Gameschooling: Educational Games for Homeschooling

If you’re new to homeschooling, you might have heard the phrase gameschooling and wondered what it means. In this article, I’ll explain what it means to game school and I’ll help you understand why you should plan games with your kids whether or not you homeschool them.

In This Blog Post About Gameschooling, You’ll Discover…

• Video about gameschooling.
• Podcast episode about gameschooling.
• Information about gameschooling.
• Benefits of playing games.
• Fun & educational games you can get on Amazon.

What Is Gameschooling?

Simply put, gameschooling involves using games as a primary teaching tool. By incorporating games into your homeschooling routine, you’ll help your children learn while fostering a fun learning environment.

Whether you’re homeschooling or not, I recommend incorporating games into your child’s educational journey. Consider integrating a daily game into your homeschool routine and establishing a weekly family game night for added enjoyment and bonding.

A Quick Introduction

My name is Jackie, and I’m a longtime homeschooling mom, homeschool consultant, certified life coach, and licensed physical education teacher. If you have questions about homeschooling, I can help you. Here’s how you can get started.

• Get my free course: Homeschool with Confidence.
• Discover homeschool consulting services.
• Learn about life coaching services for parents.
• Join the waiting list for my homeschool support group: THRIVE!
• Follow the HomeSchool ThinkTank Parenting Podcast.

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Unlocking Educational Fun: The Benefits of Gameschooling in Homeschooling

Games serve as versatile educational tools, covering a wide range of subjects from math and spelling to history and science. Playing games allows children to learn through a hands-on, interactive approach.

The educational possibilities are vast, whether it’s recognizing patterns in Qwirkle, mastering multiplication with Yahtzee or Tenzi, or enhancing public speaking skills through games like Snake Oil.

Benefits of Games:

1. Reduced Stress and Enhanced Well-being: Playing games induces laughter, releasing endorphins that reduce stress and can even lower blood pressure. This positive environment contributes to a relaxed atmosphere, facilitating better learning.
2. Life Skills and Sportsmanship: Games provide an excellent platform for teaching life skills such as good sportsmanship. Children learn to be humble in victory and cheerful in defeat, modeling positive behavior that extends beyond the game board.
3. Resilience and Learning from Failure: The inherent nature of games, where not everyone can win, teaches children how to handle failure gracefully. It instills resilience as they get up and play again, learning that setbacks are a part of the journey.
4. Low-Stakes Learning: Games offer a safe space for taking calculated risks and making decisions with immediate feedback. This low-stakes environment encourages learning through trial and error, promoting strategic thinking and decision-making.
5. Communication and Social Skills: Whether played individually or in teams, games foster communication and collaboration. Negotiating trades in Monopoly or strategizing in cooperative games enhances interpersonal skills.
6. Fine Motor Skills Development: Many tabletop games involve fine motor skills, such as rolling dice or moving game pieces. This contributes to the physical development of children, enhancing coordination and dexterity.
7. Understanding Individual Differences: Recognizing that not all games suit everyone’s preferences, parents can tailor their game choices to accommodate various family members. This inclusivity ensures that everyone can participate and enjoy the experience.
8. Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking Skills: Games challenge individuals to analyze situations, think critically, make decisions, and devise effective strategies to overcome obstacles within the dynamic and interactive game environment.
9. Improve Academic Skills: Playing games is an excellent way to help your kids improve their reading, writing, and math skills.
10. Considering Different Perspectives: Games provide a unique opportunity for children to learn about different perspectives by immersing them in diverse scenarios and promoting an understanding of various viewpoints through interactive gameplay and shared experiences.

Gameschooling offers a dynamic and enjoyable alternative to traditional homeschooling methods. Beyond their educational benefits, games nurture a spirit of togetherness, creating lasting memories and valuable life skills for children.

The Best Educational Games for Kids & Teens

Below, you’ll discover different types of games covering various subjects. Find some new games for your next group homeschool day.

• Card Games
• Conversational Games
• Geography Games
• History Games
• Math Games
• Science Games
• Spelling Games

All of the game links below will take you to Amazon. When you use our links, you help support HomeSchool ThinkTank. Thank you for using the links we provide!

History Games for Your Family

We’ve included games for elementary-aged kids to high school students.

• Election Night: Learn Your Way to the White House: This game integrates math, geography, and the mechanics of the Electoral College. Vary the complexity based on your child’s skill level. Ages 8 & up.
• History Channel Trivia Game: There are over 2000 questions that span the entirety of human knowledge. Questions are about 1) arts & culture; 2) sports & recreation; 3) science & technology; 4) geography & landmarks; 5) people, & events. This game is best for teens and adults.
• Professor Noggin’s History of The United States Trivia Card Game: This educational and fun card game encourages kids to learn interesting facts about their favorite subjects. Perfect for kids ages 7 & up.
• Trekking Through History: This board game was created by historians and history experts. You’ll meet legendary people and learn about remarkable historical events. Ages 10 & up.
• Who Knows History Better? Who Knows History Better is a card game for the whole family. Players take turns quizzing one another and guessing answers to fun and educational questions about history. Great for kids 8 & up.

Whether you embrace games as the primary mode of education or incorporate them into your homeschooling routine, the impact on your child’s learning journey can be profound.

Fun Conversational Games

These fun conversational games will help your kids improve their communication skills. They are excellent for your local homeschool group or family game night.

