Word Game Family Tournament

Scrabble, Bananagrams, or letter tiles

Paper and pencils for Hangman and scoring

Timer

Silly trophy materials (paper plate, markers)

Choose 4 word games for the tournament.

Set up a scoring sheet.

Round 1 — Hangman: 1 point per correct guess.

Round 2 — Word Chain: last standing gets 3 points.

Round 3 — Boggle: 3-minute timer, 1 point per word.

Round 4 — Scrabble/Bananagrams: 20-minute round.

Tally total points.

Crown the champion with a silly trophy.

Word games are vocabulary practice that doesn't feel like practice. When your child debates whether "qi" is a valid Scrabble word, they're learning spelling, vocabulary, and strategic thinking simultaneously.

The tournament format adds excitement and motivation. Kids who might not sit through 45 minutes of Scrabble will eagerly play 15 minutes knowing there are three more rounds coming.

Word Chain is the simplest game but builds rapid word retrieval — the ability to access vocabulary quickly, which supports both writing and speaking fluency.

Adjust difficulty by age: give younger players extra time in Boggle, allow proper nouns in Word Chain, or use a smaller Scrabble board.

Make it a monthly tradition. The championship title becomes coveted, and vocabulary skills grow noticeably over time.