Last Updated on January 7, 2024 by Gamesver Team and JC Franco
Scrabble is a game that has never dwindled in popularity. Since it came out in the early 1930s, it has been a must-have item for most households in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The game has been a firm favorite in my family home for as long as I can remember. I am always eager to share with people the many benefits of playing Scrabble for one’s health and well-being!
If you are ever looking for a game that is jam-packed with health benefits, Scrabble seems to be it! For many years I have played Scrabble with family and friends and thoroughly enjoyed every moment. There is every reason why you can too. Scrabble isn’t just a fun way to pass the time – it’s a game that teaches players something new each and every time. It could be a new word, it could be the correct spelling of something, or it could be some general information that surrounds a new word used.
For me, it’s a no-brainer. Scrabble is a game for families, friends, and even strangers to enjoy together. For a bit of clarity on how the game can be beneficial to you, let us go through each of the benefits of playing Scrabble.
20 ways Scrabble can be great for your overall well-being. Playing Scrabble:
1. Minimizes the risk of mental illnesses.
An active mind is a mind that is not left overly free to the negative impact of mental illnesses. While mental conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia cannot be miraculously cured, keeping the mind active and busy is a great way to keep the side effects at bay.
2. Boosts the immune system.
Diseases and illnesses are able to take hold when someone is feeling lonely, anxious, stressed, or depressed. These feelings can be staved off by the feel-good hormones that are produced when having fun playing Scrabble.
These feel-good hormones also boost the immune system keeping you healthier and happier for longer and ensuring that the natural defense mechanisms of the body are in tip-top shape.
3. Teaches mature communication skills.
Playing Scrabble is not a hooligan’s game. It is a game of learning, sharing, and expanding your knowledge while having fun. Because of the nature of the game, there is an acceptable and mature way to communicate. People who play Scrabble enhance their vocab, improve on spelling, and develop better interpersonal skills.
4. Lowers blood pressure.
When playing a game like Scrabble, a player’s full attention must be on the game. This helps to distract one from the stresses, strains, and woes of everyday life. Distraction from stress is a key element in lowering blood pressure.
5. Improves personal confidence.
When a player starts to get good at Scrabble and starts to notice that their spelling and vocab are vastly improving, it can be a major confidence boost. Being confident is a surefire way to ensure personal growth and development.
6. Enhances concentration skills.
To play Scrabble, players have to pay attention and concentrate on the letters they have and the words on the board. If someone lacks concentration skills, exposing them to regular sessions of Scrabble can really help to make a difference.
7. Builds intellectual capacity.
Do not be fooled into thinking that Scrabble is a game solely focused on words and spelling. While learning new words, you can increase your intellectual capacity by using a new vocab to learn a bit more about history, science, philosophy, and so on.
8. Encourages socializing with peers.
For some people, Scrabble is a great way to socialize with others of a similar age, background, or interests. Think of the elderly who rarely get to socialize – Scrabble clubs can be extremely beneficial to their emotional and physical well-being as it provides an opportunity to mingle with others.
9. Improves creativity.
There is no denying it; without a creative mindset, Scrabble would be difficult to play. Players have to have a certain level of creativity to use random tiles to create new words on the board. The more you train your mind to think creatively (by playing Scrabble), the easier it will become for you to be creative.
10. Enhances memory functionality.
With every new word learned comes the opportunity to give your brain, and its memory function, a workout. By remembering the new words that you learn, you will increase your vocabulary as well as ensure that you have even more words to call on the next time you play the game.
11. Promotes bonding with family.
Scrabble is a game to be played in pairs, but it is very often a great game with family onlookers. In my family, we always bent the rules a bit to allow the 2 players to have a team to consult with – which really upped the competitiveness. In my opinion, spending time playing Scrabble is far more valuable than spending time watching movies.
12. Induces happiness.
Board games like Scrabble are focused on the fun. They end up in light-hearted fun and laughter, which are the perfect lures for the released endorphins in the brain. When you enjoy yourself, have a good time, and laugh, these endorphins are released and result in you feeling good. Thus, happiness ensues. The more you play Scrabble, the more fun you have, the happier you will be.
13. Fosters healthy competition.
Competitiveness is healthy, but it must be controlled. In a family home, the competition on the Scrabble board should be about learning and advancing together.
14. Helps people expand on their vocabulary.
One of the biggest benefits of playing Scrabble is learning new words and being able to use them in future Scrabble games, but also in everyday life. The more you play Scrabble, the bigger you can expect your vocab to grow.
15. Improves spelling skills.
If you struggle with spelling, playing Scrabble can help with that. While you are creating (and learning) new words, you will be noticing how they are spelled. The more you are exposed to new words and notice them, the better your spelling will become.
16. It is a fun and educational way to pass the time.
Playing games does not have to be a waste of time. Scrabble teaches people new words, increases vocab, improves general knowledge, and is absolutely fun too. What better way to pass the time than by having fun while learning new things too?
17. Teaches the brain to think quickly.
Playing Scrabble regularly helps the brain to start thinking in a different way. The brain, in a game of Scrabble, has to be on guard and has to be thinking consistently and quickly. This type of skill will prove beneficial in other areas of your life too.
18. Beats boredom.
One of the most undeniable benefits of Scrabble (at least for me!) is that it is an immediate cure for boredom. There is no time to get bored while playing Scrabble, and (if you’re anything like me) you will find that you can spend many hours playing it, with ease.
19. Provides a sense of purpose and accomplishment.
It is often a lack of purpose or accomplishment that leaves people feeling depressed, lackluster, or bored. Playing Scrabble can go a long way towards reversing or minimizing these feelings. Looking forward to playing Scrabble and learning new things thus provides both a sense of purpose and accomplishment.
20. Boosts cognition.
Cognition is important throughout life. Cognitive skills allow humans to think, reason, follow directions, make decisions, and solve problems. The brain is responsible for all of these tasks, but if it is never put to work, it will lose the ability to do these things. Playing Scrabble is a good way to boost cognition.
Last Word
When it comes to playing Scrabble, there is a plethora of benefits to expect. Scrabble is good for your physical health, as well as your mental and emotional well-being. If you want to participate in a game that is all-round good for you, Scrabble is a good choice.
This article was co-authored by our team of in-house and freelance writers, and reviewed by our editors, who enjoy sharing their knowledge about their favorite games with others!
JC Franco
JC Franco serves as a New York-based editor for Gamesver. His interest for board games centers around chess, a pursuit he began in elementary school at the age of 9. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Mercyhurst University, JC brings a blend of business acumen and creative insight to his role. Beyond his editorial endeavors, he is a certified USPTA professional, imparting his knowledge in tennis to enthusiasts across the New York City Metropolitan area.