Words With Friends

Superb Scrabble clone; open chat makes it for teens and up.
Parents say
Based on 26 reviews
Kids say
Based on 9 reviews
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Words With Friends
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Words with Friends is a Scrabble-look-a-like that caters to older teens. Its speedy global matchup option is accompanied by open chat (which is unfiltered). The free versions for the iPhone and Android display lots of ads (Android only has a free version).
What’s It About?
Much like in the board game Scrabble, kids playing Words With Friends make words out of seven letter tiles, each with their own point value, and place them on a grid gameboard. Taking turns with another player on the same device or online (friends or random opponents), kids continue to draw letter tiles and build words crossword style until one of the player uses all of his/or her tiles. Kids can use the point value of their letters and the special squares on the board (doubling or tripling a letter or word's points) to maximize scores.
Is It Any Good?
WORDS WITH FRIENDS is crossword nirvana with its option to play several games simultaneously. This game doesn't have as many cheat options as Scrabble, something we missed sometimes. For each game, only two people can compete against each other. But Words is also more forgiving, with no time limits for moves, so if life gets hectic the game will still be there when you return.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Encourage kids to play with people they know in real life -- including you! If your kid plays against random opponents, make he or she knows to keeps personal information private, and to resign from any game where a random opponent behaves inappropriately.
Encourage kids to look up the meanings of words they're unfamiliar with.
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire
- Subjects: Language & Reading: spelling, vocabulary, Hobbies: board games
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: prediction, strategy, Responsibility & Ethics: making wise decisions, Tech Skills: social media
- Release date: February 9, 2010
- Category: Word Games
- Publisher: Newtoy, Inc.
- Version: 3.07
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 4.0 or later, Android 2.1 and up
- Last updated: August 8, 2018
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love word games and puzzles
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