The Words by Categories Game

Words by Categories is a quick thinking game of brainstorming unique items within categories for small groups.

In advance, prepare a list of categories. This can include embarrassing items, sports, snacks, movie names, or anything else you wish.

This entertaining game can simply be an icebreaker or a learning exercise if the categories are adapted to the content that the group is working on.

Give each player a pencil and a sheet of paper. Randomly choose a letter of the alphabet.

Note that the letters Q, U, V, Z, Y or Z are usually too hard, so you may wish to avoid those letters.
Set a countdown timer for one minute.

You receive one point for every unique (not shared by any other player) word that starts with the given letter and fit into the given category.

Start the one minute timer.

Write down as many valid words (those that fit the category and start with the correct letter) for the category as you can. When the timer ends, stop writing. Go clockwise and have each player read aloud their words. If someone else has the same word, both players cross out that word (no points are earned).

If a word is read that doesn’t seem to be a good fit for the category, the other players vote on whether to accept the word or cross it off. In the case of a tie, the word is disqualified.

Each word that remains is worth one point. The player with the most points wins!

The topics of this publication: interactions, motivation, disinhibition, distension, competencies, energize