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How to add more play to your homeschool (and not feel guilty)

December 29, 2016 //  by Cait Curley//  35 Comments


Written by Caitlin Curley of My Little Poppies

From history to language arts, math to music, and everything in between, don’t miss Cait’s full list of games for every subject!

A week before Christmas, my husband turned to me and asked, “So… have they been doing any math?”*

I felt myself bristle at his words. I sat up straighter, jaw set, defensive. “Of course we’ve done math!” I sputtered.

We had done math, just not much traditional math because it was the holidays.

My mind raced:

  • We had read piles of math storybooks
  • The kids had followed a recipe for bird cookies independently, tripling the recipe so they would each have plenty
  • There had been lots of baking
  • The children had done some holiday shopping
  • We had watched a favorite DVD
  • And, of course, we had played countless board games

How to Play More in Your Homeschool (And Not Feel Guilty) How to Add More Play to Your Homeschool (And Not Feel Guilty)

But there was nothing tangible, no proof.

And that happens a lot with homeschooling.

Despite the intangible nature of our pre-Christmas mathematics, I was prepared to defend my case. After all, I know how well my children learn when I combine fantastic read alouds, experiential learning, and educational games.

I need not have worried; he believed me. There were no further questions. The doubt had passed.

* Now this is where I need to pause and tell you that my husband is my biggest homeschool supporter and cheerleader, but even the most amazing homeschool dads fall victim to occasional doubt and second-guessing… especially during holiday chaos!

The truth is, I used to doubt this approach to learning. 

  • Is it okay to set curriculum aside and pick up a book?
  • Can games be considered curriculum?
  • Does this really count as homeschooling?

Thankfully, this doubt has passed, too. I’ve been homeschooling long enough to know when we are doing something well.

I even have a name for it: gameschooling.

How to Play More in Your Homeschool (And Not Feel Guilty) How to Add More Play to Your Homeschool (And Not Feel Guilty)

How to add more play to your homeschool (and not feel guilty)

Our homeschool is not perfect, not even close. We have hard days and crabby days and sick days and full-of-doubt days, just like everyone else.

We have hard seasons when motivation plummets and you just feel stuck.

But, right now, we are in a good season and I’d like to share it with you, just in case you are feeling stuck.

I hope it will help.

Yes, homeschooling can be [almost] all fun and games. I’d like to show you how.

Put simply: play matters.

How to Add More Play to Your Homeschool (And Not Feel Guilty)

In our homeschool, we play board games every single day. They are part of our homeschool curriculum. Time and time again, I have witnessed amazing learning and growth happen with this approach to learning.

I am convinced that, with a little planning, you could create an entire curriculum using educational board games and high-quality read alouds.

How to Play More in Your Homeschool (And Not Feel Guilty) How to Add More Play to Your Homeschool (And Not Feel Guilty)

Games are fantastic learning tools because they allow children to practice skills is a safe, supportive way… without red marks and criticism. Games encourage conversation, build connection, and make memories.

Still unsure? Let me give you some examples, broken down by subject.

Math

Everyone is always worried about math and I’m here to tell you that games have not only improved my children’s mathematical skills, but they have also boosted their confidence!

Here are just a few of our family’s favorite math games:

  • Countdown! – This game is so versatile. It can be played solo or with up to four players and it is a great way to work on addition, subtraction, multiplication, and/or division- whatever you need to practice!
  • Sumoku – I always describe this game as a mathematical Bananagrams. Best of all? It fits in your purse!
  • Prime Climb – This is a visual masterpiece and our family’s favorite math game.

And while we’re on the subject of math, let’s not forget logic. There are many fantastic logic games on the market today including:

  • Rush Hour – If pressed to choose, this would be our family’s favorite one-player game. Kids love it!
  • Blokus – This is one of those games that can be explained in two minutes and enjoyed for years.

How to Play More in Your Homeschool (And Not Feel Guilty) How to Add More Play to Your Homeschool (And Not Feel Guilty)

Language Arts

There are countless games to choose from in this category. Our favorite games for pre-readers (and beyond) include:

  • Tell Me a Story Cards and Rory’s Story Cubes Both of these games work on imagination, creativity, and verbal skills.

