Pick a large word to pieces and see how many smaller ones can be made from the letters contained in it. This is a good exercise for persons of any age and is often played at parties.
Give each player a paper and pencil, select some long word and let each write it at the top of his paper. Determine on a time limit usually five minutes, and see who will make the most words from the letters of the larger word.
After the time is up the one having the longest list wins. It will be interesting and helpful to have the long list read, each checking the words on their list. Then let each one read the words which they made and which no one else has read. It will be surprising how many different words there will be. Use words like:
| Conflagration | Washington | Imperceptibility |
| Consternation | Gubernatorial | Permeability |
| Understanding | Examination | Responsiveness |
| International | Immovability | Stenographer |
The Game "The Camels Are Coming"
This game should never be allowed to grow old. It is "lots of fun" at parties and helpful in vocabulary building, because it requires an effort, and every time you induce yourself, or your child, to make an effort good is accomplished.
Have the group sit around the room and then begin by selecting a letter and a suffix, as B-ing. The one starting says to the one on his left "The camels are coming." He replies "How are they coming?" The beginner must then reply using one word beginning with B and ending with "ing". For example: Buzzing—Bleating—Braying—Blushing—. Each player must think of a word to give as his answer. All must remember the words that have been given and must answer inside the limit of ten seconds after the other has said, "How are they coming?" Any word that is in the dictionary can be used. If a player cannot answer in ten seconds he must sit on the floor of the room and pay a forfeit to the timekeeper.
This game can be varied in a great many ways, the words can begin with any letter and end with any suffix or begin with any prefix.