They Say Scrabble is Good for Your Brain - Here's Why

Not all games are created equal. In fact, some are infinitely superior to others—Scrabble being one of them. This article will explain why your grandparents were doing it right when they forced you to push through the mental anguish that goes along with a game of Scrabble.  

Vocabulary

The most obvious perk of the game is that you’ll inevitably see words you don’t know. Whether you’re checking your opponent with a dictionary or just for your own curiosity, you will most likely walk away from each game with a new addition to your vocabulary bank. Using this website you can learn new words faster by unscrambling words if you decide you want to practice on your own. You will then have more words with unique spellings for future games.  

Memory

As people age, forgetfulness and other cognitive malfunctions tend to follow. Many believe that when playing Scrabble, the parts of your brain that utilize language are the ones that light up, but this is actually a common misconception. Your brain is mostly working in the area associated with memory and visual processing. Scrabble has been known to improve brain plasticity and keep cell activity going, which will help elders avoid brain degeneration. 

Brain Development and IQ

If you’re looking for ways to support your child’s development, then sit down for a game of Scrabble. Studies show that while it delays brain degeneration in the elderly, it also boosts brain development in children and adolescents. Young people who play Scrabble and other word games tend to have higher IQ scores than those who don’t. Vocabulary and memory are obvious areas of improvement, but the tolerance for mental challenges is much higher for children who play as well. If you want to test your IQ click here: Best Online IQ Test.

Another great resource is IQ Test Institute.

This IQ test only takes 30 seconds to get started and about 20 minutes to complete. Simply enter your name and email address and you can start the test. Once you complete 20 questions, you will get immediate test results. 

The IQ test questions will cover word analysis, spatial reasoning, quantitative skills, letter-number sequencing, and verbal reasoning. All questions are multiple choice. 

Visit to get your instant IQ score.

While Scrabble is great for brain development, many children may find the game too challenging. To ease them into the game, have them try word unscrambling tools. Children can enter letters that will be unscrambled into words. This can help them both get their confidence playing, and improve their vocabulary.

Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease is commonly believed to be a natural part of aging. While a little bit of forgetfulness is quite normal, Alzheimer’s is a much more serious brain degeneration condition that affects about 50 million people worldwide. Scrabble has been found by researchers to awaken inactive parts of the brain. Studies also show that those who frequently engaged in a game of Scrabble developed an ability to strengthen their minds and improve in the game over time. Because of this, it’s likely that the game can delay the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. 

Mental Toughness

One of the reasons why Scrabble might not be the most popular game amongst young people is because it’s genuinely difficult. Children and adolescents tend to not think of intellectual and linguistic challenges as “fun and games.” It’s normal to push away mental gymnastics, and most people will jump through hoops to do so. However, the fact still remains that the things that make us uncomfortable are oftentimes good for us. 

Another example of this would be exercise. As much as we might dread it, as much pain as our bodies are in and urge us not to continue, exercise is one of the best things you can do for yourself. The same goes for matters of the mind—while it might seem boring or tiring even, it’s actually helping you become more mentally tough. When you finish, ten times out of ten, you will feel accomplished. 

Strategy

Scrabble can actually be a tool you use to refine your business skills. This might sound like a stretch, but have you ever applied the teachings of a game to life? Athletes are famous for doing this. Scrabble is similar in the fact that it has a lot of benefits for someone looking to polish their strategic skills. 

You’ll most likely agree that perspective is a big part of the business. A lot of times, you’ll find yourself gazing into the infinite, trying to think of a way out of a hole. Whether this sounds like you in a game of Scrabble, or in your own office, you can agree that sometimes it’s impossible to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Not until you move some ideas around and break out of whatever thought-loop you’re in, that is. Scrabble will help you keep your perspective in check. 

Maybe you have long neglected the game of scrabble and the many benefits you could get from it—benefits you’re definitely not going to get from Candy Crush. Regardless, it’s never too late to start exercising the thing between your ears. Many like to think of Scrabble as a great drinking game. On the other hand, it’s hard to strengthen your brain when you’re in ways poisoning your body with toxins. So, keep that in mind and save the Scrabble board for a more family-friendly occasion.