10 Best Educational Word Games to Play in 2025
We had a blast testing these educational word games. Perfect for new players, each game makes learning and fun go hand-in-hand.
10 Best Educational Word Games to Boost Your Brainpower (and Your Vocabulary!) Are you tired of board games where you just roll and move? Us too! That’s why we hunted for the most fun and clever educational word games out there. We picked games that are easy to learn, keep everyone laughing, and actually make you think. Whether you want a quick spelling match or a brain-bending team challenge, our list has something for every type of word nerd. We’ve tried them all—some of us even got a little too competitive—and found the ten best educational word games you can play today.
On this list:
10 Bananagrams
Bananagrams is a classic among educational word games. We love how easy it is to set up and play. It feels like Scrabble met speed-dating and had a child. The fast-paced action keeps everyone on their toes, and the game never drags. You can play it with family, friends, or even that one coworker who quotes Shakespeare at lunch. We often end up with some questionable ‘words’ that start debates, which honestly, is half the fun. Perfect for all ages, this is the unofficial champion of portable educational word games.
9 Word on the Street
Word on the Street is a tug-of-war but with letters. We love how it forces everyone to think under pressure, and it’s hilarious when someone blanks on a 6-letter word for ‘fruit’. You have to use actual strategy—move those letter tiles closer to your side to win. One time, we ended up shouting obscure animal names at each other for ten minutes straight. Definitely one of the most competitive educational word games on the shelf.
8 Codenames
Codenames secretly teaches you how to read your friends’ minds. We love it for the clever word associations you have to make. If you mess up, you might send your team straight to loss-ville (we’ve been there—more than once). It’s less about spelling and more about creativity, making it a great pick for less scrabble-obsessed folks. It’s super popular at our get-togethers, and nobody ever feels left out.
7 Pictomania
Pictomania is like Pictionary after two cans of energy drink. This game challenges your spelling and your drawing speed. We love the chaos that comes with guessing AND drawing words at the same time. Educational word games usually don’t involve bad stick figures, but this one does, and you’ll be surprised how much word recall it takes. Our group laughs hardest when someone draws a ‘giraffe’ that looks suspiciously like a potato.
6 Paperback
Paperback is what happens when Scrabble falls in love with Dominion. It’s one of our favorite educational word games because you build a deck of letter cards and form words. The better the words, the stronger your deck gets. We always get sucked into trying to build ‘epic’ words for the highest points, but sometimes end up with ‘pig’. It’s a clever game that makes you think about spelling, vocabulary, and long-term planning all at once.
5 Just One
Just One turns clue-giving into an art form. You give one-word hints, but if you pick the same word as someone else, they both get tossed. So you get rewarded for being clever AND unique. This one always blows up at our table when someone tries to write ‘platypus’ as a clue for ‘Australia’. We recommend it for new players looking for lighter educational word games that spark creativity.
4 Scrabble
If you love spelling bees and holding grudges, Scrabble is a must-have. This old-school legend is the grandparent of all educational word games. We all have a story about a family meltdown over a questionable word like ‘QI’. It helps grow vocabulary and makes you regret wasting your ‘Z’ too soon. Sure, it can get a bit too competitive, but nothing beats that triumphant seven-letter word moment.
3 Word Slam
Word Slam is like charades, but with words. You use cards to get your team to guess a secret word, but you can’t speak or act it out. Our group always gets loud and frantic with this one, and there’s a surprising amount of learning packed in. You have to be quick, creative, and think of wild word combos. It’s ideal for anyone looking for educational word games that keep the energy high.
2 Trapwords
Trapwords is like Taboo with an evil twist. You try to get your team to guess a word, but the opposing team writes secret ‘trap’ words you can’t say. It’s sneaky, tense, and has led to some near-table-flipping moments in our game nights. If you want a word game with a conspiratorial edge, this is the pick. Plus, you’ll never look at ‘banana’ the same way again.
1 Wordsy
Wordsy gets our top spot among educational word games because it’s all about using as many letters as you can, but without worrying about the order or tough spelling. It’s quick, smart, and scales well for groups. When we played, everyone felt clever, and there was none of that soul-crushing ‘I have no vowels’ feeling. Plus, you actually build your vocabulary as you go. Wordsy is easy to learn, replayable, and makes everyone feel like a word genius—even the person who’s usually allergic to scrabble.
