Word phrase board games

What is phrazle? If you haven’t gotten hooked on phrazle game yet, we are going to explain to you what the phrazle consists of, how to download it and why play wordle phrases Online. In this game you need to solve a phrase in 6 tries, it’s more difficult than wordle, but if you like word games, we think you will love it!

The game is very simple. It consists of guessing some words in 6 attempts. When you solve a phrase of the day m, phrazle gives you the option to share it on your social networks.

✅ How to play Phrazle Game

Phrazle online play is a simple pastime that has gone viral thanks to its simplicity, and the fact that you only have 6 daily attempts to solve its challenge. Phrazle game online is a completely free word guessing game with no need to download anything or install the game. Phrazle word game has a grid system where you focus all your attention on guessing a word as fast as you can, in 3 or 4 attempts at most to complete the phrase.

• Guess the hidden phrase in six tries.
• Each guess must use valid words and use all spaces.
• After each guess, the color of the tiles will change to show how close you are to the

Phrazle wordle game don’t allows players to play a new game again after finishing the day’s game. You inly play phazle Game of the day

Phrazle rules

Phrazle is the version that asks you to guess some words in just six tries. When you write your 5-letter word, in each attempt it will tell you what letters exist in the searched word and if it is in the correct position it will turn green and if it exists but it is not in the correct position it will turn yellow and purple is in the phrase but not in the correct word.

👉 Best first word for phrazle wordle

CRANE is the Best first word for daily phrazle, according to the majority of opinions on social networks, but we have compiled a list of the 5 best words to start phrazle wordle game.

1. AUDIO or ADIEU, with four vowels right off the bat. Your next word can be one with an R, S, T.
2. ROAST may be your second best word.
3. TEARS is a fantastic word for phrazle play.
4. RATIO, with three vowels and two common letters as R and T.
5. STARE, If you want common consonants and two vowels, this is your word.

Phrazle today tricks

However, the trick is figuring out when to move on to the word to guess. You have to throw the first 1-2 attempts at the wall in hopes of getting as much data as possible. Then find out from here which side (left or right) has revealed the most information for Daily phrazle answer. Choose a side and follow it to the end.

Enter this word as soon as you guess it and start guessing the second word. That’s because to save the last attempt to solve the second grid, not both, since that’s not possible now.

If you have run out of inspiration you can use phrazle word game which is a phrazle generator to automatically generate a cloud of words or tags. If there is no way to solve the phrazle puzzle, try phrazle zarathustra in https://zaratustra.itch.io/phrazle

▶️ Play phrazle website

If you want to play, you can click here to play online free. Every day, a five letter word in daily phrazle is chosen which players aim to guess within six tries. Play phrazle and share your statistics with us!

Phrazle Unblocked

Have you ever finished your phrazle puzzle and wished you could play more? phrazle game play unlimited daily games in incognito mode or practice mode in the game.

Clone phrazle alternatives

We are seeing a lot of web and mobile applications that mimic the way Wordle works and seek to take some of the popularity away from this new platform. Some developers take advantage of this success to launch applications and provide us with alternatives to spend our free time simply using our browser.

We leave you some alternatives to phrazle:

• WEEDLE- NFL wordle
• MARVEL WORDLE
• EMOJIDLE – wordle with emojis

Worldle countries

The wordle to guess a mysterious country that they propose to us has arrived. If you want to know what is worldle 🌎 of countries, we explain everything in our Post.

F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions)

You may be interested…

At World3dmap.com we are interested in trends, we are fans of 3D maps and we like to report viral online games. We love mind games, and games without installing, that’s why we have collected the best games of this year without downloading.

If you’re a wordsmith, a word-wiz, or just enjoy a little wordplay, these word board games are right up your vocabulary alley. Word board games can be used as an educational tool, as a hilarious party game, or simply as a way to keep your wordy wits about you. If you’re not into word games, don’t fret, word unscrambling tools can give you an assist in any word game while improving your vocabulary.

So on-words and up-words, here are our top 20 best word board games!

Like Word Games? Why not also check out our list of Puzzle Games and Trivia Games that keep you mentally active, while still having fun?

🏆 Our Top Picks for Best Word Board Games

In a hurry? Take a quick peek before you go.

04/11/2023 05:30 pm GMT

When I Dream

Players: 4-10
Playing time: 20-40 min

Put on your sleep masks and try to decipher your dreams!

When we fall asleep and enter a dream world, the imagination and imagery can be truly magical. When I Dream turns players into dreamers. Be careful when entering the magical world of dreams because the Dream Spirits want to have fun!

When I Dream is an innovative game that puts a focus on creativity and player imagination. Put on your sleep mask and try to interpret the Dream Spirits messages. With fairies, naughty spirits, and even the Boogeyman, the game has an array of characters that make it challenging and that give the game depth. 