For early readers, we love Sight Word Zingo… and kids do, too! I credit this game for helping all three of my children learn to read.

Older children will enjoy the following:

  • Bananagrams – This crossword-style game is easy to learn and always a hit, plus it travels well.
  • Boggle – Kids love this word search game, and it helps them learn spelling rules.

Science and Nature

If I ever feel like we’ve been slacking on science, I pull out one of our favorite games. Examples include:

  • Gravity Maze – In this one-player logic game, children learn the concept of gravity and cause-and-effect using a marble run.
  • Valence – The only requirement to play this card game is that children be able to add to zero. Kids will love the stunning graphics and they will learn advanced chemistry concepts.
  • Hit the Habitat Trail – In this game, kids learn all about animals, habitats, and environmental concerns.
  • Cardline Animals – This card game teaches children about various animals and sequencing as they race to put cards in order according to one of three categories: lifespan, size, or weight.

History and Geography

  • Timeline – I am thankful that my homeschool sister, Kara, introduced our family to this game, which is available in several versions and is such a fun way to learn history.
  • GeoBingo – Available in both USA and World editions, this game will teach your children geography in no time!
  • Flag Frenzy – If your children love Spot It, they will adore Flag Frenzy… and they will learn flags from around the globe!

What about all those other subjects?

I promise you, there is a game for every subject.

With a little planning, you can cover coding/technology, art, music, and even gym class. There are even games that help children learn to work together and improve social and communication skills.

Amazing learning happens when a family plays together. Trust me.

How to Add More Play to Your Homeschool (And Not Feel Guilty)

Give yourself permission to have more fun in the new year

So much learning happens when you relax and let it.

Tell us: Are you a gameschooling family? What is your favorite game right now? Share here.

This post contains affiliate links.

Category: curriculumTag: gameschooling

About Cait Curley

Cait Curley, MA/CAGS is a school psychologist, mom to three kiddos, and an unexpected homeschooler. She believes that homeschooling can be *almost* all fun and games! Cait is founder of My Little Poppies and Never Board Learning, a private online community for creative parents and educators who love play-based learning and gameschooling. Cait is also one half of The Homeschool Sisters Podcast, which has over 1.3 million downloads worldwide.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dawn

    December 29, 2016 at 7:49 am

    We love board games and I was just counting some of the games we played last night in our lesson recorder.
    Blessings, dawn
    Dawn’s latest post: Christmas Break ~ The Learning Creeps In

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      December 29, 2016 at 9:13 am

      I love that you record them, Dawn. They totally count!
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: Gameschool Challenge: Add More Play To Your Day!

      Reply
    • Kay

      November 21, 2017 at 7:39 pm

      Sshh, I’ve used games in homeschooling my kids all along. 😉 I taught all of them to read using the phonics game. Balderdash and Origins are fun games and Solitare Chess. My son loves to play Historical Conquest=> https://www.historicalconquest.com/

      Reply
  2. Monica

    December 29, 2016 at 8:39 am

    This is a great article. I shared it with my homeschool group. How do you document Game Schooling? I know my Right-Braining learner will thrive with games.

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      December 29, 2016 at 9:14 am

      Hi, Monica.
      Great question! I am a huge fan of Sarah McKenzie’s Spiral Notebook. I tweak it to meet our family’s needs, but (when I’m organized) I record them there.
      Thank you for sharing and have fun playing!
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: Gameschool Challenge: Add More Play To Your Day!

      Reply
  3. Cat

    December 29, 2016 at 8:43 am

    We are in the early days of this! We just upped our game stash over Christmas with Rush Hour Jr and Zoologic! So fun! Plus we use Right Start Math as our math curriculum which uses lots of card games to practice. I have lots to learn but I like the idea!

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      December 29, 2016 at 9:15 am

      Right Start is great for little gamers! You will love Rush Hour- ThinkFun is one of my favorite companies and I write about their one-player logic games all the time. As a homeschool mom, those types of games are pure gold! I use them during quiet time 🙂
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: Gameschool Challenge: Add More Play To Your Day!

