to make up riddles too. 

7. Where Are You?

This vocabulary game for kids is one of the easiest and the most effective too.

In this game, the first player asks the others “where are you?”. The others respond by saying exactly where they are and each correct answer attracts a score, a candy, a cookie, or a simple ‘High Five’. 

With this particular game, it’s always best to let your child have the first go by asking the question “Where Are You?” and you respond by cheerfully screaming or whispering your location. 

How to play “Where are you?”: 

• Explain the game to your kid first.
• Let your kid have the first go.
• Your kid should randomly and spontaneously ask the question “Where are you?”
• You are to respond by cheerfully saying your actual location. For example;
• The kid says “where are you?” and Dad replies “The living room”
• The kid says “where are you?” and Mom replies “The bedroom”
• And when you switch positions… 
• Dad says “where are you?” and the kid replies “The toilet”, 
• Mom says “where are you?” and the kid replies “ In the car”
• To make it more interesting be sure to change your voice pitch as you reply.
•  You can also make your voice sound like that of a lion or a frog and encourage your child to do the same when replying.
• You can play the game at home or on the go. 
• Be sure to introduce the game spontaneously anywhere and anytime.

This vocabulary game for kids provides your child with lots of opportunities to know the names of different places, locations, and contexts. 

8. Make a Word

This vocabulary game for kids can be played as soon as your child is old enough to spell. The game is a great one. It will not only improve your child’s vocabulary but it will also help your child to improve his or her spelling skill too.

How to play ‘Make a Word’:

• Run your child through a group of words (e.g Ant, Can, Fat, Fan, Hand, etc).
• Then simply give your children some letters and challenge them to make words from those letters. ( You may use cardboard letters, plastic letters, magnet letters, or letter blocks.)
• Challenge your child to make as many words as possible from those letters e.g. A, C, D, F, H, N, and T ( Ant, Fat, Hand, etc).
• Let your child read out the words as it’s being spelled.
• Reward your child for each correct spelling. 
• For much older kids, you can play the game using sheets of paper and pencils. 

This vocabulary game for kids is surely a great beginning for board games like Scrabble.

9. Word Search

A  word search is a visual puzzle made up of letters arranged in a grid that contains a number of hidden words running in various directions. It involves fishing out the hidden words.

Though mostly played by adults you will soon realize that age is not a barrier as you introduce it to your kids. This vocabulary game for kids is sure to improve both the spelling and vocabulary skills of your children.

How to play Word Search: 

• Download a word search template online and print it out.
• Or you draw up a blank word search grid with a pencil on a sheet of paper.
• Make a list of words with your child. (e.g. Spoon, School, Dad, Mom, etc)
• The complexity of the word should vary with your child’s age or proficiency at spellings.
• Ask your child to look away and then write the listed words on the grid.
• You can write the words vertically and horizontally for younger kids, and introduce diagonally and even backward for much older kids.  
• Then fill the vacant space in the grid with random letters. Be sure to keep it as simple as possible for younger kids.
• Then using the list; let your child attempt finding all the listed words in the grid. 

This vocabulary game for kids is a must for mental alertness as well. Though it’s similar to crossword puzzles it’s, however, a lot easier for younger kids. It’s engaging and it’s sure a great way to keep your kids busy while you attend to other things.

10. Once Upon a Time

As the name suggests this vocabulary game for kids involves telling a story. Telling a story is always a good way to develop a child’s vocabulary.

How to play “Once Upon a Time”: 

• You play this game by telling either a familiar story, unfamiliar story, or made-up story.
• For a familiar story, use a storybook that they have heard before. Page through the story and take turns to “tell” the story on each page.
• For an unfamiliar story, use a story with pictures that your child hasn’t seen or heard before.
• For made-up stories, simply begin the story with the phrase “ Once upon a time…”
• For example “Once upon a time, there was a girl named Ana ”
• Take turns, adding one line to the story at a time.

This vocabulary game for kids is a great game for the car and for bedtime. It opens your child’s imagination and challenges their creativity. Plus, it provides a good opportunity for your child to learn how to put words together to tell a story. 

BONUS: Keep It Going

So, I have got a bonus for you because you read to the very end! 

This vocabulary game for kids is called “Keep It Going”.

“Keep It Going” is a great game to play while you are on the move with your kids. So, you can play it while driving, shopping, taking a walk, or basically on the go.

How to play Keep it going:

• Play the game while on the go e.g driving, walking, or shopping
• As you pass things while moving, take turns naming as many things as you can. 
• For example, say “tree, building, sign, traffic light, shop, chair, grass, clouds”, etc.
• Try to keep an unbroken chain of words as you are on the go.

This vocabulary game for kids will surely get your child thinking and learning on his or her toes.

There you have it. The top ten vocabulary game for your kids. All the games are unique, exciting and can be played by at least one or two players.

Play these games with your kids as often as possible and watch them learn new words as well as their meaning, context, and the relationship between words.