Parents' Guide to

Word Central

By Karen Wirsing, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Kid-friendly definitions make site a great reference.

Website http://www.wordcentral.com
Word Central Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this website.

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What’s It About?

Interactive crossword puzzles and games serve to expand kids' vocabulary on Merriam-Webster's Word Central. Kids spell words that are read aloud to them in games such as Alpha-bot. Robo-Bee provides cute clues and definitions kids can use to solve word puzzles. Educators will find a short list of reference books for extending reading and vocabulary acquisition from the same mother publisher.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

WORD CENTRAL provides a safe place where kids can create their own dictionary, look up words, and play vocabulary games without worrying about online interaction from outside sources. Users can search for words directly in the search engine or alphabetically. Also, the "Thesaurus" and "Rhyming" categories offer lists of synonyms, antonyms, and rhyming words. The "For Educators" section is a bonus that provides a short history of the English Language, a list of book distributors, and links to more educational sites.

What's disappointing about this site is that the games are very few, there isn't a whole lot to do, and the site hasn't changed in years. With an update, the site could be spectacular.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about building vocabulary. When you come across a word you don't know, do you look it up? Ask someone what it means? Skip over it?

  • Families can also discuss how to stay safe online.

Website Details

  • Subjects: Language & Reading : letter or word recognition, reading, spelling, vocabulary
  • Skills: Thinking & Reasoning : analyzing evidence, defining problems, memorization
  • Genre: Educational
  • Pricing structure: Free
  • Last updated: November 4, 2015

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