This is an excellent fast-paced party game that’ll have you storytelling before the Boogeyman wreaks havoc!

What we liked

When I Dream offers some new unique mechanics that give the word game genre something to think about. Combine that with the gorgeous artwork and you get a really pretty and fun game. 

What could be better

With the timer included, it can rapidly descend into chaos.

Werewords

Players: 4-10
Playing time: 10 min

Guess the magic word!

In Werewords, players must guess a secret word by asking ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions. Be careful, time catches up to you! Like in most games, there’s always a villain looming and trying to interrupt play. In Werewords, one player is secretly a werewolf.

Not only is this player working against you, but they also know the Magic Word. Even if you don’t guess the word in time, you still have the chance of exposing the werewolf and winning the game!

What’s cool about this word game is that it comes with an iOS/Android app that’ll provide thousands of words in hundreds of categories giving the game-high replayability. 

What we liked

It’s like One Night Ultimate Werewolf but combined with a word game. It’s a weird combination that seems to work very well. 

What could be better

Like the original Werewolf, Werewords suffers from similar role management. There are only a handful of roles that are really fun to play, but most players end up as villagers.

Will you figure out the word or will the werewolf get you? Better get your top wordsmith on the case.

Trapwords

Players: 4-8
Playing time: 30-45 min

You know the secret word your teammates must guess. You’ll give clues to help but the other team has other plans in mind. They’ve set a list of ‘trapwords’. You can’t say them or you’ll end up trapped in dungeons with terrifying monsters. Easy enough? Oh, there’s also a time limit. 

Trap words is a fast-paced party game that seems like a simple task of giving clues but gets more challenging by not knowing which words can be said. 

If you’re looking for a word game with a fantasy theme, Trapwords takes you into the fantasy world of dungeons and monsters.

What we liked

Trapwords is a fun fantasy variation of Taboo. The rules are changed enough to make it more interesting to play than Taboo.

What could be better

The timer can be tricky, especially for younger players.

Decrypto

Players: 3-8
Playing time: 15-45 min

Decrypto has a fun vintage aesthetic, surely making it a favorite among the hipster community. But really, this word game blends decoding and player interaction through interesting mechanics.

In this game, teammates try to transmit secret codes without letting the opposing team intercept them. Using clever graphic anaglyph components, players slide cards into the screens to decode the words.

The communication limits make Decrypto a fun and challenging word game to play, plus you’ll feel like a code breaker sending secret messages.

What we liked

The option to guess the other team’s words and clues adds another level to a fun word game. 

What could be better

I’m not sure why, but I had trouble with Decrypto’s rules. It took me far longer than it should have to understand everything and teach it to my gaming group. It could have just been me, but it did give me trouble.

Letter Jam

Players: 2–6
Playing time: 45 min

Your friend gives the clue. Can you guess your secret letter? 

Letter Jam is a cooperative word game where players work together to compose meaningful words from letters around the table. But the twist is only the other players can see your letter cards, not you. 

Letter Jam combines team-based play and players’ deduction skills. Pull together as a team, find the clues, and reap the fruits of cooperation!

Jam out at the next game night and decipher the codes!

What we liked

Under its simple exterior, Letter Jam offers a cerebral word game that delivers more gameplay the longer you play. 

What could be better

It’s played best with more players and is all but obsolete at 2-players.

Bananagrams

Players: 1-8
Playing time: 15 mins

A fun game for everyone that’ll drive you bananas.

Gather your friends and family and race against each other to build crossword grids. Bananagrams is an educational and entertaining game with which you can teach kids how to spell words all while having fun at the same time. 

In Bananagrams, players have to build their words with letters as fast as they possibly can. A race to finish, speed, and a great vocabulary make the game super exciting. 

What we liked

The game is in a case that’s shaped like an actual banana, making it a great travel game. It can fit in any bag and it comes in a cute package. What’s not to like?

What could be better

If you have trouble with words then the real-time movements and actions can be tricky to deal with.

Blank Slate

Players: 3-8
Playing time: 20-35 min

The game where great minds think alike. 

Blank Slate is a game of predictions. “The game where great _ _ _ _ _ think alike!” Easy to learn and quick to play makes Blank Slate a fun game for all levels.

By picking a word cue card, you’ll write which word you think best completes a phrase. To take this a step further, you’ll have to try to match it to another player’s words. 

In this clever party game, prediction skills are key to matching words. If you get good enough you’ll soon be winning the _ _ _ _!

What we liked

Blank Slate is a simple and very fast-playing word game. It works very well as an icebreaker and introduction for people who just met. 

What could be better

Your enjoyment of Blank Slate is going to highly depend on who you are playing with.

Codenames

Players: 2-8
Playing time: 15 min

‘The top-secret word game. Win or lose, it’s fun to figure out the clues!’

