Word-A-Round by ThinkFun was so much fun, for me. It's a fast paced card game that I could challenge myself, even playing it independently. My husband would laugh at me as I sounded out variations like: "Ricsly, Slyric," then screamed out LYRICS! It is rated for 10 and up and unless your child has a phenomenal vocabulary and can read at least the 5th grade level, I wouldn't necessarily open it up to younger people. However, my 8 year old son wanted to add that he "was able to figure out the words in a single try", so you never know.
But I do need to comment that this game is a dyslexic's nightmare. I'm not being fresh about the dyslexia thing either. I played with someone who reported they had been diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, and they struggled with the layout of the game. Word-A-Round comes with 100 cards, each card has three rings of color: Red, Blue and Black. As you move along through the game, you have to identify the word in the designated color. Though they are not scrambled, the letters of the words are evenly spaced within the ring which makes it difficult (the point of the game) to "unravel the [300] word(s)". So those with print disabilities might not like this game.
Yet, I suppose it could provide a therapeutic use for teachers and occupational therapists in the older elementary, middle, high school setting. Students could copy the letters down, then re-write the arrangement until they discover the word. Throw in a dictionary, and discover the definition. Or as my 8 year old was doing, sound out the word until it is correct.
For $12.99, it isn't badly priced. If you have game nights, it's a nice addition. It easily travels in its little box. All in all, Word-A-Round is a challenging mental exercise. You can build vocabulary and reading speed, contained in about 16 square inches.
No comments:
Post a Comment