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Vocabulary Board Games

Popular board games can educate players, including children, while keeping them entertained. Rather than reading a dictionary or memorizing flash cards, people can play board games that reward having other skills like strategy and creativity. Some games put players into teams so someone trying to expand their vocabulary can have a teacher to help them.

Scrabble
- Take turns building a crossword by forming real words from their pile of single-letter tiles. The game relies on each player̵7;s existing vocabulary skills, which may be challenged by other players who are unfamiliar with a word. Typically both players can search a dictionary̵2;not included̵2;to confirm that the contested word does or does not exist. According to BoardGameGeek.com, "Scrabble" can offer about 90 minutes of playing time for between two and four players.
Balderdash
- Play this game to learn the definitions of obscure words. "Balderdash" has several players guess dictionary definitions to real, but uncommon, words to earn points. An opposing player has to choose which, if any, guesses are correct. The game recommends a group of two to six people at least ten years old. Mattel, Parker Brothers and Canada Games Company Limited have published this game that also has an expanded edition called "Beyond Balderdash," which adds categories to name a movie̵7;s plot or a date̵7;s historical significance.
Password
- This word-association board game came from the 1960s television game show of the same name. Four players break into teams of two and have their teammate guess the password by thinking of a single word that best describes it. Teams alternate turns and win points by successfully guessing more passwords using fewer clues. The game allows players to expand their vocabulary by learning the simplest definitions possible. Milton Bradley and Endless Games have both published the "Password" game.
Boggle
- Find more words than your opponents in this word-search board game. Dice, containing single letters on each side, are placed in spaces of a grid at the beginning of each round. Players then search the board for words formed horizontally, vertically or in a snaking line. After three minutes, players compare results and win points by having real words no one else found. BoardGameGeek.com recommends playing "Boggle" with one to six players. Parker Brothers publishes "Boggle" using a grid that holds 16 dice in addition to a "Big Boggle" version with a 25-dice grid.

Board Games