How To Play Telephone With Kids: Complete Guide

As parents, we’re constantly looking for ways to expose our kids to new activities and encourage them to discover new interests.

Fortunately, so many games can help us achieve this goal! Many of these games target younger players, and some are known as classic games because millions of people have played them since the beginning of time. 

Why not try playing one of these games with your child? They will be sure to enjoy it! Here is how you can play Telephone with Your Kids:

Complete Guide to Play Telephone With Kids

Make the most of a classic game.

Telephone is a game that generations of families have played. If you want to play the game with your child, you must make the most out of this classic game. Here are a few tips to help you play Telephone with your kids. 

First, you will want to prepare your child with a few facts about this game. Explain to them that the game aims to talk to as many people as possible in as little time as possible.

You can also explain to them what the numbers 0 to 9 mean, and then have your child practice saying them out loud.

You can also have your child practice saying ‘yes’ and ‘no’ by asking them questions like, “Do you like pizza?”, or “Do you want to go to the park?”. This will help your child become accustomed to the tone of voice the game calls for.

Play in turns.

The most important thing about playing Telephone is to keep things light and positive. You don’t want to overwhelm your child with too much information at once; instead, you want to build their confidence by making them feel good about themselves.

This is why you should play Telephone in turns. It means that both of you are talking simultaneously while the other person is listening and responding. You can also take turns by answering each other’s questions. 

For example, your child might ask you a simple question like “What color is this?” and you can give them an easy answer like “It’s blue”.

Don’t judge your child by their mistakes.

Telephone is a game about building your child’s confidence. You don’t have to explain every detail to them, but you can define the most important things like what the numbers mean, and how to talk to people. Your child might make some mistakes, but you don’t have to correct them. 

In fact, you can encourage them to make mistakes by pointing out that everyone makes mistakes. This will help your child feel better about themselves and show them that you have their best interests at heart.

It is essential to keep in mind that Telephone is a game, and it is not a test. So don’t be too hard on your child if they make a mistake.

Be flexible and have fun.

Telephone is a game that has been around for a while now, so many game variations are associated with this game. If you want to play Telephone with your child, you can try one of these variations.

Or you can simply come up with your own variations of the game. This is a game that can easily be played with friends or family, especially when you have kids!

One thing that you should remember is that this game is all about communication, so it can be helpful for children who are having trouble speaking or reading.

Take breaks and use props.

Telephone is a game that is great for bonding with your child but also helps improve their communication skills. This means you should play Telephone with your child even if they don’t seem that interested.

You should play the game even if it is a bit difficult for them at first. This will help your child get used to communicating with others. 

You don’t have to play the game for an hour straight; you can take breaks. This will help you stay focused and give your child a chance to rest their eyes.

You can also use props to help your child during the game. For example, during one of the turns, you can hold up a piece of paper with a number on it and ask your child what the number is.

A step-wise guide to playing telephone game 

Here are some tips on how to play the telephone game with kids:

1. Gather the kids in a circle and whisper a phrase or sentence to the first player.
2. The first player then whispers what they heard to the next player in the circle and so on until the message has been whispered to everyone in the circle.
3. The last player then says the message out loud and compares it to the original message.
4. Encourage the kids to speak clearly and loudly enough for the next player to hear, but not so loudly that others outside the circle can hear.
5. To make the game more challenging, you can increase the length of the message or add more players to the circle.
6. You can also vary the theme of the messages to make it more fun and engaging for the kids. For example, you can use silly phrases or quotes from their favorite books or movies.
7. To make the game more educational, you can use messages relating to a specific topic or subject the kids are learning.

Telephone games and learning communication 

Playing the telephone game can help kids learn communication in a few different ways:

Active listening:

To accurately pass the message along, each player must actively listen to the person whispering the message to them. This helps kids practice their listening skills and learn the importance of paying attention to others when communicating.

Verbal communication:

As each player whispers the message to the next person, they practice their verbal communication skills.

They must be able to clearly and effectively communicate the message in a way that can be easily understood by the next person.

Nonverbal communication:

In addition to verbal communication, the telephone game can also help kids learn about nonverbal communication.

They may use facial expressions or gestures to help convey the message, which can help them understand the importance of body language in communication.

Clarification:

If a message is not passed along accurately, players may need to ask for clarification in order to understand the message.

This helps kids learn the importance of asking questions and seeking clarification when communicating with others.

Overall, the telephone game can be a fun and engaging way for kids to learn and practice important communication skills.

Whisper Challenge- A unique variation of a telephone game for kids 

One unique variation of the telephone game for kids is called “Whisper Challenge”. Here’s how it works:

• Divide the players into two teams.
• Each team should have a set of phrases written on small pieces of paper or index cards. The phrases should be difficult to hear clearly, but not so difficult that they cannot be guessed.
• One player from Team A picks a card, reads the phrase to themselves, and then puts on noise-canceling headphones or earplugs so they cannot hear anything.
• Another player from Team A must then whisper the phrase to the player wearing the headphones, who must try to guess the phrase by reading their lips.
• If the player guesses the phrase correctly, Team A gets the point. If not, Team B has a chance to steal the point by correctly guessing the phrase.
• The game continues with players taking turns from each team until all the phrases have been used.
• The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

This variation of the telephone game is a fun way for kids to practice their lip reading and communication skills, while also adding an element of competition to the game.

Adapting the telephone game for kids of different age groups 

Adapting the Telephone Game for kids of different ages is a great way to ensure everyone can participate and enjoy the game. Here are some suggestions:

For younger kids (ages 3-6)

Simplify the message and keep it short. Use simple words and phrases that are easy for them to understand.

You can also use pictures or gestures to help convey the message. Consider playing in a circle so that everyone can see and hear each other clearly.

For older kids (ages 7-12)

Increase the complexity of the message. Use longer sentences, more difficult words, or even a short story.

You can also add a time limit to make it more challenging. Consider playing in teams to encourage teamwork and communication skills.

For teenagers (ages 13-18)

Make it more challenging by using phrases or idioms that are specific to their generation or culture.

You can also make the message more abstract or philosophical or even include puns or jokes. Consider playing with a larger group to encourage socializing and building connections.

Regardless of the age group, it’s important to emphasize that the game is meant to be fun and lighthearted. Encourage kids to be creative and silly with their messages, and remind them that it’s not about getting the message right but about enjoying the process of communication and connection.