Scrabble is a great family board game, and it’s definitely a favourite with our family at any get togethers. I don’t think I can remember a Christmas or a family holiday that didn’t involve a game of Scrabble, and I really treasure the bonding and memories I
have from those times.
Scrabble is a game which can be played with kids from about grade two up. For kids in primary school, playing on their own might make it too tricky, so try playing in teams. Shane can be with Aunty Carol, Jess can be with Dad and Granddad can be on a team with Marie. This way the adults can help Jess, Shane and Marie to think of words, help with spelling, and find a place to put them on the board. Beware about paring off two family members likely to play dirty – in our family, Uncle George and Granddad are banned from playing on the same team after the 1993 Second Set of Tiles Incident. Sometimes the length of a Scrabble game can be a challenge for kids – if this is the case, why not play some of the shorter rules? Ways to play a fast game are written in the instructions.
One of the great things about Scrabble is that apart from the obvious reading, spelling and other literacy skills that your child can develop, there are also many mathematical skills. Most of these skills Scrabble players will use in a game, without giving any conscious thought to it. If your child needs some extra practise at maths, instead of making them sit down and write out sums, try playing a game of Scrabble!
The first maths skill your little ones can practise is simple addition. This is good for lower primary or even younger kids. They can be the person on their team in charge of collecting seven letters at the beginning, and then working how many letters you need to collect after your turn and counting them out. Another one for littlies is number spotting. Look at which letters are worth how many points. How many of each letter is in the set? (Both my mum and my sister know these by heart – did I mention we’re a bit pedantic in my family?!) See if they can spot the two letters which are worth 10 points; how many letters are worth one point etc. This is a good one to do towards the end of the game when there are lots of tiles out on the board form them to look at.
From mid primary, your kids can work out what their score for one particular word is. Start the off on a simple word (no double or triple letters or words) and show them how to do it. After they get the hang on simple scoring, have them work out the double or triple letter ones. To do this, they will have to remember to count the double or triple letter first, then all the other letters. Performing operations in the correct order is a fundamental mathematical skill. Don’t forget about double or triple word scores. Again, to do this they will have to work out the word first and the multiply by two or three at the end. After a few rounds your kids should be adding up words on triple letter and double word tiles, and the two little words you made by what it’s lined up with plus 50 points for using all seven letters! Maths geniuses in the making!
Another way to practise addition is keeping track of the scores. When adults are keeping score, we often add the new score in our heads and then just write down the new score. If kids are just starting they may find it easier to write that round’s score underneath the running score, add them together then write down the new score underneath. In out family we then cross out the old score and the past round’s score so there’s no confusion what the current score for that team is. (Yeah, I know – pedantic!)
Another great skill that everyone develops – strategy. Trying to get the X (worth 8 points) onto the triple letter score instead of the E (one point) required problem solving skills, logic, analytical skills and cunning. Trying to place a Z (10 points), a J (five points) and a Q (10 points) when you don’t have a U all in one go on the last turn before Grandma and cousin Naomi win the game requires a keen sense of perception, good mental arithmetic, critical reasoning and, perhaps, bribery. The logic and reasoning developed in playing Scrabble will assist you children for years to come.
But more than the numeracy skills that your children develop, it will be the bonding, the laughter, the memories and the interactions they treasure. So, pull out the old Scrabble set, dust off the tiles and grab the dictionary and get set on making some serious memories for your kids – and you – to remember.
(October 2007) (