• Snake Oil: This fun game is a great way to learn the art of persuasion as you try to sell other players on your made-up products. Ages 10 & up.
• SUSSED The Wacky ‘Would You Rather’ Game: Ask a question and see if the other player can guess which funny answer you chose. Ages 7 & up.
• Table Topics: This isn’t actually a game, but they are cards you can use to prompt thought-provoking conversations. Pull out a card over family dinner or use them as conversation starters at social gatherings. Pre-teen to adult.

Fun Educational Math Games

Discover different ways to help your kids improve their math skills through educational games. Prevent the summer slide by playing these board games, dice games, and tile games. These popular games are available on Amazon.

1. Adsumudi Math Game: A board game that helps kids sharpen their mental math skills. Ages 9+ years.
2. Cashflow: An educational board game that simulates real-life financial decision-making, offering players insights into investing, entrepreneurship, and wealth-building through an immersive and strategic experience. Older children and adults will love this game. 12 years and up.
3. Cover Your Assets: A competitive and fast-paced card game where players aim to build the most valuable collection of assets, engaging in strategic negotiations and risk-taking to protect their fortunes. 8 years and up.
4. Farkle: A dice game where players take risks and make strategic decisions as they roll dice to accumulate points, aiming to reach a predetermined score without ‘Farkling’ or losing progress. 8 years and up.
5. Math Fluxx: a dynamic and ever-changing card game that combines mathematical concepts with the unpredictability of Fluxx, creating a playful and educational experience as players adapt to new rules and goals. 8 years and up.
6. Monopoly: A board game that teaches money management, addition, subtraction, and strategic thinking. 8 years and up.
7. Prime Climb: A mathematical board game that reinforces multiplication and division skills. 10 years and up.
8. Proof: An engaging and strategic card game that challenges players to create mathematical proofs using logic and deduction, making it an enjoyable and educational experience for math enthusiasts. Ages 9+ years.
9. Qwirkle: A tile game that enhances shape and pattern recognition. 6 years and up.
10. Racko: A card game that reinforces number sequencing and strategic thinking. Kids 8+, Teen, Adult.
11. Sequence: A strategic board game that combines elements of cards and chips, challenging players to create sequences on the board using a combination of skill and probability. 7 years and up.
12. Skyjo: A strategic card game where players aim to minimize points through clever card swaps, offering an engaging and competitive mathematical challenge for all ages. Ages 8+ years.
13. Tenzi: A fast-paced and engaging math game where players roll ten dice simultaneously, aiming to match all the dice to the same number through quick thinking and rapid addition. 7 years and up.
14. Qwixx: An addictive dice game that challenges players to strategically mark off numbers on their score sheet, fostering a balance of risk and reward. This quick game is easy to play anytime. Ages 8 and up.
15. Yahtzee: A dice game reinforcing addition, probability, and strategic decision-making. 8 years and up.

The HomeSchool ThinkTank Parenting Podcast

Did you know we share two podcast episodes each week? The HomeSchool ThinkTank Parenting Podcast offers helpful information about education and parenting. It’s free to listen, so follow us now!

Listen to this podcast episode about gameschooling.

The Best Spelling Games for Kids

Game-based learning makes spelling fun. Adapt the games your family plays for kids with different skill levels.

1. Campbell’s Alphabet Dice Game: Roll the dice to see how many words you can make with this fun game.
2. Bananagrams: Create crossword grids with the tile letters.
3. Boggle: Find the most words to win with the traditional Boggle game. We suggest Boggle Junior for Preschoolers and Kindergarteners who are in their early years of learning how to spell.
4. Scrabble: This classic word game will engage your child’s mind as they create words from the letters they’ve drawn
5. Upwords: Stack the tiles higher to create more words and gain more points with this board game.

Fun Science Games for Kids, Teens, and Families

• Cytosis: Learn about cell biology with this science board game. Explore enzymes, hormones, DNA, and more. Ages 10 & up.
• Gravity Maze: This could be considered as a game or toy and an individual can play it alone. Gravity Maze is a game of logic, a marble run, and a STEM toy that’s excellent for kids 8 & up.
• Organ Attack: This medical and science-themed game is educational. Your family will learn about the human body while playing Organ Attack. Ages 8 & up.
• Rock Bingo Game: This National Geographic game provides a fun way for you to teach your kids about geology. The rocks and gems that come with this game are used as educational game pieces. Ages 6 & up.
• Who Knows Science Better? This card game about science includes 500 questions. Learn about biology, physics, chemistry, and more. Ages 5 & up.

Geography Games for Kids, Teens, & Families

• Continent Race: Learn about continents, countries, and flags of the world. This is an excellent game for kids 7 & up.
• Guess In 10: States of America: Divide into teams, or play one on one. Ask up to 10 questions to guess the state on the Game Card! Does this state have mountains? Are the Chiefs from this state? Does this state have a large coast? Ask good questions and be the first player to win 7 game cards! Ages 8 to adult.
• The World Game: Show the country on the map, recognize the flags, or name the capital city. Find the strongest facts about the country and win. Train your memory and brain while having fun. Excellent for kids, teens, and adults. Ages 8 & up.

Card Games for Kids, Teens, & Families

• Blink Family Card Game: In this fast-paced game, two players try to match the shape, count, or color on their cards. Improve reflexes and response time with each round of play. Ages 7 & up.
• Five Crowns: This Rummy-style card game is suitable for one to seven players. Ages 8 & up.
• Skip-Bo: Use skill and strategy to create sequential stacks of cards. Ages 7 & up.

Video: Educational Games for Kids

Helpful Articles and Resources for You

• Sensory Toys for Kids
• Strewing 101
• What Is Unschooling?
• Books About Homeschooling
• Different Ways of Homeschooling