Using Quiddler Junior to Build Language Skills

Put Your Spelling Skills to the Test!

Can you use the cards in your hand to form one or more words and earn the most points? If so, you can become a Quiddler Junior champion!

Combining elements of classic games like Rummy and Scrabble, Quiddler Junior is a fast-paced card game that changes with every round as you advance from spelling with just two cards up to spelling with seven cards. It’s great for ages 6 and up and requires at least two players.

Are you ready for this speedy spelling challenge?

Let’s Play Quiddler Junior!

In this first round, everybody gets just two cards. Put the rest of the cards face down in a stack to form a draw pile. Now flip one card and lay it next to the draw pile to form a discard pile. Now check out your cards!

Hmm. Unfortunately, you can’t spell a word with those cards, but you have two options. You can either take the N card from the discard pile or you can choose the top card from the draw pile.

That N card isn’t going to help you spell a word, so you might as well grab from the draw pile!

Wow! Look at that … you got AN! Now look at the 3 cards in your hand. But remember…you started this round with two cards, so you have to make a word with just two of your cards.

Great! You can use F and AN to make the word fan! Now discard the extra card—in this case, the letter S. Since your two cards make a word, you get to go out! Lay your cards on the table in front of you. Now the other players each get one chance to draw a card and make a word.

After everyone has played, it’s time to add up your scores! See the point values on each card? You receive 6 points for the word fan—4 points for F and 2 points for AN. Player 3 spelled ad and receives 4 points—3 points for D and 1 point for A. Poor Player 2 can’t spell a word with L and I, so she doesn’t get any points. But we’re not quite finished counting points yet! Fan is the longest word in this round, so you receive an extra 5-point bonus! You end the round with 11 points.

Are you ready for Round 2? This time, every player gets 3 cards. Good luck!

4 Ways to Build Language Skills with Quiddler Junior

1. Strengthen spelling skills. This game encourages kids to be creative with their cards and find the words that will earn them the most points. There are several cards that have common letter combinations (like AN, OO, and QU) to help your child build longer and more complex words. This helps reinforce which letters frequently work together to form words.
2. Discover new words. To help kids learn new words and get ideas for words they can play in the game, every card shows a word containing the featured letter or letter combination along with an image that illustrates the word.
3. Explore the alphabet and how it works. Every letter card is given a point value, and these point values reflect how easy it is to use certain letters to build words. For example, frequently used letters (like vowels) have lower point values. Letters that are more difficult to use like Q, X, and Z are worth more points.
4. Expand working vocabulary. Kids have a vocabulary of words they use every day, and they may tend to fall back on using those words again and again. This game helps build creativity with word choices, broadening your child’s working vocabulary.

Notes from Our Game Testers

Some rules can be adjusted for younger players.

• The strategy of drawing and discarding cards may be confusing for some children, so you might consider just playing with the cards in your hands or elect to use just one draw pile.
• Eliminate the 5-point bonus for longest word to level the competition when playing with younger spellers.
• The game comes with 96 scoring chips for easy scorekeeping. Instead of having one scorekeeper for the game, add some basic math to your educational game-playing and let every player calculate his own point totals!
• For older kids and adults (age 8 and up) try Quiddler!

Does your family have a favorite board game that is a fun and “sneaky” way to build language skills? Please share in the comments below!

All About Learning Press, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. All proceeds from our partnership with Amazon.com will be donated to local libraries.