Hobbies And Interests
Language Arts
Help teach your child a second language with the game of charades. Use a vocabulary list of nouns from another language, such as Spanish or French. Play the game as you normally would. When guessing, however, the children must answer with the correct word in the other language. For example, if you got on all fours and pretended to lick your paws, your child might guess "chat," the French version of "cat." This version works well for older children, especially in addition to language training in school.
Spelling Bee
Make learning fun with this twist on the original version of charades. This is a fun way to practice for an upcoming spelling bee or test. Much like original charades, you must act out words and phrases without speaking. For extra points, however, your child must spell the answer after guessing correctly. You can tailor the game to different age groups based on the words you choose. For much younger children you can count the syllables or name the first letter of the word in question.
Sing-a-Long
This musical version of charades puts players in the spotlight. Not only must each player act out a clue, but the guessing players must sing the answer. This version works best when using clues of phrases or titles rather than just words. You can also play the musical version by acting out characters from cartoons and allowing your kids to sing a line of the theme song for extra points. Play this twist on traditional charades as an ice breaker at kid's parties.
Reverse Charades
Traditional charades may seem overwhelming for little ones. Switch up the rules with reverse charades. In this version, your kids all play at once rather than one at a time. You call out names and phrases and each must act out what you say. One by one eliminate any child who fails to act the term properly until only one child remains -- the winner. Phrases like "jumping jacks" or "touch your toes" will get the kids hearts pumping.