Create Your Own Math Playground (UPDATED!) ~
Written by Jamie C. Martin of Simple Homeschool

I’ve been revisiting a series I first wrote more than ten years ago (how is that possible?!) all about math—sharing the non-traditional path our family chose, particularly in our early homeschooling years.

This time, though, you’ll also hear the reflections of my older, wiser homeschool self, looking back to see how my early ideals have held up (or not) over time.

Together we’ve been exploring math through a fresh lens, pausing to ask: Why do we approach this subject the way we do? Could there be other meaningful options worth considering?

For this post, you’ll find my updated thoughts in navy blue, and I’ve fully updated both lists of games & toys. This is the final update in this math series, now complete!

If you’ve missed any of the others, you can find them here: 

Other UPDATES in this math series:
* A different way to look at math
* Out of the box math inspiration
* Read your way to a love of math:
75 titles for ages 4-12

Much of the research we’ve peeked at suggests it’s possible to wait until around age 10, give or take, to introduce formal math. (I’m not saying this is the only way to approach it, by the way! It’s one of many options.)

If you decide to follow this advice, however, what should you do up until that age?

I’m glad you asked. Why not create your own math playground?

Create Your Own Math Playground

Here are a couple of ways to approach it:

Option 1: Less Structure

In the early elementary years of homeschooling, look for ways to bring math into your lives when the opportunity naturally arises (and it will!). Point out patterns in nature and the beauty of God’s creation. Discuss it with a sense of wonder and possibility.

If your child enjoys games, follow her lead in playing some of the ones listed below – and read aloud some of the books I’ve mentioned in this post. As your child gets older, you may transition to option two below (or not, depending on you and your kids).

Option 2: More Structure

Let’s say you must document your child’s math for your state or country’s home education laws. Does that mean you can’t approach math this way? (I get this question a lot!)

I don’t think it means that at all. Simply apply these ideas with a bit more structure and document what you’ve done as needed.

Maybe you decide to set aside 15-30 minutes each weekday, three times a week, or whatever suits you – making it your “math time.”

Create a routine if that works best for you: read one math book or one chapter of Life of Fred (answering the questions aloud is fine, unless you need them written for proof of study), play a math game, and end with a Bedtime Math problem.

Switch it up when you or your child need a break or get bored with the routine. Now that you have an idea of how to play with math, let’s get an idea of what to play with!

Below you’ll find an updated list of popular math games and toys that I’ve spent hours putting together!

Feel free to bookmark this post so you can come back to it as needed. If you add 1-2 items each year, over time you’ll create your own math playground with ease.

Math Games

Let’s be straight up about games for a second: They’re great for learning, but young kids can seriously stink at losing. This seems to get better with age and depends on their personality, but don’t force something that makes you all miserable!

In our home I’ve found it works a bit better if I play one-on-one with a child (as opposed to siblings squaring off against each other).

^ Okay, an updated confessional: I did not have a love-hate relationship with board games in our homeschool. I had a like-hate. I liked them sometimes, and other times they made me hate my life. #honest

This meant that all the excited talk about gameschooling (and how fun it could make learning) inadvertently made me feel guilty.

What was I doing wrong? How come this wasn’t fun? And what was wrong with my kids that they couldn’t handle losing, and that one game gone wrong could destroy our entire day?

Doing games one-on-one helped some, which is why I recommended it here in the original post…but it wasn’t a guarantee. I have one twenty-something who I still can’t play games with!

Like anything else, explore the options to see what’s out there and then, as the expert on your homeschool, choose (or don’t choose) what works (or doesn’t work) for you!

And the upside, now I have one young adult who loves playing games…and occasionally we’ll have other siblings join in too with more success.

So keep in mind it isn’t now or never. Maybe games aren’t your family’s thing right now, but maybe in a decade and a half they might be!

Also on a practical note: Check your public library for math games! Ours started having these available for checkout over the past few years.

10 Top Math Games for Ages 4-9 (Updated!)

Those marked with an asterix * at the beginning are Martin family favorites.

1 – * Sum Swamp: Ages 4+, addition/subtraction (Just the sight of this gameboard hits me with such a wave of nostalgia that it makes my stomach hurt! True story: I gave this away to a dear homeschool friend of mine and then asked for it back.)

