Words are fascinating, right from the time we call out Ma” and discover the magic of words. Here are some fun activities that you can try out with your friends!

• Take a sheet of paper and write a word. Fold and pass the sheet requesting a friend to write another one. After all your friends have written a word each, unfold the sheet and write a short story weaving in all the words.

• Have a ‘rhyme session. If a friend asks you What shall we do today?” respond in rhyme, saying, Lets laugh, talk, eat and play!” Another friend can add, I agree, what do you say?” The person unable to come up with a rhyming line to continue the conversation is out. Continue the game as long as you can.

• Break yourselves into groups and give each group a descriptive — Animals, Plants, Cities or Toys. Set a time to make a list of items under the category starting with each letter of the alphabet. The group that manages to find words for the most number of alphabets wins.

• Pick a long word and derive as many words as you can from it. Its a great pastime, especially when you need to wait all by yourself. Try hippopotamus for a start.

• Write an acrostic for a friends name. For eg: NEHA N-Nice, E-Easygoing, H-Honest, A-Affectionate. Make a card with the acrostic, decorate it and give it to your friend.

• Take turns to describe an object and get your friends to guess what it is. You can say, I see a smooth white object with a gold rim and red handle in this room (Maybe a china cup!) The person who finds the answer first gets a point.

• Get your friends to write in your autograph book, describing themselves in just one word! They will find it brain-wracking!

-Amitha Bennett

Also read: Idea Box: Fun with Numbers