Hangman Games for Kids

Getting Started

• Draw an upside down 'L' on a piece of paper. Some people like to make a fancy hangman's platform, like a gallows for the upside L to stand on, but it isn't necessary. Hangman requires one person to think of a word. Each letter of that word is designated with a dash line below the figure of the hangman. For example, if your word is "elephant'" you would draw eight dashes under the figure of the upside down L. You can use single words or sentences, separating the words with a forward slash mark (/). Now you're ready to play.

Topics

• Think of topics or words your opponent is familiar with. For example, if you're playing hangman with a 6-year-old, stick to simple words like zoo animals, colors, objects or perhaps things found in your backyard. Older children (and adults) can think of more complicated words or sentences or phrases, like "Abraham Lincoln," song titles, countries or forms of architecture, such as "Empire State Building." Always limit words and topics to the mental capabilities of the opponent for fair play and to encourage vocabulary building in that topic.

Playing the Game

• The person guessing the word offers a letter, such as "A." If there is an "A" in the word, the letter is written on the appropriate line (or lines if there is more than one "A"). If there is no "A", a "body part" is drawn on the hangman's noose. Most people start with a round circle for a head. For each letter the person guesses that is not in the hidden word, another body part is drawn. Body parts often include the head, a line designating the torso, a line for each arm and a line for each leg. This version allows the person six "'wrong" letters. If the entire body is drawn before the word is guessed, the person loses. If he guesses the words before the body is completely drawn, he wins.

Planning Ahead

• Create a variety of hangman games for children to play while in the car, or camping or on vacation. Print out ideas for vocabulary on the Internet, and print out games or create them yourself. You can squeeze 10 or 12 hangman games on one side of a sheet of paper, depending on the length of words, or you can print out sheets of games found in activity books or on the Internet. Prepare hangman games for winter days when the kids can't go outside or to keep in your purse or car for days the kids are getting antsy.

Variations

• Determine how elaborate you wish your hangman game to be. Some people limit the "hanged man" to incorporate only six features: head, torso, arms and legs. Other people add hands, feet and even eyes, a nose and a mouth. Some variations of the game may also include a "free letter" to start the game, which means the person making up the hidden word can choose to designate one of the letters in the word to help the guesser along.