Official Scrabble Junior Rules

Last Updated on July 15, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Scrabble Junior is a fun and engaging word game designed to introduce younger players to the joys of Scrabble! With simplified gameplay and colorful picture tiles, kids learn to build words and match them to corresponding images on the board. It’s a great way to develop vocabulary, spelling skills, and strategic thinking in a playful and accessible way. Get ready for some word-building fun with Scrabble Junior!

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Objective:

The goal of Scrabble Junior is to score the most points by completing words on the board using letter tiles.

Game Setup:

1. Board: Place the board with the Junior side facing up. (It is double sided for beginner and advanced levels.)
2. Tiles: Mix all the letter tiles face down.
3. Racks: Each player takes a rack.
4. Draw Tiles: Each player draws 7 tiles and places them on their rack.

Game Play:

1. Starting Player: Choose a player to go first.
2. Making a Move: On your turn, place one or more tiles on the board to complete or add to a word.
   • Word Completion: You must use at least one letter from your rack.
   • Scoring: Each completed word has a point value indicated on the board. Add up the points for each word completed or added to.
3. Refill Tiles: After your turn, draw new tiles to replace the ones you played, so you always have 7 tiles.
4. Next Player: Play continues to the left.

Special Rules:

1. Using the Bonus Stars: Some words have stars. If you complete a word with a star, you earn a bonus point.
2. Swapping Tiles: If you cannot play a tile, you may swap one or more tiles with the pool, but this ends your turn.

Ending the Game:

The game ends when all the tiles have been drawn and one player uses their last tile. The player with the highest score wins.

Variations:

1. Younger Players: For younger children, play open hands (where everyone can see all the tiles) and help each other complete words.
2. Older Players: For older children, you can flip the board to the advanced side with blank spaces, and players create their own words.

Scrabble Junior is a great introduction to word games for young children, helping them develop essential language skills while having fun.