The Game of Word Making
This game was at one time quite popular and should be revived and used often. It teaches spelling and increases the vocabulary.
The only equipment is a series of cards of any size larger than an inch square. On these print letters of the alphabet or cut large black letters from the headlines of the newspapers and paste them on. There should be about six of each of the vowels, two of all the consonants, and three or four more of those most used.
Turn all the cards face down on the table and mix them thoroughly. The first player picks up a card and lays it face up in the center of the table, the next player does the same, and so on. The first child to make a word of the letters turned up speaks the word, selects the letters to properly spell it and lays them side by side, spelling the word. If it is properly spelled he gets one point, but if he has not spelled it correctly he loses one point, and the letters go back into the draw pile.
Each properly spelled word counts a point for the child first calling it. A limit of points can be set and the first one reaching that score wins. If older persons wish to play the game a limit may be set on the size of the words spelled, as no word of less than 6, 8 or 10 letters, whichever figure is decided upon.