There are good reasons why Codenames has become a staple on board gamers’ shelves. Codenames is a deceptively awesome game that’s easy to learn and perfect for parties. 

Codenames is a social word game in which two rival spymasters know 25 secret agents. Their teams only know agents by codenames. Make contact with all your agents first and win. Although this game can be challenging, the social component keeps everyone entertained as they race to finish first.

This is a fun game when you’re winning, but even better when you’re losing. 

What we liked

Codenames is quick, easy to learn, and a blast. There’s a reason it’s become a go-to game in so many households. 

What could be better

There’s a lot of hype surrounding Codenames. There are numerous games out there that do the same thing, Codenames just does it really well. If you’re looking for something innovative and unique, you’ll be disappointed.

More versions of Codenames

Poetry for Neanderthals

Players: 2-12
Playing time: 15 min

A word game where you must ‘speak good’ or get hit with a stick.

Poetry for Neandertals is a competitive word-guessing game. Players are only allowed to use single-syllable words to give clues to their team to guess the phrase.

For example, the word is broccoli, you’ll have to say something like, ‘green food, live long’. Use a big word, you’ll get hit on the head with a 2-foot-long inflatable club.

From the geniuses that brought us Exploding Kittens, Poetry for Neandertals is another fun addition to a game night. With only 15 minutes to play, this hilarious, challenging, cutthroat game tests the patience of logophiles the world over.

What we liked

If you’re a fan of The Oatmeal webcomic, you’re going to love the artwork and irreverent humor. It’s just as ridiculous and fun as it looks. 

What could be better

The humor is a bit low-brow. If you’re not comfortable speaking oddly and smacking friends over the head, then this is probably going to be a miss.

Just One

Players: 3-7
Playing time: 20 min

A cooperative party game where you’ll have to work together to discover the mystery words!

Just One starts with one player drawing a card and choosing a number from it. Each player gets one clue word and together you’ll try to solve the mystery word. Just One is a brilliant word game as it combines cooperative skills with deduction, memory, and creative thinking.

What we liked

I really like the mechanic that discards identical clues. This forces you to be strategic and creative with your clues. Easy-to-learn and easy to play make Just One a relaxed game for everyone.

What could be better

Just One is great, but it can feel as if turns take forever and that’s not good for a party game.

Punderdome

Players: 3- 99
Playing time: 30-90 min

A card game for the pun lovers among us. 

Punderdome will have you laughing out loud with its punny cards and creative style of play. 

Once a pun a time, the creators of Punderdome saw a space in the word game market for a pun game for family and friends. With pun jokes on the back of each card, you can entertain the crowds while waiting to come up with a pun. Some can take longer than others but you can play with no time limits. 

If you’re a pun lover, this is a punderful card game that you won’t regret purchasing.

What we liked

Unlike many of the other games on this list, Punderdome offers quite a lot of opportunities for creativity. It lets you create something instead of just showing off your knowledge of vocabulary. 

What could be better

It’s a game about puns. You’re going to be groaning and laughing, but if you’re not well-versed in puns and dad jokes, it may be a little dry.

Quiddler

Players: 1-8
Playing time: 30 min

Quiddler: Simply for the fun of words. 

Quiddler is a short word game that’s a great pick for word lovers as well as non-word-game players. With this card game, the goal is to arrange your cards in your hand to create one or more words.

If you deal more cards, you’ll have more opportunities to create words. At the end of the game, the highest score wins. 

Quiddler is a sort of Uno-style word game as some cards can double letters and add bonuses to your points. Sharpening your word skills and a bit of luck will have you winning Quiddler!

What we liked

Quiddler makes for a great travel game. It’s simple enough that anyone can play and it’s so easy to pull it out and play wherever you are. 

What could be better

Quiddler relies on luck of the draw to get letters. If you have an extensive vocabulary you can overcome bad draws, but it’s still luck-based.

Hot Words

Players: 4-16
Playing time: 20-30 min

Hot Words is a party game where you can’t say that. 

In Hot Words, you’ll describe words while your team tries to guess what the word is. In each of the 4 rounds, your team will pick a spicy jalapeño card that has a ‘Hot Word’ on it that you can’t say. 

As each round goes by, it’ll get hotter and harder but also more hilarious trying to avoid all the ‘Hot Words’ your team has accumulated.

What we liked

Hot Words provides a simple concept and puts it together in a nice little package. It’s a wordplay game that has a ton of replayability. 

With fun added elements like a ghost pepper round, a 90-second sand timer, a dinner bell, and little hot sauce bottles, Hot Words is a fun and exciting party game!

What could be better

If you’re looking for a smaller group game, Hot Words is best played as a party game with more players.

Can you handle the heat?

Dabble

Players: 2-4
Playing time: 30-60 min

The game where if you can spell, you can play!

