source: www.youthwork-practice.com | 2000 Games, Devotions, Themes, Ideas and more for Youth Work
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Language games – word games

In this category, several games have been put together, which all have something to do with language or word play. Some of the games involve complete concentration, others require quick wits.

The split second answer

The group stands in a circle, the group leader stands in the middle as the quiz master. The question must be answered within 2 seconds. The game can also be played with two teams. There are points for correctly answered questions. There are no points if the answer is correct but came too late. There are minus points for those who stammer and stutter and if the answer does not come “like a pistol shot”.

Possible questions:
- Who is the foreign minister at the moment?
- How many toes do you have?
- How old are you?
- What is your name?
- Which direction is south?
- What is the root of 49?
- What is 7+7?
- What month is it?
- Which day of the week will it be in 3 days?
- What was the name of the first president of the USA?
- Which letter comes after W?
- Which letter comes before K?
- What is your father’s name?
- Which day comes before Thursday?
- How many people are in the room?
- How many doors are in the group room?
- Where did you take your last vacation?
- How old will you be in 12 years?
- What size feet do you have?
- What is heavier? A kilo of iron or a kilo of feathers?
Tim likes … Tim does not like …

The group leader lists what Tim likes and what he does not like. The group must find out what the trick is. The trick is that Tim doesn’t like anything with no double letters in the word and likes everything with two of the same consecutive letters ( summer, wheel, roller, scroll etc.) or if the same two letters appear somewhere in the word (telephone, bicycle, television).
Long sentence

The first person begins the sentence with a word, which his neighbour repeats and adds another word. This carries on until a long sentence is achieved without any mistakes.
- Klaus: I
- Peter: I would
- Paul: I would have
- Richard: I would have always
- Jacob: I would have always liked
- John: I would have always liked to
- Horst: I would have always liked to have
- Rene: I would have always liked to have flown
- Tim: I would have always liked to have flown with
- Christian: I would have always liked to have flown with my
- Bob: I would have always liked to have flown with my bike.
A duck - with two legs – jumps into the water - plop!

The sentence „a duck, with two legs, jumps into the water - plop!” goes around the group but each person only says a part of the sentence. This means: Person 1 says: „A duck“, Person 2 continues with: „…with 2 legs“, Person 3 carries on: „jumps into the water”, Person 4 says: „plop!” Then person 5 continues with: „Two ducks”, Person 6 says: „with 4 legs“, Person 7 says: „jump into the water”, Person 8 says: „plop”, Person 9 says: „plop!”. With each new round the number of ducks and the number of legs are increased by two- the word “plop” is also changed accordingly for the number of ducks. The word “plop” can only be said once by each person. With 10 ducks, 10 group members say “plop” one after the other. How many ducks will the group manage before making a mistake?
Fight for attention

2 volunteers are given a theme. Now both of them must tell the group something about this theme for 2 minutes. At the end, the group judges which player was better at presenting the theme and making the speech.
Toothless

There are many question and answer games. In this version, the kids must try to answer the questions without showing the teeth. This obviously means that laughing is forbidden. Who will manage it?
Questions and answers

A child begins and is allowed to pose and question and adds a letter „…but not with an A“ (or one of the other vowels E, I, O, U). The answer is therefore not allowed to contain an “A“. E.g. in reply to the question: „Where do you live, but hopefully not in „A“? They cannot reply with „Stuttgart“, because there is an “A” in it.

Questions and answers 2

A question is always replied with the answer of the question posed before. Those who know this game can’t wait to find out how long the others need recognise the system.
Can the group count to 100?

The group takes turn to count to 100. If a number comes which can be divided through 6 or has a 6 in it, the player says „oops“. As an alternative, the number is simply missed out and the next number is called. If the game is played quickly, it becomes more difficult.

It becomes even more difficult if all numbers which can be divided through 7 (4) are shouted out as “ping”, and all numbers through 6 are called “pong”.
Hello, I am Anton from Ansbach!

