At We Are Teachers, we’re always looking for new ways to make learning more fun, interactive, and just a little bit magical. Whether it’s a clever hands-on activity or a silly game to get brains buzzing, we believe play has a powerful place in education.
We know game-based learning works. Research shows that learning through play leads to deeper understanding, more enthusiastic participation, and stronger skill development. From critical thinking to social and emotional growth, game-based learning helps students thrive. Studies like this one on early childhood learning and this one on STEM outcomes show just how powerful it can be.
For a while now, we’ve been dreaming of building an interactive game. Something simple and accessible. Something you could use as a warm-up, a transition, or just for a quick dose of joy in your day.
So We Asked Teachers: What Kind of Game Do You Want?
A few months ago, we went straight to our audience with that question—and the response was clear. You wanted a word game.
We got to work right away. We brainstormed ideas, built prototypes, scrapped a few, and came back with new ones. And then we tested—and tested some more—with real teachers and students. After lots of feedback and fine-tuning, Word Lab was born.
Meet Word Lab: A Daily Challenge for All Levels
Word Lab is a daily word-guessing game where players choose from 3-letter, 5-letter, or 7-letter words. Your goal is to guess the word using color-coded hints:
- Blue = correct letter in the right spot
- Yellow = correct letter in the wrong spot
- Red = not in the word at all
There’s an optional timer if you want a challenge, and sometimes, there’s a theme to keep things interesting.
A Game for Teachers—and for the Whole Class
Originally, this was just going to be a little something for teachers. A quick daily game to start the morning or wind down after lunch. But almost immediately, teachers told us they wanted more. Not only did they love playing it themselves—they wanted to use it with their students, too.
So we leaned in. We adjusted the levels, added themed words, and invited classrooms to help us test it out. One 3rd grade class we worked with even cheered out loud when they finally guessed the 7-letter word together.
What Teachers and Students Are Saying
“Word Lab is an excellent resource for word work in my classroom. It builds spelling knowledge and helps students practice spelling patterns.”
—Natasha McDonald, 3rd/4th grade teacher in Ontario, Canada
“I love it a lot. I like that you get to guess things and although it gives you hints to help, it doesn’t just tell you the answer.”
—Camden, 4th grade student
“I like that it has different levels. Depending on what you know, you can find the right challenge for you.”
—Tamem, 3rd grade student
Try It and Tell Us What You Think!
Word Lab is live now and ready for classrooms everywhere. Give it a try right here.
Have feedback or ideas for future games? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us a note anytime at our Contact form.