I like to play word games with the kids. It’s fun, and helps build their vocabulary. We have a little song to set the questions to. For example, “I’m thinking of a word, it sounds like ‘lake’. It’s something you eat, it’s…?” “Cake!” Or “I’m thinking of a word, it rhymes with ‘tree’. It starts with ‘M’, it’s…?” “Me!” I vary the difficulty for the six- and the four-year old.

Grandpa called yesterday while we were playing this. I had just finished doing “I’m thinking of an animal, it rhymes with “ox”. It starts with ‘Fuh’, it’s…” The four-year old had correctly answered “Fox!” F’s and animals were fresh in his mind.

I put Grandpa on speakerphone. He asked how we were doing. The four year old yelled back at the top of his lungs, “I’m thinking animal, rhymes with Duck, it’s FUUUCCCKKK!!!“