Best vocabulary board games

Checkers Recycle this familiar board game into a memorization exercise: Group students into pairs. Give each set of students a copy of this printable checkerboard : Students should write a vocabulary word in white space available in each square.

As students play through a game of checkers, ask them to provide the correct definition of the word in the square they want to move their piece to. Another option could also be having the student use the vocabulary word in a sentence. If the student correctly defines the word or uses is in context, they get to claim that square.

Vocabulary Bingo A similar idea to the checkers game, you can have students create their own Bingo card , with a vocabulary word in each space: Once the cards are assembled, read the definition of each word.

Students should be able to determine what word you defined and put a counter on that square. As an extra incentive, provide a prize for winners. It could be a free homework pass, candy, or small toy! Pictionary A great way to get the whole class involved is by playing Pictionary: Split the class into 2 teams. Have one student from each team come to the board. Assign them one vocabulary word to draw. Repeat with different members of each team coming to board until all the vocabulary words have been drawn, then tally the points, and declare a winning team!

Charades Charades is set up similarly to Pictionary. Circle Rotations To get everyone up and moving, try a circle rotation exercise: Split the class in half, and have them form two concentric circles in the room, facing each other. Hand out flashcards to each student with a vocabulary word on one side and its definition on the other. Students in the inner circle can test the students in the outside circle and vice versa.

Thanks for sharing! Bumpsymum, that sounds like a fun game. I always enjoy the word games on T. It's always fun to play along. Thanks for the great comment. Informative and fun hub.

I love word games. We have a TV quiz called 'Countdown' where you have to make the longest word you can out of 9 random letters, it's addictive and makes you think. Great hub Great choices of word games- loved the hub and the way you've used them to teach and improve vocabulary. Vocalcoach, thanks so much for dropping by. Isn't Balderdash a blast? I love it, too. Take care. MsLizzy, I know what you mean about lacking "playmates. I got my stepsons and husband to play "Upwords" once, but that once was like some kind of freak accident!

The problem with board games is finding people to play with you, and getting them away from their I-phones long enough to take a turn. Ha ha! I agree that often kids who are doing poorly in school, are bored, and we haven't learned to engage them enough.

Thanks for the great comment! Cari, I was introduced to Upwords by the teaching mentor I mentioned at the beginning of the hub. She used it all the time with her resource kids. I actually bought it at a garage sale, and think it's so much fun! Apples to Apples is definitely worth it!

Thanks for dropping by. Jimmie, you are so right! They do love them, and they also learn! I think games are such an important part of teaching, because kids have an actual need to play. And games meet that need, while learning at the same time. Thanks for stopping by! HB Nurse, what a great teacher, who shared his passion for chess with you. Chess is so good for learning abstract thinking and strategy.

I haven't read any studies to back this up, but I'm sure chess makes kids smarter. Scrabble is one of my all-time favourites, too. I don't have people in my life, close by, that play, though!

So I resort to Lexulous on Facebook! Cardelean, that's great that you use scrabble and boggle jr. What a cool way to incorporate games into your elementary classroom. If you are working with the younger ones, I would recommend looking for the junior version of apples to apples.

Some of the entries in the regular version are not quite school-appropriate. I feel that teachers who need to assign failing grades on a student's report card are actually grading their own failure to reach said students! I had not heard of Apples to Apples, but have played the others. I enjoy Scrabble, and Balderdash, but sadly, no one in my family or social circle likes to play word games, so I have no "playmates. I am not formally a teacher, but I have taught many things to many people, from my own kids to Girl Scout troops, and it is true--kids learn best when they think all they are doing is playing!

Julianne,you are so right. It is very fun for the kids, who don't even realize that they're learning. Thanks for dropping by! Dahoglund, games are pretty effective at letting kids play with language. Thanks for commenting! I totally forgot all about upwards - my sister and I used to play that all the time.

I've always been curious about Apples for Apples because I've heard such good things about it. Great hub and I agree that games are a very effective way to teach about words. Scrabble is still one of my favorite games.

I love how you and also, Cardelean, incorporate things like this into the classroom. My favorite teacher 5th grade set up an afterschool chess club for us in his classroom and we had great fun learning how to play chess. Most of us had never played chess before, but because he introduced it to us, it became popular in that class. Great resources Prarieprincess.

I have used scrabble and boggle jr. Games are a very effective teaching tool when used properly, I agree completely with you. I have played Balderdash but never used it in the classroom. I'm going to have to look into getting that and Apples for Apples. Denise, thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the video, and found it confirmed those things you did as a mother, without professional training, but, I am sure, excellent instincts!

Wonderful hub. Only if they complete all the actions accurately do they earn points for their turn. Players have up to one minute to think before completing their given action s. If they cannot perform the action after one minute of preparation, they forfeit any points and the next student in the group rolls.

Vocabulary Bingo is an opportunity to see if students know the definitions of their vocabulary words. To play this game, you will need bingo markers and a game board for each student, as well as writing implements for students to fill in the boards.

On the blank Vocabulary Bingo game board, each student writes only their vocabulary words on the Bingo card, without hints as to what each word means. The object of the game is to get five across, down, or diagonal on the game board. Find out if your students can use their vocabulary words properly in context with a game of Vocabulary Checkers. This game is a fun spin-off of a classic checkers game for two players and is suitable for students in grades 1 through To play, each pair of students will need a Vocabulary Checkers checkerboard, writing implements to complete the board, and game pieces pennies and nickels, two different colored dots, or classic check game pieces can be used.

Each player should put game pieces on the 12 dark squares in the first three rows closest to him or her. Players then take turns moving the checkers one space diagonally. When a player wants to make a move, she or he has to say a sentence using the vocabulary word on the space to which she or he wants to move. A player who does not use the vocabulary word correctly in the sentence does not get to move. If one of the words is used incorrectly, the move cannot be made at all.

All other checkers rules apply! This challenge allows students in grades 2 through 12 to learn vocabulary autonomously. This challenge is a great opportunity to review longer or older word lists along with current vocabulary. Each student needs three blank copies of the Bracket Template one for nouns, one for verbs, and one for adjectives in the download as well as writing implements to complete it.

Using the Bracket Template, students will complete the far left eight spaces with vocabulary words that are that specific part of speech. Once students have written sentences for the initial duels, they should then write sentences using the winners of each bracket. Again, for each pairing, each sentence should use both words and highlight one word dominating the other. Why one word defeats another is arbitrary and up to the students; as long as students are using the vocabulary words correctly in sentences, they can determine the winner for any reason.

Award prizes as you see fit. You might consider hanging all the brackets up for students to compare and perhaps even have multiple winners in categories such as: most creative use of words, best illustrated bracket, best use of short sentences, best use of puns in sentences, etc. You might give all students who picked the winning word a prize or put their names on a big basketball in recognition.

Designed for students in grades 3 through 12, it challenges them to know related words and use that knowledge in a guessing style game. All you need to play is a completed set of cards. Students will need to write synonyms on the cards before play begins. Students will use a list of related words or synonyms to help his or her teammate guess the vocabulary word, without saying the word. These games allow students to interact with each other, play, and compete and maybe even win some recognition or prizes for their vocabulary prowess.

No matter what, everybody wins better lexicons in the process! Take your 3 rd through 12 th grade students out to the ballgame with this baseball-inspired vocabulary game. Want to appeal to your digitally-savvy 4 th through 12 th grade students? Transport students to a world of words, gold coins, elixirs, armor, and more with this fun Video Game. A classic memory game can reap academic rewards for students in Grades K through 8 and reinforce the connection between words and visuals.

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