Hangman – A Great Word Game For All Ages!

By admin · Monday, February 2nd, 2009

If you are looking for a good word game to play, you really cannot go past Hangman. It has many advantages because it can be adapted to suit people of all ages and can be used in a variety of settings.

According to the Oxford Guide to Word Games, the game of Hangman dates back to the Victorian era (1837-1901), which means that people have recognised its benefits for many years. You could say it is the most basic form of crossword puzzle, given that you are deciphering one word at a time, based on the letters you have available.

Hangman is a great classroom or homeschool activity. Teachers can make vocabulary fun to learn for their students. It is far more interactive than some spelling ‘rote learning’ methods, and far more enjoyable. The students themselves may even forget they are learning because they are having so much fun! I have great memories of playing Hangman as a young primary school student. The teacher would divide the class into teams. There were times when it became quite competitive.

Hangman is useful for teaching and revising spelling words or for boosting general knowledge. You can use common nouns, proper nouns (names of people and places) or perhaps have a famous quote and the ‘guessing’ players have to guess who said it to solve the puzzle.

Hangman can be played in a number of different ways. If there are only two or three players, it is easy just to use a piece of paper and pencil. However, if you are playing in a larger group such as the classroom, or even an aged care diversional therapy setting, a blackboard/whiteboard is far more effective because it easier for everyone to see the diagram and how many guesses they have left.

There are now many Hangman websites, where you can play online against yourself (or with others). This is also great fun and challenging. There are any number of topics to suit your taste. Here are some examples:

Play Hangman

I Love Learning – The Hangman Game

Flash Hangman Games for ESL Students

Hangman is not only a game for children. It is equally popular with adults. The iconic game-show Wheel of Fortune is based on its principles. It is a great way to have your daily dose of mental stimulation.

If you are wanting to purchase books of hangman puzzles, click here to visit the Crosswords for Fun Crossword Puzzles Online Bookshop where we have a great selection of including the Scratch and Solve Hangman series