Dabble is a fast word game that’s both educational and fun. To start the game you say ‘GO!’ and players race to spell 5 words using 20 tiles. The first person to spell their word wins!

What we liked

The added difficulty of making multiple words of varying sizes seems like a simple concept but definitely makes Dabble stand out. 

What could be better

Like a lot of word games, if you have someone who memorizes vocabulary words in their free time, they’ll absolutely destroy everyone. It’s best to play with people of the same skill and vocabulary level.

Word a Round

Players: 2
Playing time: 20 min

Race to unravel the word! 

Word a Round is a challenging word game where you’ll have to quickly figure out where the word starts and then read it aloud before your opponent. As you answer on the spot, the game becomes a little more difficult as you race to answer. Mistakes are made under pressure so players have to have their wits about them. 

Word a Round is an award-winning card game that’s a great educational tool in classrooms or at home. It helps develop critical thinking skills, making it a favorite among speech therapists. If you are looking for a fun game that’ll also help with learning, this is a great choice. 

What we liked

Word a Round can be learned in seconds and it’s one of the most unique word games on this list. 

What could be better

Since this requires you to guess at words around a circular card, it can be difficult for people with visual impairments.

Word on the Street

Players: 2-10
Playing time: 20 min

A hilarious tug of words.

Word on the Street is a card game in which players take turns flipping category cards, racing the clock to come up with the answer. With each correct answer, you move closer to the sidewalk… and to safety. 

With 432 different categories, there is huge variation and replayability. This game is particularly focused on being educational. It helps players improve their vocabulary, practice spelling, and develop social skills. 

What we liked

Word on the Street is a simple enough word game but combines wordplay with enough strategy to make it unique. 

What could be better

You’ll need to have quick recall of your vocabulary, so if you’re looking for a slow burn game then this is not what you’re looking for.

Wordplay: Family Edition

Players: 2

If your family loves word games, WordPlay is a fast-paced challenge in which everyone plays every round. 

A fun spinner determines the letters and the category for each round. For example, ‘Food and Drinks’ means you can only use words that begin with the letter ‘E’. The difference with this family edition is even if you think of things that don’t start with the correct letter, you still score some points.

This game is a friendly and inclusive way to help kids learn and be introduced to the wonderful world of word board games. 

What we liked

Wordplay is a simple word game that appeals to everyone. It’s simple enough that anyone can pick it up and have some fun right out of the box. 

What could be better

Wordplay’s universal appeal means that there’s no real innovation or new mechanics. It’s fun, but you’ve seen it before and will see it again in other word games.

Upwords

Players: 1-4
Playing time: 90 min

Upwords a game of quick stacking and word hacking. 

In this word-building game, the higher you stack, the higher your score. With each player starting out with 7 words that you can play up or down, the game almost feels like Scrabble.

But here, you can stack letters on top of others. When you stack letters higher on each other, you earn more points. This makes Upwords more intense and strategic. 

Upwords is very versatile and can be played solo to challenge yourself, with kids, or with your friends. Experience this high-stakes, high-stacking word game, and grow your vocabulary as you go!

What we liked

I honestly prefer Upwords over Scrabble. The tile stacking adds a whole new dimension to the classic wordplay formula. 

What could be better

It’s a minor issue, but I’m not a fan of the components on the deluxe board. They work fine, but the color scheme makes it difficult to see for me.

Wordical

Players: 2-8

The radical, dice-rolling, word-building race!

Wordical is another educational word game in which players roll a vowel die and combine consonants to make a word. It’s a fun way for kids to develop their spelling skills and build vocabulary. It’s easy to learn and moves quickly so there are no long pauses.

This is a wonderful game for the classroom or for students who are struggling with their phonics.

What we liked

The dice add an interesting twist to this word game. Randomness is usually added through other means, but it’s a refreshing take on the word game genre. 

What could be better

It’s a simple travel game, so the rules and gameplay are very simple. You won’t find in-depth strategy here, but that’s ok for a word game.

Wordsmithery

Players: 2- 99
Playing time: 20 min

The game for every wordsmith, young and old.

Wordsmithery is a fun, fast-paced game in which you can test your wordsmith skills. Draw a word, read it to your opponent, and see if they can guess the meaning from the three options.

With some difficult words like ‘egregious’ or ‘phalanx’, it could seem difficult for children but included are 50 easier cards for kids. The different levels of difficulty make this a family-friendly word board game. 

What we liked

The concept is extremely easy to understand and the word choices are genuinely fun to play with. 

What could be better

Eventually, you’re going to memorize all of the words available in the box. There are only so many times you can be surprised by a word before we simply learn it.

Wrap-Up

What are your favorite word games to play? We hope you enjoyed our top picks for the best word board games out there! Let us know in the comments if you’ve tried any of these or if we missed any that you think should be on the list. We’d love to hear from you!

Happy Wordsmithing!

There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.

