Submitted by Elaine Gallagher
These games build skills in English, digitalization, and critical thinking! They are fun, apt for various ages or CEFR levels A-2 and above. ENJOY THE CHALLENGE!
#1. Mind Flipper
Mind Flipper is a simple word game. Since this word game is so simple, it may also appeal to children and be a useful tool for parents and educators.
The goal of Mind Flipper is to form words by clicking on the ties, then click the submit button (or press the enter key) when you are ready to submit the word. Letters that are added to the word must be adjacent vertically, horizontally, or diagonally from the last letter that was clicked, and must be clicked in the correct order to spell out a word. For a word to be accepted, it must be a valid word of the English language that is at least three-letters long. Words that are submitted will be listed to the right of the screen and cannot be used again for the duration of the current round. There are five rounds in this word game, each lasting for one and a half minutes (ninety seconds). A new board is presented at the beginning of each round, and the list of words is cleared.
Since Mind Flipper is such a simple game, children may be able to enjoy it. This word game can be a useful tool to help students learn how to spell. Since there is no list of words to be found, kids will be able to test their ability to creatively solve problems and take the initiative. Bigger words score more points, but the small size of the field of letters means that smaller words will be more prevalent, another point that makes this word game ideal for children.
Mind Flipper is a word game that provides great mental exercise for older gamers and children alike. If you enjoy word puzzle games or if you want a game that your child can play that will be entertaining as well as mind-stimulating, then you will flip out for Mind Flipper!
#2. Semantic Wars
Semantic Wars is an excellent tower defense game perfect for adults and kids alike. This is a great game you can play with your kids or that you can play on your own to get a high score and then challenge your kids to beat that high score.
There are three difficulty settings (Easy, Medium and Hard) making it perfect for kids of just about any age. For younger kids, try out the ‘easy’ setting. It is still fairly challenging but not nearly as difficult as ‘medium’ or hard. Regardless of what mode you choose to play, actually winning the game will take careful thinking and a good strategy, helping your kids develop or strengthen those skills and giving you the chance to develop alongside them.
Your goal in Semantic Wars is to destroy your enemy’s castle; something that’s not terribly uncommon in this sort of tower defense game. The biggest difference between this game and most of the other tower defense games online is that you need to use your name to earn money.
This is also what makes this game so educational. You need money to train and deploy soldiers and you earn that money by trying to solve the word puzzle shown at the bottom right of the game screen. Each correct letter you guess will reward you with money. Guess incorrectly, though, and you’ll lose money.
Taking random shots in the dark just isn’t a good idea for that reason. Look at the category and try to determine what the word is from the category. Naturally you’ll have to guess a bit in the beginning, but make smart guesses. Choose commonly used letters. Once you get a letter or two, try to figure out the word. The trickiest part of this, though, is that you have to be relatively quick. The enemy will be attacking and you need the money from those words to deploy soldiers to defend your castle. If your castle is destroyed your game is over.
There are three different types of soldiers you can use in Semantic Wars. Using those soldiers properly is extremely important if you want to make it through the game.
1. You have Melee warriors (the sword icon)
2. Shooters (the arrow icon)
3. Wizards (the fire icon).
Melee warriors are great for short-range combat but they offer no shooting skills. Shooters are excellent for mid-range combat but are of little use for short-range battles. Wizards are great for long and short range combat but they are not armored like melee warriors, which means they take very little damage from enemies before they’re eliminated.
All three soldier-types can be upgraded using the experience you earn each time you use a unit from each different type. This basically means using a wizard will give you experience to upgrade wizards, using melee warriors will give you experience to upgrade melee warriors and using shooters will give you experience to upgrade shooters.
Upgrading your soldier categories will allow you to produce stronger units. As with most tower defense games, upgrades are extremely important when trying to survive the game.
There are several power ups throughout Semantic Wars that can definitely help you do well in the game. These power ups will be dropped from a balloon that appears over the battlefield. Keep an eye out for them and collect them as often as you can.
