This game was at one time quite popular and should be revived and used
often. It teaches spelling and increases the vocabulary.
The only equipment is a series of cards of any size larger than an
inch square. On these print letters of the alphabet or cut large black
letters from the headlines of the newspapers and paste them on. There
should be about six of each of the vowels, two of all the consonants,
and three or four more of those most used.
Turn all the cards face down on the table and mix them thoroughly.
The first player picks up a card and lays it face up in the center of
the table, the next player does the same, and so on. The first child
to make a word of the letters turned up speaks the word, selects the
letters to properly spell it and lays them side by side, spelling the
word. If it is properly spelled he gets one point, but if he has not
spelled it correctly he loses one point, and the letters go back into
the draw pile.
Each properly spelled word counts a point for the child first calling
it. A limit of points can be set and the first one reaching that score
wins. If older persons wish to play the game a limit may be set on the
size of the words spelled, as no word of less than 6, 8 or 10 letters,
whichever figure is decided upon.