Are you a word geek
looking for new word board games to play?

Or are you simply
searching for something new to amuse you and your friends on game night?

Perhaps are you a parent
seeking games for your partner and kids that are both educational and entertaining?

If so, you have landed
on the right page! In this post, we share the 9 best word board games for you and the crew. We picked these games
based on the number of positive reviews and high ratings they got from
satisfied consumers.

Instead of mindlessly
scrolling through your social media accounts and wasting valuable time, it’s
probably time to consider other hobbies like playing board games. You’ll might
be surprised how much this activity can be beneficial to your soul, mind, and body.

Without further ado, let’s check out our list of the best word board games!

1. Bananagrams

Bananagrams is an excellent choice for parents who are looking to play
word board games with their children. In addition to fun and entertainment, this anagram game promises an
educational experience for kids, especially those who are starting to learn
more complex words.

The rules are simple and
easy to understand. First, you need to distribute the tiles among all players
(maximum of eight players) facedown—21 tiles each for two to four players; 15
tiles each for five to six players; and, 11 tiles each for seven to eight
players. Start the game by saying “Split!” and everyone turns their tiles over.

The objective of this
game is to be the first person to use all their letters. You may form words
horizontally from left to right, or vertically from top to bottom. You may also
rearrange your grid any time you want. After placing your last letter in your
grid, call out “Peel!” and everyone has to take another tile from the “Bunch.”

One rule to remember is
that you can put one of your letters back, face-down in the Bunch, by saying “Dump!”
However, you have to take three more tiles in exchange for that one letter. You
may do as many “dumps” as you like.

Whoever is the first
person to use all their letters once the Bunch is empty is the winner. But he
has to shout “Bananas!” to let the others know. The competitors should then
inspect his grid to see if there are misspelled words, proper nouns, or any
other unacceptable words. If there are, then they have to shout “Rotten
Banana!” to kick the false winner out of the game.

2. Quiddler

If you are looking for a fast-paced, short-duration word board game,
then Quiddler is the answer. This
game exercises both your vocabulary and spelling skills, and is most suitable
for children six years old and above. There can be 1 to 10 players, and the one
with the highest score at the end of the game is the winner.

In this game, each
player is required to create words from the cards in their hands. You have to
be cautious, however, since the number of cards increases every round. There
are eight rounds to deal with, and you can have as many as 10 cards on the last
round. Every card has its corresponding value, so if you have the most number
of words formed with high-value cards by the end of the game, you will have the
most number of points.

This word board game
allows you to form even the simplest of words like “at,” “of,” “zoo,” and a lot
more. This is why it is recommended to kids. There are bonuses, too. For
instance, the player with the most words formed and the player who forms the
longest word get additional points. In the case of a tie, no one receives the
bonus points.

Quiddler has a high
rating on online stores, with almost a perfect store, as well as lots of
positive feedback. If you are looking for a game you can play with your
children, then we highly recommend this one.

3. Hasbro Scrabble

The game Scrabble was created
by Alfred Mosher Butts in 1938, and since then has became a popular way to
spend fun nights with friends, colleagues, and family members.

This particular version
of Scrabble is from Hasbro Gaming, which is one of the largest companies in the
world that makes toys and other means of entertainment. The goal of the game is
to form words on the board and gain points.

For every tile you use
to create a word, you have to draw a replacement from the bag. The game ends
once there are no more tiles, and the player with the most number of points
wins. To determine who has the most points, you’ll have to record your score on
each turn with pen and paper, and then add them up at the end.

Scrabble may be played
solo, with two to three players, or with a group of friends. You need a bit of
luck, as you have to draw tiles blindly, but the game also rewards those with
good strategy and extensive vocabularies.

4. Big Boggle

Big Boggle is an excellent choice for those seeking a word game with a
bit of pressure. The goal of
the game is to list as many words as you can from the randomly assorted letters
given to you at the start. However, you only have three minutes to do so, which
means you have to think and write quickly.

This board game comes with
25 standard letter cubes, one double letter cube, a cube grid with a dome, and
a three-minute sand timer. At the beginning of the game, each player takes a
pen/pencil and paper to list their words. The cube grid is then prepared by
shaking the cubes until they fall into place.

Once the timer starts,
all players should use the assorted letters and come up with words of four or
more letters. Write down every word you can think of until the time runs out.
Words must be formed from adjoining letters on the grid.

When the timer stops,
all players compare their lists of words with one another. All words that have
been played by multiple people are not scored. The remaining words are scored,
the one who earns the most points is the winner.

5. Tapple

Tapple is a fast-paced word board game that is most suitable for
families who like playing games during holidays, parties, and family
gatherings. It is also easy to
store and carry, and therefore can be packed during vacations, trips, and long
getaways.

