I am an unexpected homeschooler. We landed here, swiftly and without warning, almost four years ago. As a product of public schools and being a school psychologist, homeschooling was never on my radar.
And yet here we are.  Â
When we first started homeschooling, like many, I attempted to recreate a version of school at home. And it backfired. The first year of homeschooling is an evolution of sorts. It is filled with fits and starts and successes and tears until, eventually, you manage to find your groove.
Often, that groove looks nothing like the public school days of your past. Mine certainly didn’t! Our homeschool days center around high-quality read alouds and educational games.
That’s right: We are gameschoolers.
Gameschooling: Homeschooling Through Play
When parents play alongside their children, they have the opportunity to work on a host of skills… while having fun and making memories!
Here’s the thing about using games to learn:
They don’t judge.
There are no corrections.
No red marks.
No homework.
No pressure to perform.
Games are safe.
Gameplay offers children a chance to practice and build skills in a no-pressure, non-judgmental way. If the game doesn’t go the way you wanted it to, you can start over and try again.
Benefits of board games
Children learn how to navigate their world through play. Board games can help children develop the following skills:
- Verbal communication
- Self-regulation
- Turn-taking
- Sharing
- Listening
- Cooperation
- Focus and attention
- Following directions
- Creativity
- Social skills
- Learning to lose – and win- with grace
- Logic skills
- Critical thinking
- Problem-solving
- Strategy and planning
- And more
Work on academic skills through board game play
There are some fantastic games on the market today. Is your child struggling with reading? Does your kiddo cry over his math workbook? Guess what? There’s a game for that, and I can guarantee you’ll have fewer power struggles when you swap out the workbook for the game board.
Over the summer, my daughter was struggling to understand coins identification and value. She cried over her math book and so we set up a play store. That helped a little bit, but she was still having trouble and so I pulled out a game called Money Bags. All three of my kiddos loved the game and the best part? Within a week my daughter had not only mastered coin identification and value, but she’d learned to make
All three of my kiddos loved the game and the best part? Within a week my daughter had not only mastered coin identification and value, but she’d learned to make change… and – as an added bonus- my youngest had learned to skip count by tens and fives!
Recommended games
As a lifelong game addict and now gameschooler, here are my favorite games organized by category:
Gameschooling tips for beginners
Are you interested in adding more gameplay to your homeschool, but you don’t know how to get started? Here are some links to get you started:
- Building Your Game Closet on a Budget
- Finding Time to Play
- Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling with Games
- Gameschooling: Learning Through Play
Homeschooling can be [almost] all fun and games
I have witnessed first-hand, time and time again, how easy it is for children to learn through play and games. Homeschooling certainly has its challenges, and it isn’t always easy, but on our best days I simply cannot believe how much fun we have. And, we are making memories in the process!
Now, it’s your turn. Tell us: What is your family’s favorite game?
Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley, MA/CAGS is a school psychologist, mom to 3 amazing children, and an unexpected homeschooler. She writes about the journey at My Little Poppies. Cait is co-host of The Homeschool Sisters Podcast. She is the founder of Granite State Gifted, a support group for families of gifted children in the NH and MA area, and co-founder of Raising Poppies, an online Facebook community for parents of gifted and twice-exceptional children.
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Brigette Collins
Wow this is a GREAT idea! Definitely going to start using games for learning! Thank you for sharing!
Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley
Let me know how it works for your family, Brigette!
Homeschool Literature
I have never heard of gameschooling but it sounds like such a great idea!! Why press on through tears and frustration with workbooks when you can pull out a game and make learning fun?! This is a fantastic approach!!
Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley
Thank you so much, Homeschool Literature. This approach has worked well for our family and I hope it will help others, too.
Sage Sheppard
Gameschooling! I love it. And to have games all organized by category -awesome! I started buying a lot more games this year simply because they are fun and sometimes we need a break from the routine.
Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley
I agree, Sage. Such a great way to switch gears as a family.
kelli
I am so grateful to you today for this fantastic list of resources. I just purchased 6 games off of your list for Christmas day festivities around here and I am so excited. thank you!!!
Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley
How did it go, Kelli? Hope they were a hit!
Karissa
I had not considered this. We are starting homeschool when my son turns 5 in January. This sounds perfect for us!
Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley
I’m hosting a 31-Day Gameschool Challenge on my site right now. Free and fun- it might be a great way for you to prep for next year!
Homeschool Literature
I absolutely love the sound of it, and it’s definitely worth trying out! I also love that it encourages not separating the world into “educational” and “non-educational.” Even playing games is learning, and it’s a great thing!! This is such a great approach, and I’m sure it would take so much stress away. 🙂
Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley
Thank you so much!
Andrew Harmon
I love the idea of learning through playing games. I like how you’ve broken down the games based on subject matter.
Over the past 2 years I’ve been working on a game that would fall under geography, history, and Bible. As you play the game you learn you about biblical events and when and where they occurred.