I love playing word games to improve my vocabulary as well as socialize. Word games, such as Scrabble, are a great way to exercise the mind. This applies not only to adults like myself, but also to the younger generation that may not always be the most attentive when it comes to learning new things in school. However, when presented with a game, the young mind will often find itself much more receptive to learning.
Word games such as Scrabble are ubiquitous in the sense that they can be played in multiple formats. The most commonly known is the simple table top board game. Getting my family and friends together to play a board game provides a fantastic way to break away from the technological distractions that we are constantly being bombarded with and allows for us to interact socially with one another. While exercising the brain, we can also enjoy the time spent in one another’s company. This can be doubly true for children who have grown up with technological advancement like the Internet that tend to push face to face socialization to the wayside.
Of course, there is something to be said about the ability to play games, like Scrabble, on the go. Mobile phone technology allows for games to be played against a computer, or even against friends, no matter where they are. I can challenge my own vocabulary and spelling skills wherever I am, and can play against friends who have the same game on their phone, even if we’re separated by hundreds of miles. It’s not as social as playing in the same room, but it still offers a fun way to play a game with a friend.
Social media sites have several word games available. These games can not only be played with and against my friends, but against users all over the world. This allows for an enormous level of challenge as I can match wits with players in other countries. This can come in handy if I don’t have friends readily available to play either the board game or the online game and if I’d rather face a human being then a computer. The enormous popularity of social media websites ensures that there will always be human competition available. Of course, care should be taken when letting smaller children play these games online, as they can run into some less then savory characters if an in-game chat is present.
While the importance of face to face socialization cannot be stressed enough, it is nice that challenging and mind bending word games are available to be played in so many different ways. By taking advantage of the various mediums that games like Scrabble now inhabit, I’m sure of finding a great challenge no matter where I am.
J. Sample is a blogger, gamer, and lover of online technology. She became fascinated with the evolution of games and gaming on a family vacation in the Midwest.