This board game comes
with a portable Tapple wheel and 36 topic cards with 144 categories. The goal
is simple: You have to produce an answer to the category cards using only the letters
available on the wheel. Aim to be the last player left in each round to get a
score, then collect three topic cards and you win.

Tapple is a
time-pressure and elimination game. You only have 10 seconds to answer every
round, and if you fail to do so, you get kicked out for that round. If you give
an answer that does not match the category, you get eliminated. The last person
standing gains the point and is declared the winner for that round.

Remember that when you
give your answer, you have to press the first letter of the word and then reset
the timer to pass the turn. Otherwise, you are disqualified. Likewise, keep in
mind that once a letter has been used, the others can no longer press that
letter for that round.

6. Word on the Street

If you are searching for a very competitive word board game, then you
should include this one on your list. Word on the Street is a tug-of-words type of game where each team fights
for its desired letters to form high-scoring words. The first team to get the
eight letter tiles becomes the winner.

There are two teams in
this game, and they take turns “on the street,” or on the board. The letter
tiles are put in their corresponding place on the middle lane of the board
called the “Median Strip.” There are different rules with regard to turns, but
the main objective is to capture all eight letter tiles before the other team
does.

The key to winning this
game is to brainstorm with your teammates while the other team is making its
move. You all must agree on one word, and pull the letters of that word closer
to your side of the street before time runs out, and before the other team does
the same. Word on the Street is not just a vocabulary game, but also a game of
speed and strategy.

7. Pairs in Pears

Pairs in Pears is somewhat similar to Bananagrams, so if you are looking
for an alternative to the latter, then this word board game is a good fit. In this game, the goal is to make as many
pairs as possible, but they have to be matching suits.

The game comes with 104
tiles, and the number of tiles you can take depends on the number of players
there are. Similarly, the number of pairs needed to win also depends on the
number of players. There are, however, other ways to play this game, and they
are all explained in the game’s guide.

Pairs in Pears is a
racing and counting game in which you try to be the first to produce as many as
possible pairs with matching suits. It is a great way for children (and adults)
to improve their memory retention and cognitive skills, and is also a means to
develop pattern recognition and vocabulary.

8. Dabble

If you are a fast thinker and can come up with an answer in less than a
minute, then Dabble might be the word board game for you. This game tests not just your vocabulary skills,
but also your speed and agility.

The board game includes
all the letters of the Spanish and English alphabets, so it can be played in
both languages. It is appropriate for two to four players, ages 10 years old
and up, and you can even play it in teams.

The rules of the game
are simple. All players must pick 20 tiles from the bag without looking, and
then place their tiles face down. When the game starts, they all turn their
tiles and start the timer, then create five words (a two-letter word,
three-letter word, four-letter word, five-letter word, and six-letter word).
Points are recorded every round, and the first to reach 500 points is the
winner.

Other players may
challenge words if they have been misspelled or if they are not words at all.
You will need to have a dictionary on hand for challenges. Unlike Scrabble,
however, some words (e.g., foreign words, archaic words, colloquial words,
etc.) are accepted in Dabble.

9. Upwords

Upwords is a great game
if you are searching for a high-stacking, word-building game. In this game, you
don’t just think of words to form, but you also stack tiles to change words.
Your score is not based solely on the number of words you form, but also on the
level of tiles you stack—the higher you stack, the higher your score is.

Similar to Scrabble, the
game begins by each player drawing seven tiles from the bag. The first player
starts the game by placing a word on the board, and then drawing new tiles from
the bag. Every player who comes next forms a word by adding letters to the
previous tiles on the board.

Unlike Scrabble,
however, you can place your letters on top of the other letters that are
already on the board. For instance, if the word is “HAT,” you can use the
letters T, R, E, S, and S to add to the end of the word, and then cover H with
M to form the word “MATTRESS.”

There are a few other rules
to consider in this game that are not in Scrabble. One example is the points
system, as Upwords’ letter tiles all have one point each. There are also no
double or triple letter word scores for additional points.

If you are looking for a
Scrabble-like game with a bit of a twist, you might want to consider checking
out this game.

Final Thoughts on Word and Vocabulary Board Games

We highly recommend
these word board games for those who are looking for a bit of fun and a great
way to help their children learn. After all, these types of games have shown to
be beneficial for a person’s brain development and cognitive skills. And while
your children are learning and having fun, you get to be a part of their
experience.

We also suggest these
games for those who have gotten tired of playing the usual mystery, roleplaying, and deck-building board games. You might want to try changing the flavor of
your game night and see how well you do in other types of board games.

Whatever your reason is
for checking out this post, we hope that we were able to help you find a game
that suits your tastes.

Have you already tried
playing one or more of these board games?

Let us know which one by
sharing your story in the comment fields below. We’d love to hear about your
experience!

