A to Z Game

Players

2 or more

Time

10 to 15 minutes

You need

Nothing

Ages

7 and above

Type

Travel and family games

Who it suits and when to play

The A to Z Game suits children of seven and above and adults on any journey, in a queue or during a power cut. Players name things in one category in alphabetical order, so it needs nothing but voices, and two people are enough. It keeps eyes off screens, practises vocabulary without anyone noticing, and can be played as one team against the clock when ages are very mixed.

How to play

1. Pick a category: fruits and vegetables, Indian cities, animals, things in a kitchen.
2. The first player names one that begins with A, the next with B, and so on.
3. A player who cannot answer within ten seconds gets a strike. Three strikes and you are out.
4. Hard letters such as Q, X and Z can be skipped if everyone agrees.

Tips and variations

• Memory version: each player repeats the whole list so far before adding a word. "I packed my bag with an apple, a book, a comb..."

Common problems and how to fix them

• Q, X and Z stop the game. Agree before starting to skip them, or to accept a word that has the letter anywhere in it.
• Players argue about whether a word fits the category. The player on the left of the speaker is the judge for that turn.
• Younger children cannot keep up. Give them double the time, or let them play in a pair with an adult who only gives hints.

More travel and family games

• I Spy 10 minutes
• Atlas 10 to 20 minutes
• Road Bingo 30 minutes or the whole journey
• The Counting Game 10 to 20 minutes

Need fair teams or someone to go first? Use the team maker. See all 45 games.