Game School
Try game school in your homeschool. Lists of games, puzzles, and activities across a large array of subjects.
Once a month we take a break from our daily routine and do “game school”. Usually, it the last Friday of the month. On this day I don’t assign our normal subjects and worksheets, but we just play games for school. All Day!
Why don’t you try adding this to your family routine. Sometimes you just need to switch it up a bit. I bet you have some of these games already, you just didn’t realize they were “school”.
How to Implement Game School
Here are a few ideas of how to fit game school into your homeschool routine.
Fun Friday’s
Designate a certain Friday of the month (maybe the first or last) as a game school day, and plan other assignments into 4 days.
Short Weeks
If you’re looking ahead planning a short week due to a holiday or vacation, game school is a great way to get in there are fill a day in a more relaxed and fun week.
One Player Games
I know that playing games can often be difficult for smaller families or those with large age gaps Games that can be played single player are noted below. That doesn’t mean they HAVE TO be single player, just that they can be. These games are noted with an asterisk (*).
Math
Versatile mental math game useful for multiple forms of math practice from addition to multiplication and square roots.
The name is short for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division. This versatile math practice game is recommended for ages 8-12.
Practice your math facts in a little more interesting way than flash cards. One player per set.
Addition & Subtraction
A basic addition game. Players roll dice and flip down numbers on their side of the board that add up to the sum of the dice. Whoever has the least points at the end wins. Also has a 6 player version for larger groups.
Trash
Use a simple deck of cards to practice putting numbers in order from one to ten. Face cards are “trash”.
Farkle/10000
Practice your math and statistic skills with this fun group dice game.
Dice Games/Tenzi
Money Skills
Players travel around the board collecting properties and changing funds. Last player to still have cash wins the game. This game can often take hours. Consider a Junior version or card game for shorter play.
A card game version of Monopoly designed for 15 minute play.
Fractions
Collect pizza slices (fractions) and form whole pizzas. Write them on your order slip and be the one to make the most money (can include tips for more complicated play) by the time Blobby arrives to end the game.
Geometry
Tangrams (one player)*
Ancient Chinese puzzles using basic geometric shapes to match puzzle images.
Tangrams (two player)
History
Test your knowledge of the order of major people, inventions, and events in history.
This game does include a few cards that we removed in reference to dinosaurs, cavemen, and a few cards older than 5000 BC. We did not find these cards in line with our young Earth/Biblical worldview. Game play is not affected by their removal.
Board game adaptation of the famous computer game we all know and love.
Science
Biology
Human Body
Astronomy
Geography
World Geography
This game can be a long one (plan for hours and hours), but kids love it. I played with my dad as a young kid, so this game has fond memories for me. Players place their armies on each country and use dice to fight back and forth. Collect reinforcements at the beginning of each turn and earn extra armies for conquering (and holding) entire continents.
I love that this a collaboration game where players work together against the game. You either all win or you all loose. Each player gets a role card (medic, operations specialist, etc) and work together to heal, cure, and hopefully eradicate diseases that are spreading around the world before too many outbreaks occur. Infection rate accelerates as the game goes on.
National Geographic Global Pursuit
This is a vintage game that’s out of print, but you can find it on eBay or other second hand sources.
United States Geography
Junior version of the original Ticket to Ride with simpler rules and fewer trains.
Test your knowledge of Landmarks, locations, and State Capitals of the United States.
Spelling
A simpler version of a Scrabble-like game where each person builds their own game board by forming words out of their own tiles. Once one player has made all their tiles into words they yell “peel” and every player grabs more tiles from the center.
Have a large family: try Bananagrams Double for up to 16 players.
Players take turns making words from the letter tiles in their hands and laying them on the board to earn points. Watch out, it’s not always the longest words that make the most points!
This app by the Good and the Beautiful features free spelling games for younger grades.
Create Your Own Word Search*
Turn your child’s spelling list into a custom word search. A quick Google search will bring up many free word search (and crossword) creators.
Language
Roll the dice and use the exposed icons to tell a story. Could be used for writing, narration, or creative expression. There are lots of different themed sets you can find online.
Link together words like interlocking puzzle pieces. Keyed by parts of speech they won’t fit together in just any order, but in the end you may have a very silly sentence.
Parts of speech game from The Good and the Beautiful.
Create goofy stories by randomly filling in parts of speech. You can easily find these as printables online in a variety of themes for topics or seasons.
Logic, Memory, & Concentration
Can you break the code before running out of chances? Take concentration and critical thinking.
Simon *
Improve memory and concentration with this single or multi-player game.
Bopit! *
Memory *
Take turns flipping over cards and remembering their locations to make pairs.
Art
Examine famous pieces of art for signs of forgery. Figure out which painting at the museum at original and which aren’t along with who made the dupe. Note: there are a couple inappropriate images in this book. We used cut black vinyl to sensor the few areas of concern (low cleavage, nudity, etc)
Purchase a Draw Along Card or listen for free on the Yoto app.
Puzzles *
Find puzzle of famous works of art to reconstruct together.
