Perhaps this is a common geek quality, but I really like being quizzed. (I also like filling out forms, but that's another post.) As long as the topic isn't totally foreign to me, I always perk up at the prospect of a mini-test of my knowledge. I'm not even necessarily gunning for the top score -- I just like to know how much I know, rated objectively.
That's why I completely spazzed out with delight when I found out about Sporcle.com. It's a website that -- get this -- is ALL QUIZZES! Specifically, they're fill-in-the-blank quizzes, some created by the site's staff, and some created by site users. You can even make your own quiz, for free -- what a fun way to prep your kids for upcoming tests! -- and the site might later choose to feature it.
There are quizzes in typically geeky categories like Science and Gaming, but there are also Sports, Literature, and Geography quizzes, and lots in pop culture categories, including Movies, Television, and Music. There's some crossover, too, as in this Language quiz that uses movie titles for its subject.
Plenty of these are appropriate for family playing, if your kids are elementary school-age or older. To get started, check out these five geek-family-friendly quizzes:
- Science race! Answer not-so-hard questions from various fields of science -- before the clock runs out
- Musicians by the elements - use periodic table symbols to spell out names of popular bands
- Name that programming language -- when given the name of its inventor
- Presidential marathon! Use hints to identify U.S. Presidents
- Anagram trios - word nerd fun in sets of three
Ellen Henderson is a novelist and web strategist. She lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband and son.