When collecting power ups, though, don’t go out of your way of the power up that’s dropped doesn’t really offer much in the way of benefit for you. The star icon with the ‘x’ over it offers magic resistance. This gives you a great advantage when tangling with wizards.
The plus icon offers regeneration. The benefits for that one are pretty obvious. The lightning bolt symbol offers extra power. The ‘A’ symbol reveals a letter in the word puzzle. The shield icon gives you a boost in your castle’s defenses. The dollar sign icon gives you an income boost. The wrench icon offers repairs for your castles and the ‘3’ icon reveals the beginning of the word in your word puzzle. All of the power ups offer clear bonuses, but look at what you need in the game and determine if the power up will help you enough to go out of your way to get it.
The only way to do well in Semantic Wars is to focus on the word puzzles just as much as you’re focusing on the battle strategies. You also need to conserve money. If you reach a zero balance in your bank, guessing a wrong letter will cost you castle health and that’s definitely not something you want – especially if you have no warriors on the battlefield. It’s also important to choose your letters wisely.
Try guessing vowels first and then common consonants like ‘R’, ‘S’, ‘T’ and ‘N’. That can help you fill out the puzzle and made it easier to guess the word. It’s also vital that you pay attention to the category. The category helps you narrow down your guesses and will enable you to make more educated guesses.
The greatest thing about Semantic Wars is that it is a great teaching tool for kids. Unlike many of the other tower defense games online there is huge potential for learning with this one. Your kids will need to develop a decent strategy for the battles which strengthens their logic and planning skills, but the addition of the word puzzle is where the real learning comes in.
Although the word puzzles will be difficult in the beginning, your kids will improve their spelling, improve their typing skills and even expand their vocabulary. This is a very education-focused game.
The greatest thing about it, though, is that it doesn’t feel like learning. It’s a lot of fun to play, it’s challenging and it’s engrossing. This teaches your children the most important lesson the game has to offer – that learning can be fun.
#3. The Wizard’s Notebook
The Wizard’s Notebook is an excellent word game that features a unique and challenging premise and excellent graphics. It’s entirely engrossing and incredibly addictive. The only real problem with this one is quite simple – if you’re running a slower computer than can’t handle graphic intensive games you’re going to have an extremely hard time playing this one.
There is a severe lag problem even on faster computers which can definitely pose problems. As long as you are patient, though, and willing to ignore a few glitches and lag problems here and there, this will be an excellent game for you and one that offers wonderful benefits for children.
The basic premise behind The Wizard’s Notebook is very unique in and of itself. Basically, you are trying to get through each level in the game to rescue your princess at the end. Reaching the end, though, will require you to use your brain and carefully analyze the puzzles presented to you and some of them are pretty tricky.
Patience is important with this one and not just because of the lag problems. It is easy to get frustrated with some of the more difficult puzzles. This on its own offers a great lesson for kids. Patience is important with education and with life. The solution to a problem isn’t always obvious. When frustration starts to get the best of your kids, don’t force them to keep playing. Let them take a step back and encourage them to try again once a little time has passed. Sometimes all solving a difficult puzzle takes is a little time away from it.
In order to complete each level in The Wizard’s Notebook you will need to solve the visual puzzle presented to you by figuring out what word you need to use and typing it in. For example, if you get to a puzzle that it seems you’ll need water for, type in the word water.
Sometimes the answer is obvious. Other times it will take a few more guesses. Again, patience is the key. If you can’t seem to come up with the word, try to look at the puzzle a different way. Every puzzle in this game has a solution. Pay close attention to the clues you’re given. If there is a puzzle you just can’t seem to find a solution to, chances are there’s just something you’re missing.
The Wizard’s Notebook also presents a tremendous opportunity for you to bond with your children and have fun with them while you all learn because it isn’t just the kids that can learn something from this game. As adults we too are always learning.
This game focuses on word puzzles, but it does more than strengthen typing skills and other skills you immediately think of when you think of word games. It improves logic and helps improve problem-solving skills. It also provides you with an awesome chance to show your kids that learning can be fun.
