Pay by the Word

This activity challenges your child to describe a movie or book in as few words as possible.

Pay by the Word

Required:

Your time only

What if conversations were telegrams and every word counted? Your child can learn to speak concisely—or to "pay" the cost!

Challenge your child to describe a movie or book in as few words as possible. Add up how many words your child needed to use before you could name the movie or book. That's the cost of the telegram. See whether your child can lower the transmission cost of the next telegram.

Now it's your turn to send a telegram. Count up the words it takes you to describe a movie or book. Add words until your child knows what you're describing.

So who can send a telegram less expensively—your child or you? If you find yourselves using too many words to communicate, don't worry. That's why e-mail was invented.