Board games are a great way for students to explore new vocab words, put to use vocabulary they already know, and practice spelling and pronouncing those words. (By the way ‘board games’ means that objects are included in the gameplay; not all of these have actual boards.) To play these games, students may need to be able to describe, explain, categorize, or give examples of words.

Keep in mind that the core concepts here are the gameplay, not the products. Once you know the purpose and mechanics of a game, you may be able to create your own version of the game, which will allow you to customize the words involved and the difficulty level. If you do choose to purchase a game, know that some of them have multiple editions, so look for the one that best matches the tone, interest, age range, and difficulty level relevant to your class. Finally, feel free to work in pairs or groups instead of as individuals.

Here are several games I recommend.

Scattergories

In every round in Scattergories, players are presented with a letter and several categories. Each player must write down a word for each category that starts with that letter (for example, if the letter is ‘P’ and the categories are ‘fruit’, ‘clothes’, and ‘animals’, a student might write down ‘plum’, ‘pants’, and ‘panther’). When I do my own version, I typically reverse the prompts in a round: I give one category with several letters. It’s easy to include topics you’ve covered with your class previously. If you’d like to make it more challenging, then students only get points if no other student/team gave the same answer.

Apples-to-Apples

Apples to Apples is about matching nouns to adjectives. In the classic gameplay, students have noun cards in their hand and must submit one that best matches the given adjective card for that round. The judge decides which answer is the best. Start with some straightforward examples, but the game often turns silly as players suggest ridiculous pairings, which may end up winning the round depending on the judge.

We have a full post on how to create customized Apples-to-Apples for your classroom, so be sure to read that.

Codenames

In Codenames, an array of cards are laid out, each with one word on it. About a third of the cards are designated for your team, and the other team has the same. On each team, one player gives clues as to which cards/words are theirs, and the other members of the team have to select the correct words. In this game, teams can do multiple words in a round. For example, if three of my team’s remaining words are ‘package’ ‘boat’, and ‘UFO’, I can give the clue ‘ship’ for all three. Be careful not to select the other team’s cards, and especially not to select the one card that causes you to lose the game immediately. The first team to collect all their cards wins!

Scrabble / Bananagrams

Scrabble seems to be an old favorite. What words can you create given seven letters or less plus at least one more letter that’s already on the board? This can be tricky to do well, so I don’t recommend it for beginners. The best scrabble players use short words because where you place your tiles often gives you more points than the number of tiles you place. Therefore, if you’re going to do this with your students, it’s great to review short, common words like auxiliary verbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and pronouns first. That said, you should play with them and make some longer words (not necessarily trying to get lots of points) to increase the play area and grant the others more opportunities for word placement.

Bananagrams is essentially the same as scrabble except that there are no boundaries (it’s not on a board) and players don’t take turns (so speed is crucial).

Boggle

Boggle is like the reverse of Scrabble. It also includes individual letters forming words, but this time players have to identify words already in place instead of creating them. It’s like a randomized word-search. Much like with Scrabble, many of the words in Boggle will be little words lie prepositions, pronouns, conjunctions, and auxiliaries, though certainly not all of them. To get the most out of Boggle, have your students focus on common letter combinations like ‘st’, ‘er’, ‘on’, and so forth.

Dixit

Half of Dixit is about identifying the correct picture based on a verbal clue. The other half of Dixit is selecting an alternate picture that might fit the clue. The picture you select will be used to mislead other players as you try to determine the original picture that inspired the clue. The player giving the clue shouldn’t make it too difficult (because it’s not good if no one guesses correctly) or too easy (because it’s not good if everyone guesses correctly, either). This is a great game for creative minds but can be trickier for younger children because both the pictures and the clues are rather abstract. For that same reason, the possibilities are endless.

Guessing Games

With guessing games, one player typically gives clues about a word or phrase, and their teammates have to guess the correct word/phrase before time runs out. I’ve put them into groups based on the way the clues are presented. If you choose, you can have an unbiased player present the clues and let both teams (or all the teams) guess at the same time instead of taking turns.

Taboo / Password / Catch Phrase! / Hedbandz

These three games are about explaining a word or phrase using other words. Catch Phrase! is probably the most straightforward. With Taboo, you’re given a list of related words you’re not allowed to use. With Password, you can only use one single word as a clue, and if your team doesn’t guess correctly, the other team gets a shot. Hedbandz isn’t about teams, but instead everyone is helping each other all at the same time, and each person has their own word to guess.

Pictionary

In Pictionary, the clues must be drawn; the player giving the clues cannot speak or write.

Guesstures / Charades

Everyone knows Charades. One player gives clues by acting them out. Again, they cannot speak. Guesstures is essentially the same but faster and the classic symbols of Charades are less important.

Cranium / Activity

With both Cranium and Activity, player tokens progress along a board, and the space they land on in a given round determines whether the clue needs to be spoken, drawn, acted out, or other.