      Reply
  4. Joey Gibson

    December 29, 2016 at 9:39 am

    We got Superfight, Would You Rather?, Sushi Go, and Batman Story Cubes for Christmas and they are all hits. Also got Prime Climb, but have not played it yet. Wildcraft is a favorite around here also. 🙂

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      December 29, 2016 at 9:55 am

      We have a lot of games in common, Joey! Prime Climb is one of my favorite games of all time. I actually backed them on KickStarter – first time I did that!
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: Gameschool Challenge: Add More Play To Your Day!

      Reply
  5. Joanne Rawson

    December 29, 2016 at 12:24 pm

    We often neglect our game stack so I’ll pull out a bunch and we’ll have a random game day; putting our books away for a day.
    Joanne Rawson’s latest post: 52 Lists week 52; Goals for 2017

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      December 29, 2016 at 12:42 pm

      I love to pull out a pile and go through it, too. We call it our “game plan” 😉
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: Gameschool Challenge: Add More Play To Your Day!

      Reply
  6. Luka

    December 29, 2016 at 2:39 pm

    Our 3 year old LOVES candyland ! Learning colors, counting, how to take turns, keeping track of your own guy, and fun!

    We also recently got “Go Oink” – Go Fish only with animals and you make the sound of the animal you want to ask for. Beginner logic (“which animal should I ask for?”) and fun animal sounds? Yes!

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      December 29, 2016 at 3:55 pm

      Oh my gosh, my kids would have loved Go Oink a few years ago! So fun!
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: Gameschool Challenge: Add More Play To Your Day!

      Reply
  7. Darlene

    December 29, 2016 at 11:28 pm

    We love games! I just added more bookcases to our home library area. Now we have better room to display all of our games and all of our books. Games are a huge part of our homeschool. My girls (5 and 7) really enjoy the independent logic games like Logic Street, Three Little Pigs, Penguins Pool Party, and more. Our current favorite board games are Monopoly Jr and the Trolls version of Trouble. We play regular card games like War and Go Fish. A new favorite is the dice game Tenzi. Just so many good games out there!

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      December 30, 2016 at 5:42 am

      You’ve listed so many wonderful games, Darlene!
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: Gameschool Challenge: Add More Play To Your Day!

      Reply
  8. Sarah B R

    December 30, 2016 at 11:19 am

    We own and love Sum Swamp, Spot it, Sleeping queens and rat a tat cat ????
    Sarah B R’s latest post: The gifts that came before Christmas

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      December 30, 2016 at 11:49 am

      We love those games, too!
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: Gameschool Challenge: Add More Play To Your Day!

      Reply
  9. Heather @wellermommablog

    December 30, 2016 at 4:00 pm

    I just love the embrace of games over the past year in homeschooling circles. I used so many when I taught in a gifted middle school classroom–especially loved SET. Now (happily) at home we love both the “real” version as well as the Jr. one. Solid suggestions for lots of fun days of play!
    Heather @wellermommablog’s latest post: 10 Ways to Be A Happy {more} Relaxed Mom this Year

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      December 31, 2016 at 10:04 am

      I do, too! I used to play games with my students when I worked as a school psychologist. Great way to connect and break the ice… and talk about BIG things while doing something else.

      Love games!
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: Ultimate Gamelist: A Free Library of Gameschool Resources

      Reply
  10. Penny

    December 30, 2016 at 8:32 pm

    We have been enjoying sushi go. The kids add up their scores. Secret learning!

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      December 31, 2016 at 10:05 am

      I LOVE the graphics on that one. Gorgeous!
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: Ultimate Gamelist: A Free Library of Gameschool Resources

      Reply
  11. The Contemporary Homeschooler

    December 30, 2016 at 10:39 pm

    Loved this article so much that I shared it on The Contemporary Homeschooler Facebook page! Thanks!
    https://www.facebook.com/TheContemporaryHomeschooler/

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      December 31, 2016 at 10:05 am

      Thank you! <3

      Reply
  12. Mandi

    January 1, 2017 at 3:44 am

    Our favorite game right now is one my kids made up with Dad. It’s called POUND…the game pieces are little kitties. It’s there special thing with Dad, so I’m not exactly sure of all the rules. If I’m playing we are enjoying the Great States game or another choice.

