Match up pairs of randomized letter cards, as in "Concentration"
Pluses
Build and boost alphabet recognition
Test memory
Period
15 minutes. Prep – set up teams
People
All ages - up to four pairs of students/adults
Place
AlphaBoard, or clear space on desk, table or padded floor area
Play
Shuffle (A) full deck with wild cards (*), or (B) 16 matching letter pairs.
Lay face down (A) in 6 x 9 grid (54 cards), or (B) on AlphaBoard, 4 x 8.
Each team turns 2 cards to try a match; wild (*) card is an automatic match.
No match - return cards in place; Match - keep pair and flip 2 more cards.
Prize
Most matched pairs wins among all teams; tiebreak - highest alpha pair.
Hang Lj
Enjoy the world's most popular word game with letter cards.
Pluses
Acquire team play skills
Share creativity, strategy and fun
Period
20 minutes. Prep – set up teams and choose topics or subject matter
People
Age 5 and up - 2 or more teams of 3 or more each
Place
AlphaBoard, or flat surface; "hang" (draw out) Lj on paper or chalkboard
Play
The classic word guessing game but hang Lj not a man!
Letters forming word/phrase placed face down; space between words.
Maximum of 7 wrong guesses: 2 hair strands, 2 eyes, spine, tail and cape.
Prize
After 2+ rounds: Most words solved; tiebreak with fewest Lj "parts" drawn.
AlphaBee
Race to spell with your head and your hands!
Pluses
Better than spelling bees - more energy, less fear
Kinetic learning
Period
10 minutes. Prep – form age-appropriate word lists
People
Age 4 and up (moderate the word difficulty) – 2 players, plus an umpire
Place
Table (with or without chairs) or padded floor
Play
Players split deck into Plain and Prime sets, and no wilds (but if longer words, each needs full mini-deck with both Plain and Prime sets).
Each lays out full set / deck in alphabetical order for ease of retrieval.
Umpire announces target word; race to lay out cards to spell word.
Prize
Fastest to spell out "best of 7" target words; may set up tournament play.
War Gamer
Become the Alpha in the ultimate winner-take-all game!
Pluses
Alphabet practice
Learn fair play
Social engagement
Period
10+ minutes. Prep – shuffle and deal out, leftover for first hand winner.
People
All ages - 2 - 6 players
Place
Reverse side of AlphaBoard, or table or padded floor area
Play
Each player flips top card of their personal stack for each hand.
Highest card wins - order: Wild (*); Prime suit (a' to z'); and Plain (a to z).
Wars occur if two or more letter cards match or lie next to each other in the alphabet (even if the cards are off-suit Prime or Plain); warring players lay 2 more cards face down, then reveal a 3rd and deciding card.
Prize
Most cards in stack, after timed play or one player loses all her cards – wins!