Communication Games
Communication Games
especially our children! Children begin to develop communication skills from the day
they are born and start interacting with their caregivers.
When parents communicate with their children, they are teaching them how to interact
with others and are helping shape kids’ emotional development.
Children will use the communication techniques that they learned from their caregivers
long after they grow up and set out on their own!
• Mental well-being
• Emotional intelligence
• Assertiveness
• Empathy and compassion
• Self-control and motivation
• Boundaries
For example, if you are hiding a spoon, you could say: “It’s small.” “It’s silver.” “It’s a tool
we use to eat food.”
After modeling how to play, let your child pick an object to hide. Then, ask them questions
until you guess correctly!
2. Telephone
This is a classic game from childhood! It’s best to play with 3 to 5 people, so you can get
the whole family involved.
To make the game a little sillier, the game can also be done with “least favorite” items…
will your child go straight for the broccoli or their toothbrush?
4. Picture Storytelling
• This is a great activity to teach children new vocabulary words and sequencing.
• Start with one photo and have your child tell you everything they see. For example,
if it’s a farm photo, they might say: barn, cat, farmer, pig, straw, cow.
• Then, have your child invent a story about what they see in the picture.
• You can help prompt them by saying, “The farmer brings food to the animals in the
barn” or “The cat is unhappy because she has to share her food with the pig.”
5. Chain-link Story
6. Charades
7. Ten Questions
This game helps strengthen kids’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
One person must think of an animal, but they can’t tell anyone what it is.
The other players have 10 chances to ask questions about the animal in order to figure
out and guess what it is!
For example, players might ask: “Does it have a tail?” “Does it live in the ocean?” “Does
it have fur?”
8. Obstacle Course
• Use household objects like frisbees, shoes, chairs, pillows, etc. to set up an
obstacle course.
• To create an obstacle course, you’ll need a starting point and a finish line.
• Set up your household items in between these two points and give instructions
like:
• Hop on each frisbee
• Go around the shoe
• Crawl under the chair
• Spin 3 times in the hula hoop
Help guide your child as they make their way through the course, and don’t forget to
celebrate them when they make it to the finish line!
9. Exact Instructions
This game is bound to make your child laugh and sigh in frustration! It’s a great way to
practice clear and effective communication.
• Tell your child that you want to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and you
need them to tell you how.
• Set out all the ingredients you need: bread, peanut butter, jelly, a knife, and a
plate.
• Do the literal action that your child tells you. For example, if they say “put the
peanut butter on the bread,” place the whole jar of peanut butter on the bread.
• Then, prompt them to give you clearer instructions. They might say, “spread the
peanut butter on the bread.” In this case, maybe stick your fingers in the jar and
spread it on the bread with your hands!
10. Role-Playing
Let your imagination run wild and act like police officers, firefighters, nurses, vets,
astronauts, etc. Pretend to be mermaids, grocery store clerks, or even shooting stars!
While playing, communicate your needs and ask for help. For example, if you’re role-
playing veterinarians, you might hold up a horse figurine and ask your child to help it relax
while you fix its hoof!