Useful vocabulary

Roll a/ the dice

Board (game)

Counter

Team

Winner (= First place)

Second place (= Runner up)

The wooden spoon (= Last place)

(Flip/ Toss a) coin/ Heads or tails?

Paper scissors stone/ Rock paper scissors

(Move) clockwise/ anticlockwise (= counter clockwise)

Bonus question

Joker

Pass (to the next player)

Cheating

Minus one point/ Take away a point

Clue/ Hint

Shuffle/ Mix (up)

Deal (out)

(My/ Your/ His/ Her/ This team’s) turn

Points

Add up (the points)/ The total (score)

Round one/ The first round

Playing board games

Throw/ roll the dice (and move around the board)

You need one counter each (for example, an eraser or a coin)

Whose turn is it? / Who’s next?

Is it my turn? / Am I next?

It’s your turn. / You’re next

Place your counter on start/ the first square/ Choose a different counter each and place it on «START».

The player with the highest number goes first

Play rock, paper, scissors to see who goes first

If you land on this square go back three squares/ take a card/ do the thing that is written there/ do the challenge that your partners set you

Take it in turns to throw the dice.

Move forward three squares.

If you throw a 6, have another go/ throw again

You need a board, a dice and a counter each. (Ask me nicely for those things)

What colour counter do you want/ would you like?

Playing card games

Face down (on the table)/ So you can’t see them

Face up/ So that you can see them

In a pack/ Two packs

Spread across the table/ floor

Deal out all the cards

Give (three/ four/ five/ an equal number of) cards to each player (and put the rest in a pack in the middle)

Shuffle (thoroughly)

Take a card from the pack (when it is your turn/ if you can’t go)

The person with the most/ least cards is the winner

Pick a card (from this pack)/ Take a card from the top of the pack

Take five cards, but don’t look at them (yet)

You can look at the cards, but don’t show your partner

Quizzes

You can only have one guess

If you guess wrongly play passes to the next team/ you lose one point

Do you need a hint/ a clue/ more time?

Twenty seconds to answer

(Is that your) final answer?

Choose one question

You have to agree on an answer in your team/ group

Starting and setting up games

It’s time for a game! / Let’s play a game!

Tell me/ decide on your team names/ What are your team names?/ Write your team names here/ Choose a team name from this list

Clearing space and getting into position

Clear your desks/ Put your books and pencils away/ Make some room on your desk

Get into pairs/ groups (of two/ three/ four)/ Find a partner/ Find two/ three/ four partners

This is group/ team A (and this is group/ team B)

You (two), work together

Make/ get into two/ three/ four groups/ teams

(Make/ get into) a boys’ team and a girls’ team

Make/ stand in a circle

Make two lines/ Stand in two lines (from here to here/ facing the board/ between here and here)

Turn (all the way) round (and face each other/ face the other way)

Face this way/ Face the board/ window/ teacher/ back of the room

Come to the front please/ Come up here

Getting the right bits and pieces

Take one (worksheet/ dice/ counter) and pass them back/ pass them along

One (photocopy/ piece of paper/ counter) each

One (dice/ playing board/ pack of cards) for each group

Choose something that you can use as a counter (for this game, for example a coin, eraser or pen lid)

Pass (me/ your partner/ the next person) the ball

Ask me (nicely/ politely/ in English) for the pack of cards/ dice/ ball

Here you are! / Here you go!

Make sure there is/ are… in your set

Giving instructions

What do (you think) we do with a/ this dice/ coin/ ball/ spinner/ sticky ball/ box of Lego bricks?

Who would like to demonstrate the game (with me)?

Does anyone already know this game?

Play moves clockwise/ anticlockwise (= counter clockwise)

Instruction checking questions

How long do you have to play the game?

Who is the winner?

How do you win the game?

Can you/ Should you…?

What are the rules?

What is this for?

What does this mean?

(Are there/ Does anyone have) any (more) questions?

Getting started

Who’d like to start? / (Are there) any volunteers (to go first)?

Are you ready?

Ready, steady, go! / On your marks, get set, go! / Wait for it, wait for it, go!

Any (more) questions about how to play? No? Okay, start/ play the game!

Making sure the game moves along

It’s your turn/ You’re next/ You’re up

Whose turn is it? / Who’s next?

Try (it) again

Are you (100%) sure? / (Is that your) final answer?

Finishing games

(Go) back to your seats

That was fun, wasn’t it? / Did you have fun?

Time’s running out! / Only 10 seconds left. Ten, nine…

Hurry up!

Time’s up/ Three, two, one, zero! / Game over! / The game is over

(There will be) (just) one more question/ round

How many points did you get? / Add up your scores/ Count up your points/ cards

Stop there

The winner

The person who has most/ least points/ cards is the winner

This team is the winner!

It’s a draw/ Everyone wins! / Everyone’s a winner!

.. and the prize is…