Categories Game Rules & Instructions

The Categories game is a simple and fun word game that can be played in various scenarios, such as parties, classrooms, or family gatherings. The game requires no special equipment and can be played with two or more players.

Categories Game Rules

The Categories game, also known as “Stop the Bus,” is a fun word game that can be played in groups with two to three players in a given group. The idea of the game is to think of words that belong to a specific category and start with the chosen letter.

Divide into Teams

Depending on the number of players, form two or three teams. Particularly if you have a small group, individuals can play instead of teams.

Choose Categories

Select 5 or 6 categories and write them as headings on a board or paper. Categories can include anything from ‘Countries in Europe’ to ‘Types of fruit’.

Pick a Letter

Pick up a letter of the alphabet for the round.

Start the Game

The entire team or player must quickly write down a word that fits each category and start with the chosen letter.

Stop the Game

The first team to finish claps their hands twice and puts their hands on their heads, and everyone else must stop writing.

Check Answers and Award Points

Make sure to confirm the answers of the winning team. When all their words are correct, they get points, and the remaining teams earn points for each correct word.

Play Multiple Rounds

To play multiple rounds, change the letters and categories in subsequent rounds to keep the game interesting.

How to Play Categories Game

To start the game, divide the players into teams, depending on the number of players, into two or three teams. Then, select 5 or 6 categories and write them as headings on a board or paper. The categories can include anything from ‘Countries in Europe’ to ‘Types of fruit’. 

The next step is to pick a letter of the alphabet for the round. Each team or player must quickly write down a word that fits each category and starts with the chosen letter. The first team to finish claps their hands twice and puts their hands on their heads, and each person else must stop writing. 

After the game has stopped, the answers of the winning team need to be verified, and if their words are valid, they get points. In addition, other players also earn points for each of the correct words they use. To keep the game interesting, you can change the letters and categories in different rounds. 

Another way to play the Categories game is to have players write down a list of categories, such as “cities” or “actors,” and each person must write every category in the list on a sheet of paper. Then, randomly assign a letter of the alphabet, and players have a predefined amount of time to write a word for each category that starts with that letter. 

Winning

When the time is up, players swap sheets and score their attempts. The unique entry in the group is worth 2 points, whereas an entry shared with another player scores 1 point. Then, in the end, the player who finishes with the highest total of coins is the winner.

Variations

There are a few variations to the Categories game that can make it more challenging or suitable for specific audiences. For instance, the game can be turned into a drinking game for adults, where the person who fails to say a word takes a drink. 

Another variation is the pen and paper version. This involves a 20-sided die with letters, a timer, and writing materials. In this game, players write down words, starting with the rolled letter, for various categories within a set time limit, and unique answers score points.