Lots of post exist about the benefits of gameschooling, in particular its whimsical, non-worksheet way of checking off skill progression boxes while spending time together with your family. What could be better? Well, maybe a few things, but this is still pretty high on my list. I have a 10-year-old game lover and an 8-year-old game hater/I’ll-be-on-your-teamer. I love games, though, and that is a serious prerequisite to enjoying this alternate path. We play the following games because they are FUN.
Math Games We Love Right Now
Qwirkle – We love this one for its ease, now that we figured out how to play. Thanks, Mom! It is simple, but you may need to watch a YouTube video to catch the nuances.
Gold – Honestly, I don’t know if this is purchase-able anymore, as it’s a game from my childhood. But this is the one my 10yo pulls out weekly. It combines several of his favorite things: luck, gold, potential stealing, and a time crunch.
Money Bags – This one is fun, simple to start, and an easy challenge to counting money. A second spinner has players make change without using a certain coin.
Pet Me – I bought this one for my daughter, but both kids enjoy “taking care” of the pets with easy multiplication and division. Downside: Lots of pieces.
Trekking the National Parks – A lovely concept in a beautifully wrought game, I asked for this as a birthday gift last year. It will take over the whole table for at least an hour, depending on number of players. There’s a LOT of parts, and it’s confusing to begin. (This video helped.) But plenty of planning, strategy, and math throughout.
Clumsy Thief – If the concept of “stealing” cards is fun to your child, this game will be their favorite. Lots of practice adding to 100 quickly and with simple numbers under a fun pretext. For younger kids, Clumsy Thief Candy Shop is great with 4+ players.
Kingdomino – Hands down, my personal favorite. Build a personal kingdom, using simple math to ensure it nets the most points. FYI: It has never taken us 15 minutes to play (30-45m avg), but it’s worth the time. Pretty easy set-up, too. (How to play video.)
Games I thought We’d Use that Nobody Likes:
Both Shut the Box and Sum Swamp (pictured above) will go on the next purge. I keep games in one, dedicated cupboard. Limiting my space in this way keeps me from trying ALL the games, but it’s also helpful because kids move in and out of games as they grow too. It’s a signal to purge when we struggle to close the doors.
Want more gameschool games, lists, or advice?
Because mine is just an overview of what we like, I’m sending you elsewhere for more info on gameschooling in general or huge compilations of clever games to teach certain subjects. These are my favorite compilations, if you ignore some pop-ups and advertising. Cait of My Little Poppies has a list of cooperative games, if you have a child, like one of mine, who hates direct competition.
My Little Poppies / Homeschool.com / Mulberry Journal / Mary Hanna Wilson
Do you have a list I should include? A game I should try? Please comment below.
Amazon links are meant to make it easy for you to find and review the game more closely, its cost in particular. Please support local business by buying in person near you. I am not intentionally driving business to Amazon or receiving any profit from these links.
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