This game never feels like a lesson or a teaching tool. It’s a truly fun and challenging game that keeps you playing from start to finish. The greatest benefit the game offers, though, is that it shows your kids how great it can feel to use their brain to win a game which is something many other online games can’t claim.
This is an excellent word game you can feel good about your kids getting hooked on – just don’t be surprised if you get hooked too! This one is a lot of fun.
#4. Savvygram
Savvygram – it has all of the elements that a kids word game should have: it’s simple enough for kids to understand and it’s challenging and fun to keep them interested. The objective of the game is very easy: you are challenged to unscramble the gibberish on the screen… creating a word out of the letters by typing it as quickly as possible. You need to look at the screen and get your hands working and typing without the need for looking at the keyboard.
If you are having a hard time unscrambling what’s on the screen, don’t worry. Savvygram offers a dictionary definition to give you clues or hints. HOWEVER, as the game progresses and you get to the later levels, the words get longer. And most of the time, the dictionary definition or hints are NOT enough. BUT don’t worry. Even if the game gets harder as it progresses, you don’t need to stress out on it. It only lasts for 2 minutes. HOWEVER, believe me, you are going to spend more than 2 minutes on Savvygram whether you are a kid or a grown-up. You will surely challenge yourself to do better the next time around and surpass your previous performance.
You will want to challenge yourself to get more words within the time limit and get a higher score. This is one of the reasons why this game is so addictive and fun!
Savvygram is an excellent word / kids game for anyone – your skill, experience with word games, or age doesn’t really matter. If you want to have fun, then you are bound to have fun with this game! It’s not stuffed with complicated rules like other online word games out there.
Kids can sit back, relax, and focus on enjoying the game rather than reading pages of strategies, techniques, walkthroughs, etc. BUT what about the self-professed experts of word games, won’t they find this game boring for their skill level? My answer: NOT at all! This game is challenging enough even if you are a veteran with word games. You will surely find it interesting enough to keep on trying. This challenge to do better and surpass our personal best records is what appeals to experts of word games.
The rules of Savvygram are very simple… simple enough even for a 9-year old boy or girl to understand within a minute of reading. You have to figure out what the word is and you need to type it as fast as you can. When you key in the RIGHT word, it’s automatically submitted. You don’t even need to press Enter or any other key. On the other hand, if you type in the wrong word (if it’s not submitted, then you need to change your answer), just press backspace and start over.
Just a couple of reminders, you have to keep an eye on the timer which is located on the top portion of the game’s screen. Sometimes, though, looking at the timer pressures me so much that I can’t think quickly. Anyway, if you are having a hard time figuring out the word, just press backspace. Hopefully, the new arrangement of the letters will give you an idea what the word is. If anything else fails, just skip the word rather than let it eat away your precious time.
Remember, you only have 2 minutes for the whole game. To skip, press the semi colon button. Be reminded, though, that skipping would cost you 5 seconds. BUT if you think you would have taken longer in the effort to solve the puzzle, skipping would be worth it.
All in all, Savvygram is, without a doubt, one of the most absorbing and addictive word / kids games you could lay your hands on. The timer makes the game fast paced and exciting. It gives you enough time to tackle different word puzzles BUT it’s not long enough that it seems to take forever.
Along with that, the definitions are a nice twist. It makes the game a little less difficult… BUT it keeps challenging enough so it doesn’t get boring. I can go all day talking about Savvygram, BUT nah, that’s not too fun. Give the game a shot… I’m sure you will have A HECK LOT of fun!
#5. Word Grid
Word Grid is a nifty word game that is fun for gamers of all ages. Word Grid features simple graphics, easy-to-learn controls, and unique gameplay!
Word Grid features three game modes. The common goal of all game modes is to spell out words using adjacent tiles in the grid. For a word to be valid in this word game, it must be an English word no shorter than three-letters long.
If a word is valid, a distinctive sound will play and the word will appear along with its point value at the bottom of the screen. Press enter to submit the word. You may also press backspace to clear individual letters or press escape to deselect all letters if you are unhappy with the word that you are spelling.
