This 'Tagalog Scrabble' May Help Improve Your Child's Filipino Vocabulary

When you think of a fun group activity, what comes to mind?

In my childhood, coming together with my friends meant hours of fun strategizing and outsmarting each other over a game of Monopoly, Scrabble, or Boggle — that's if we weren't playing piko, patintero, or Chinese garter. Those popular board games not only helped improve our focus and math skills, they were also instrumental in widening vocabulary.

Now, there's a Filipino equivalent to our favorite Scrabble game. It's called Salitaan-Larong Krosword, and it might just be what your Tagalog-challenged child needs to hone his proficiency in the language. (Here are 12 books to read with them, too.)

In Salitaan, the letter tiles are grouped into two bags: one for Katinig (consonants) and another for Patinig (vowels). Each player gets 5 tiles from each bag to have a total of 10 letter tiles at any given time. As in Scrabble, up to 4 players can participate in a game.

The oldest player begins the game (as a sign of respect) by forming a Tagalog word using the letters he has. In a clockwise manner, each of the players takes turns adding to and appending letters to the existing words. 

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Like its English equivalent, the Salitaan game board contains special squares that either double or triple the value of the letter or word. It also includes blank letter tiles that may be used to substitute for another letter as the player wishes.

Besides Filipino, it may also be played using any Filipino languages, such as Cebuano, Ilocano, Waray-Waray, or Kapampangan, among others.

The box indicates that the game is recommended for individuals ages 14 and older, but as actress Danica Sotto-Pingris posted on Instagram, even their kids Mic, 11, and Caela, 7, can very well give their dad Marc and their mom a good fight. 

The Salitaan board game is a great teaching tool, such that it is backed by Filipino teachers and commended by the Department of Education. There are even friendly competitions among schools for it!

You can purchase Salitaan-Larong Krosword for P999 from Lazada, Shopee, or at shops like Hobbes and Landes, Mindwerks, and Gaming Library.

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