Flashcard Games to Make Memorization Fun #2: Identity Crisis, Mad Libs, and Verbal Fluency

Memorization does not have to be boring! Are you in search of new ideas to make learning vocabulary fun? The good news is that there are plenty of ways to motivate your child so that (s)he can retain keywords and concepts. Below are some fun ideas and games to incorporate while at home.

Identity Crisis: Write each vocabulary word on an index card. From the deck of cards, pick a card and tape it to your child’s back. Have him/her select a card and tape it on your back. Taking turns, you ask questions to determine the correct vocabulary word. Just by discussion alone, it allows your child to gain a better understanding of the words while having fun in the process.

Mad Libs: Are you familiar with the game Mad Libs? Have your child write a paragraph with all the vocabulary words. (Oftentimes, a teacher will assign this task anyway.) Next, erase the vocabulary words and replace each space with an underscore along with a part of speech: noun (place or thing), verb (action word), or adjective (descriptive word). Give your child the list of the words to start the game. Call out the part of speech for each blank, have him/her select and check off one of the words while you write it in the blank space. At the conclusion, read the silly story so that you can both laugh! Now switch roles using the same story and enjoy the game again. For level two of this game, include previously learned words from prior weeks’ assignments.

Verbal Frequency: On your mark, get set, go! Select three vocabulary words from your child’s list and have him/her explain each word within three minutes. Repeat the process for two minutes and then again for one minute. For an added incentive, create a reward system each time your child can explain three words within an allotted time.