As relaxed Charlotte Mason homeschoolers, we have relied on copywork and dictation for the majority of our spelling needs. I feel confident that this homeschool methodology has created great spellers. But, as the kids have grown, I have begun looking for spelling options to increase their vocabulary and also prepare them for college admissions testing.
Our homeschool changes with the maturity and education of our children. So, what might have worked for our elementary children often needs to be revamped as they grow and our objectives change. As the kids enter middle and high school, these changes often reflect their interests and their desires after high school. Since college is in the plan, our focus has switched to what will help them prepare for college and the admissions process. Vocabulary and language reasoning are large parts of this preparation.
If you have teens and/or tweens, you know that they could happily live on their phones, tablets, and computers. So, when I was researching ways to improve vocabulary and spelling I focused on programs that would appeal to this side of my kids. I knew that their reading and copywork would continue to give them a great base for vocabulary, but adding more books and copywork to an already full schedule would incite a revolt.
That's when I discovered Vocabulary Quest.
What is Vocabulary Quest?
Vocabulary Quest is a video game where you can choose your avatar and fight battles while capturing monsters. But, it is so much more.
In this video game, students can choose their level from Easy to Hard. These levels not only determine the difficulty of the vocabulary words, but also the level of the battle with the monsters.
There are many different levels and the student can progress through each while earning rewards and completing battles on their quest.
Students can also choose their avatar. After completing certain tasks (like defeating the guild monster), new hair, faces, and armor are available.
Players can collect gems and keys by defeating monsters on their quests. All of these are accomplished by learning vocabulary words. Practice sessions are available with quick spelling and vocabulary games before the hero goes to battle.
As students complete levels, they are awarded medals. For parents, this is a great way to see how your student is progressing through the game and to review what they have learned.
What do the kids like about Vocabulary Quest?
After playing the game for several weeks, I asked the kids what they thought about the game. My youngest, who is in middle school, pointed out the following things she enjoyed about Vocabulary Quest.
- Designing her own character for the game
- More fun than a spelling test or spelling worksheet
- Helps her to figure out word meanings in a sentence
What does the homeschool teacher like about Vocabulary Quest?
There are several things that are beneficial to the homeschooler, but my favorites are the following:
- One-time charge - I hate recurring fees, so the one-time charge for the download is great on the homeschool budget.
- Free demo - I also love being able to preview items before I make a purchase. You can download a free demo at their website.
- Easy to use - The download and installation were very easy and my kids were able to get started playing almost immediately. The instructions and on-screen helps are straight-forward and easy to follow.
- Short lessons - As Charlotte Mason followers, we try to keep lessons short and to the point. With Vocabulary Quest, your students can learn 5-10 words a day in as little as 15 minutes of play.
- Unlimited users - Each child has their own login, so this program is great for families.
- Keeps the complaining down - This program was an easy one to add to our homeschool. Because of the gaming style, the kids were excited to start using it. Even after several weeks of using it, they are still happy to do their "spelling work" for the day.
Want to try out a free demo?
Don't take my word for it, try out Vocabulary Quest for yourself. It's easy to download. Just enter your email address and they will send you a downloadable file with a demo version of the game. Then you can test it out with your kids and see if it is a good fit for you.
You can also check out Vocabulary Quest's Facebook Page for more great tips!
Hi, I’m Dachelle. I’m a homeschooling mom of 3 in the South. I love chocolate and have been known to hide it from my children. I can often be found reading a good book (or even sometimes just an okay book) and enjoying a jar of Nutella — don’t judge. I blog, here, at HideTheChocolate.com when I’m not creating book clubs and making lists…lots and lots of lists (it’s an addiction). Learn more…
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