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      January 1, 2017 at 9:49 am

      Mandi, I love this! How wonderful that your children have a special game that they play with Dad. What wonderful memories you are making!
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: Ultimate Gamelist: A Free Library of Gameschool Resources

      Reply
  13. Hana

    January 3, 2017 at 12:44 pm

    I’m a huge believer in adding games to homeschool and education in general. I’m thrilled to see that you have showcased games I don’t have (and we have a lot of games!!). We use them extensively and all the way through high school as well. I can’t emphasize enough the value of games (board and card games, not computer 😉 in helping introduce, reinforce or learn a concept or skill. Well done!

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      January 5, 2017 at 7:28 am

      Thank you so much, Hana!
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: How to Enjoy Board Games With Toddlers Underfoot

      Reply
  14. Raven

    January 17, 2017 at 1:49 pm

    I love this idea of incorporating more games into our homeschooling. We have the Tell Me a Story cards with the woodland critters in it, and I’ve had my eye on Timeline. Some of the educational games I’ve bought in the past include: Earth, Ocean, and Space (trivia cards about each subject), which I picked up at the Olympic National Forest, and Wildcraft! An Herbal Adventure Game for teaching herbalism: http://learningherbs.com/wildcraft/

    Thank you for the excellent resources. Though my teen already has a lot of games she enjoys, my son is still in preschool and has years of exploration to go in our homeschool.

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      February 4, 2017 at 3:46 pm

      You have mentioned many of our favorites! Hope you have a great year of gaming!
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: Delight Your Scientist with these Amazing STEM Kits

      Reply
  15. Andrea B

    January 25, 2017 at 6:15 pm

    Knockout/Muggins is a great math game, too. The board is wood and lasts forever. We love Dominion and Carcassonne for strategy and fun, too.

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      February 4, 2017 at 3:46 pm

      Dominion and Carcassonne are new to us this year and HUGE favorites!
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: Delight Your Scientist with these Amazing STEM Kits

      Reply
  16. Kelly Sage

    January 27, 2017 at 9:45 am

    We are loving the new Bananagrams with word families. We also love Wildcraft, Camp, Harry Potter Clue, and good ole Battleship. I agree. Board games are one of the best ways to learn and build community. Thanks for the great suggestions!
    Kelly Sage’s latest post: Seven!

    Reply
    • Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

      February 4, 2017 at 3:47 pm

      I keep hearing about Harry Potter Clue! I want to check it out!
      Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley’s latest post: Delight Your Scientist with these Amazing STEM Kits

      Reply
  17. Liz

    March 21, 2018 at 12:18 am

    Thanks so much for this, I have my 16,8 and 4 enrolled in an amazing online curriculum that lets them work at their pace, even if there is something from lets say 4th grade u forgot, you’ll have to learn it. But I find myself struggling now with “is this enough syndrome, lol” .my first year I looked at the standards and created everything on my own, we loved it, really! But it’s a lot, plus clean, cook,dogs,bills….I’m falling behind. So I’m grateful for the school but miss the fun, so much. I feel it’s more a rat race. Did I teach them every historical person I should have for 3rd grade? Did my son, learn all he could have? Am I meet iing the bar for my 16 yr old that still struggles in 8th grade math? Ughhh scary! And just reading you blog, I’m buying some games this weekend! I think I need to chill????xoxox

    Reply
  18. Taryn

    August 6, 2019 at 1:03 am

    I love this article and would love to add more games to our home school life. The only problem is I can’t stand playing games… there I said it 🙁 My dodgy attitude towards board games has probably been transferred to the kids as they all seem to fight and bicker if we pull a game out. It becomes a huge stress, not a great place of learning. I would love some tips to learn to love games and help my kids love them too 🙂

    Reply

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