The three game modes featured in Word Grid are
1. Timed mode
2. Practice mode
3. Limited mode.
In Timed mode, your objective is to score as many points as possible by forming words before time runs out. Each time a word is spelled, additional time is earned. The longer the word, the more time will be earned.
The second mode in this word game is Practice mode. Practice mode offers unlimited time and is good to play to get used to the game mechanics.
The final game mode, and my personal favorite, is limited mode. In this mode, you are given limited time, a limited amount of tiles that may be used, and a limited number of words that you are allowed to spell. When any of the counters reaches zero, the game will end and your score will be tallied.
Since Word Grid is a nonviolent game that tests vocabulary and problem-solving skills, it may be a great game for kids. The potential complexity of the game (particularly the control of gravity and Specials) may not be fully grasped by younger players, but these aspects are not totally necessary to do well in this word game.
Also, since a respectable score can be attained by spelling out short words (as long as they are three-letters long or longer), elementary school students can still do well in it.
Word Grid is an addicting and challenging word game that provides a unique twist to the genre. Word Grid can be played simply by young children or casual players, while older or more experienced players also love to play it!
#6. Arithmetic Challenge
Arithmetic Challenge is a very simple yet very entertaining math game that helps you strengthen your math skills while also having fun. It’s the perfect math game for kids or adults who are either learning math or trying to improve the math skills they already have.
You need to be quick and accurate if you want to get a good score which makes the game challenging and therefore, even more addictive. It’s actually a pretty simple game at its core. There are no fancy graphics or over the top animations. You have your equations on the left side of the screen are your timer and points at the top right side of the screen. Get the right answer and you’ll get a green check mark. Get the wrong answer and you’ll get a red ‘x’. Your goal is to get as many right answers as you can within the time allowed.
Each correct answer gives you one point. No points are deducted for wrong answers but each wrong answer will, more or less, cost you the point you would’ve gotten for a right answer. Being quick is obvious important as you only have sixty seconds to answer questions, but being careful is also important. Finding the balance between both is the key to doing well in this game.
Arithmetic Challenge is one of the best math games online simply because it allows you to strengthen all of your math operations without allowing you to rely on the operation you’re strongest with.
You start the game by choosing which operation you want to work with; addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. The questions you get during that game will only involve the operation you choose.
For example, if you need help with multiplication, you can choose that operation. You will only get multiplication questions. They start off fairly easy but get much harder as the game progresses. This is better than the ‘all operations’ format with many of the other math games online because you won’t be able to just guess at the multiplication questions that give you a hard time and boost your score with simpler addition and subtraction questions.
This will be especially beneficial for kids who will be able to strengthen all areas of their math skills; playing first with addition and subtraction then moving on to multiplication and division when they learn those operations.
Arithmetic Challenge also gives you the chance to show your kids that learning can be fun. You can play this excellent math game with your kids and challenge them to beat your high score. You can get in that all-important quality time with your child and help them strengthen their math skills while also strengthening your own. You can learn together as a family.
If you start with this game when your child is younger, you give him/her a great foundation for doing well in math class in school. In addition, you can also help them equate learning math with something they enjoy instead of something they’re forced to do. While the game can be difficult, kids will love the challenge of trying to beat their parents at a game.
Alternatively, challenge them to beat their own high score; allowing them to continue improving and showing them how much fun it can be to do better than they thought they could do.
Overall, Arithmetic Challenge is an excellent math game to play on your own but is even better to play with your kids. Getting your children to enjoy learning math is easy with a game like this that is simple yet challenging. Make sure your kids aren’t just focusing on what they know the best though.
If you want to get the most out of the game, play through each other the operations a few times to get your high score in each one and then challenge your kids to beat each of those high scores. This is a game you can feel good about them playing for hours because, whether they even realize it or not, they’ll be learning the entire time.
If your kids are struggling, take the opportunity to help them understand math better. Tell them any tricks and rules you know for doing operations faster and above all else, have fun. This is an excellent math game for anyone looking to improve their own math skills or to teach their kids that learning can in fact be entertaining too.
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