Scrabble For Kids
Although it isn't usually a good idea to place a lot of focus on the word "educational" when communicating with children, Scrabble is definitely a board game that is a very useful and helpful educational tool. To the children, however, it's best to keep the focus on the fact that Scrabble is fun. Scrabble can provide many hours of enjoyment and entertainment, while at the same time be a great aid to their educations. When presented as an opportunity to have a good time, Scrabble will also have the longterm benefit of giving children a lifetime love of learning, as well as a healthy desire for accomplishment.
For people who live in the United States, it is of the utmost importance to be skilled in the English language. To attain any degree of success in communication, education and business, it is essential that a person acquire knowledge of the English language and its proper usage. Scrabble is a great asset in all facets of these necessary language skills, from basic vocabulary to spelling. It will also help children gain an early appreciation for "when in doubt, look it up," as any questions they may have about words while playing a game of Scrabble can be readily answered by checking a dictionary.
It is rare to find a board game that provides such a delightful combination of an enriching educational experience and clear fun. Scrabble will help children gain a love of the English language, and skills in language. It also provides a unique socializing experience, in which curiosity is usually more a prominent factor than the competitiveness that exists in many other games and sports. When playing Scrabble, a child wants to win; but he is often equally happy when another player wins instead. In Scrabble, it's less about winning or losing than it is about the sheer enjoyment of playing the game itself and interacting with the other players.
The adults, however, can know the main reasons why Scrabble is such an important game for children. Children who cannot spell very well are at a disadvantage, and this disadvantage can carry on throughout their lives. Playing Scrabble will not only help children learn to spell correctly, what is even more important is that it will help them to want to do so. The game of Scrabble can be seen as a gentle encouragement for children to wish to improve their skills. They will be much more motivated by the atmosphere of playing Scrabble with their friends or family members than by the hours spent in a classroom.
The English language is about words, and it is about communication. It takes knowledge, skills, practice and experience for words to become communication. Whether words are written or used verbally, using them correctly is the determining factor in whether or not they result in communication. For effective communication, a person must begin with the basic skills of spelling, knowing what words are "real" and what ones are "made up," and their meaning. Playing Scrabble is a wonderful beginning for children to learn these basic skills, while at the same time thoroughly enjoying the process.
There are a number of possibilities for interesting a child in the game of Scrabble. You can simply invite his or her friends from the neighborhood or school, and turn it into a mini party with snacks. Playing Scrabble can be something your family can all do together one night a week. Schools which allow for various extracurricular activities may be willing to host a supervised Scrabble club, after school or on the weekend. Or you can present the child with a Scrabble game as a gift, and ask him how he would most like to use it. Whichever method you decide is best for introducing your child to the game of Scrabble, it is something which he will get many years of enjoyment from, as well as the benefits which will last for a lifetime.
