Gameschooling
As the mom of a kinesthetic learner, one of my favorite homeschool strategies is “gameschooling.”
Gameschooling is defined as using games for learning or education, in an intentional way.
This doesn’t mean that we play video games all day. But, we do use card games, board games, car games, sports games…you name it, to learn.
Learning can be fun when you use games to teach essential concepts. Gameschooling provides so many skills, such as problem-solving, taking turns, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination. It also teaches our children the subjects in a fun, engaging way, which is perfect for reluctant learners. What kid doesn’t love quality time with the family while playing fun games? My son’s love language is quality time and he hates being “taught” anything, so this is one educational tool that I am so grateful for.
I’ve found that our family life makes more sense when our daily life is combined with educational opportunities. It takes the pressure off of everyone and makes for an interesting, engaging, and supportive learning environment.
Our children learn through play and games provide a fun avenue for learning!
Here are some games that coincide with each subject.
Math
Sum Swamp is a fun game for teaching children addition and subtraction.
Monopoly is a great choice for teaching money management, addition, and subtraction, managing investments, you name it!
Language Arts
Spelligator is a fun gameschooling activity for teaching word building and teaches phonemic awareness and letter patterning and positioning.
Mad Libs teaches essential knowledge for grammar, reading comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, and study skills.
Story Cubes lets you create stories and use your imagination. When you or your child write out the story, they are learning reading and writing skills.
Science
Totally Gross is a game that teaches science, in a fun, engaging way.
Periodic Table of Elements is a game that is definitely more fun than your high school chemistry class.
Social Studies Gameschooling
Guess that President is an educational game that helps you learn facts about US presidents, including random, unusual facts.
Freedom: The Underground Railroad is a cooperative game to help children learn about slavery and the abolition movement.
Geography
Where in the World is a fun game to help kids learn geography, capitals, states, etc?
Scrambled States of America is a wacky game that helps you learn the states.
Foreign Language
Dice Off is similar to the game of War and helps you learn Spanish.
Gameschooling that you can re-create for any topic
Bingo is the perfect game for a variety of subjects that you want to teach. You can use it for Spanish words, math facts, sight words, etc.
I-Spy is a game that we play in the car. Sometimes I will say “I spy a word that starts with the ‘ck’ sound” or I will call out a word that I read on a sign and my son will point and find the word that I’m pointing out.
Memory is a great matching game that will help anchor numerous concepts if you get creative. You can match words to pictures, have math concepts and the answers, learning contractions by matching the words with their contractions, matching the beginning of a word to the ending, etc. The options are endless.
Spell by bouncing a basketball or throwing a football or baseball. My son and I will use his CVC words like cat, bat, rat to spell out.
There are endless ways to get creative and support your child’s learning, bond as a family, and have fun. Learning doesn’t have to be a chore, it really can be all fun and games.
Read more from the Homestead Guru: A Good Education is NOT FOUND in Schools
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