5 Simple Board Games to Help Spelling

By Tom Russell -

 5 Simple Board Games to Help Spelling

Board games can be an incredibly effective tool for helping children improve their spelling skills. By their very nature, board games require players to read, recognize, and spell out words on game pieces, cards, and boards, making them an engaging and interactive way to practice and strengthen spelling abilities. I have long used boggle, scrabble, and spelling bee to help and encourage those poorer spellers to engage in spelling activities

Here are 5 essential board games for any teacher or parent looking to help improve their children's spelling skills...

1. Scrabble

The classic board game Scrabble offers numerous benefits for children learning to spell and expand their vocabulary. At its core, Scrabble requires players to strategically arrange letter tiles to form words on a game board, making it an educational and engaging experience for young learners. As children carefully consider the placement of each letter, they actively think about word structure and spelling, reinforcing essential phonetic and orthographic principles. Scrabble's competitive nature also encourages children to stretch their vocabulary, as they compete to create the longest, most complex words possible to earn the most points. This creates an air of excitement and helps to motivate children to spell more abstract words.

 2. Boggle

Boggle is beneficial to children learning to spell because it helps them practice identifying and forming words. When children play boggle they are required to search for words within a grid of letters which can improve their spelling skills. In addition to this, playing Boggle can help children become more familiar with different letter combinations and expand their vocabulary. Through this game children can also enhance their ability to think quickly and creatively as they try to come up with as many words as possible within a limited time frame. Overall, Boggle can be a fun educational way for children to improve their spelling abilities.

Word Yahtzee

This game creates so much excitement in the classroom! Unfortunately, it's no longer in production, but I frequently find it on eBay, Amazon, and at thrift stores. Whenever I come across it, I eagerly purchase copies to gift to friends, teachers, and homeschoolers.
The way that you play this game is very similar to Number Yahtzee, where you must roll a 3-letter word, all vowels, or two words. It includes seven letter dice, some with 'wild' diamond or square symbols. This makes it a great way to practice both simple CVC spelling words and work towards longer, more complex words.

Bananagrams 

Bananagrams are an excellent method to help children improve thier spelling and word-space comprehension. Once children have grasped scrabble, this is the perfect game for you!
This game helps learners to practice CVC spelling words as well as their rhyming words through playing with letter tiles and experimenting with forming new words. In addition to this, children are required to think strategically and creatively about where to place words.

Hedbanz

For some words the only way to learn them is through repetition and constant exposure to the word and pictures relating to it. Hedbanz is the perfect game for this, and the best thing... Children don't even need to be able to read yet to engage with this activity!


The game works with one person putting the band on their head and choosing one of the picture/word cards. The rest of the players have to help the person guess what their word is through clues and answering questions.






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