Everyone introduces themselves with name, town, place of birth, job, parent’s names etc. However the name, town, place of birth, job, parent’s names etc. must all start with the same letter. The first person to introduce themselves must begin with A, the next with B and so on.

An option: The next person repeats the information given by the previous player(s). It is recommended that you stick to name and town. Everyone who gets mixed up must perform a forfeit.
Languages jumble?

We will split words into syllables e.g. wash-ing-mach-ine. The members of the group have one syllable to say. All of them now say their own syllable. A volunteer must now guess which word they are saying.
Boss vice

This is the ultimate favourite game in our group and is always good for filling 5-10 minutes. The first person is the boss, the second is the vice and the others are given a number. All of the players tap out the same rhythm on their laps, clap their hands and point their right hand over their right shoulder (or click the fingers) and call out their own name (boss/number etc.) With the other (left) hand, they point over their left shoulder and call out the name or number of another player. The name which is called out must carry on with the same rhythm. Anyone who gets mixed up must go to the end. Everyone moves one space along the line. Everyone then obviously receives a new name/number which they must remember. If someone makes a mistake three times, they receive a new nickname instead of a number.
Alphabetical memory

The first person starts. I’m taking an angel to camp. The next person repeats this sentence and adds another object to the list beginning with the next letter in the alphabet. I’m taking an angel and a bow to camp. The game carries on like this. The players who forget what objects have been named or get mixed up are out of the game.
Tongue twister

What about a couple of tongue twisters?
Animalistic

The first player starts off by calling out a type of animal and the next player must use the last letter to call out a new animal beginning with this letter e.g. 1.player: CaT, 2. player: TigeR; 3 player: RaT; etc. But watch out, the animal cannot be named twice. You can also play this game with items of clothing, towns and lots more; Have fun!
Sent in by Katja K.
People memory

First of all, two people leave the room who will then play a game of memory against each other. Once this has happened, the other players split into pairs. It is better if they split into pairs which would not usually go together i.e. people who are not best friends are not usually together. The theme is then suggested, e.g. colours, animals, stars etc... the pairs think of something which fits the theme for example, colour: blue, animal: bear or star: Robin Hood. They then spread out in the room and the two players outside come back into the room. One player starts by going to the first person and tapping them on the shoulder. This person must then say their colour, animal or star. Just like a game of memory pairs, the pairs are looked for among the group. Obviously the winner is the player who has found the most pairs. If you want to make this game a little more difficult. You can play it with rhyming pairs e.g. one pair has louse and mouse, house, dowse etc. or you can even play with hummed songs and whistled songs. The most difficult version of the game is with first names and sir names e.g. one person is Tony and the other is Blair and the players have to find the pairs of first and sir names.
Sent in by S.Merkl
I am this, you are this, who is this?
The group leader should say the phrase: “I am this, you are that, who is this?” each time he/she says ‘this’ they should do some sort of sign/movement with their body (obviously has no meaning). The participants have to guess who he is trying to mimic. The trick here is that whoever shouts out first after the demonstration is the one who is being mimicked. Who will see through this system first?
A contribution from Rebekka
ABC Variation – 2 ABC
The players sit in a circle. Someone starts saying something with the letter A. The second person has to then say something, starting with the letter B that matches the first sentence/phrase etc., the third person then has to start with the letter C etc. This continues until the alphabet is finished. The sentences always have to match or relate to the prior sentence e.g. “Are you ready let’s go let’s go!” – “Be there soon do you need me to play” – “Caesar would’ve played, so go on and play” – “Don’t you start” etc.
Still a Letter ahead
You have a word e.g. Ice, then you search for the single suitable letter from the alphabet, solution is: Rice
Spontaneous Story
All the children should name a word without connections. The camp helpers should tell a spontaneous story in which all of the terms are incorporated. If there are several helpers, they can take it in turns to tell the story. Leads to great amusement amongst the children and is really exciting. If this game is played more often, then you can always use the same main person and practically make a sequel out of it.
Sent in by Elsbeth L.