2 – Tiny Polka Dot: Ages 4+, counting, basic arithmetic

3 – Zingo 1-2-3: Ages 4+, number recognition, basic arithmetic

4 – * 4 Way Countdown: Ages 5+, basic math facts (Just the fact it’s wooden made me feel all Waldorf-y and like I must be doing something right. lol)

5 – Monopoly Junior: Ages 5+, money value

6 – * Money Bags: Ages 6+, coin identification/money awareness (Another game board that still gives me funny feelings, even though we passed it on to another family – and let them keep it this time!)

7 – Math Dice Jr: Ages 6+, basic math facts

8 – Quirkle: Ages 6+; pattern recognition

9 – Rat a Tat Cat: Ages 6+; strategy, memory, addition

10 – No Stress Chess: Ages 7+; (I am putting this on my wish list now because I never learned how to play and have always wanted to! I guess we’re never too old for games.)

10 Top Math Games for Tweens/Teens (Updated!)

1 – 7 Wonders: Players calculate how combinations of cards and resources multiply point values

2 – 24 Game: Use the cards to make the number 24 (Great for reviewing math facts; 2 versions available – single or double digits)

3 – Gravity Maze: logic/problem solving; can be played solo (I’m a sucker for any games with marbles!)

4 – Karma Card Game: forming/recognizing patterns (Recommended by a college math professor)

5 – Monopoly Deal: The fun of monopoly without taking hours!

6 – Prime Climb: multiplication/division/factors

7 – Rummikub: constantly add and manipulate number tiles to create or extend sets and runs

8 – Splendor: Arithmetic, sequencing, and cost-benefit calculation

9 – Who Knows Math and Finance Better? – a quiz style card game

10 – * Yahtzee: great for mental calculations (We still use the same one I had in childhood!)

10 Top Math Toys

Those marked with an asterix * at the beginning are Martin family favorites.

You have a ton of math toys in your home already. Don’t overlook the obvious: a ruler, measuring tape, compass, dominoes, beans for counting, and your kitchen measuring cups.

And it goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: You don’t need any of the below or the above to homeschool “right.” You’re already enough as you are.

These are just options for fun or for holiday/birthday wish lists! I hope you enjoy getting to create your own math playground that’s unique to you and yours.

1 – Base Ten Starter Blocks

2 – * Calendar/Weather Chart – Okay, I’m trying to stop getting all the feels over these family favorites, but it’s just not happening. We used our calendar chart all 15 of our homeschool years, and my family can let you know that I have heavily resisted taking it off the wall. Heavily.

3 – Fraction Tower Equivalency Cubes

4 – * Learning Resources Cash Register – I just looked it up…we bought this on August 12, 2010 for my Jonathan’s 6th birthday. Oh my heart – it’s still in the attic.

5 – Melissa and Doug Wooden Abacus

6 – *Melissa and Doug Money Set – buying Melissa & Doug stuff always made me feel like a good homeschool mom

7 – Pattern Blocks

8 – Self-Correcting Multiplication Keys

9 – Silent Learning Clock

10 – Talking Learning Clock

“Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.” ~ Albert Einstein

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!

This post contains affiliate links. 

Why Now Is the Perfect Time to Try Holiday Gameschooling ~
Written by Cait Curley of My Little Poppies

As 2021 comes to a close, many of us are seeking a calm, connected end to the year. We want to slow down and savor the holiday season with our children and teens.

We want to capture these moments in our memories forevermore because childhood goes by in a blink:

If you’re looking to slow down and savor the season with your kiddos, but you also want to sneak in a little stealth learning, I highly recommend holiday gameschooling.

It’s the Perfect Time to Try Holiday Gameschooling

Many families play board games at holiday gatherings. Board games are a wonderful way to connect with family members and make memories to last a lifetime.

Growing up, my family had a holiday board game tradition. We would play my favorite game, Scrabble, with my aunt and cousins. My aunt loved Scrabble as much – if not more- than I did. We created such wonderful memories around that table. Those are memories that I cherish today, and the time spent with family around that Scrabble board still influences my family life and homeschool today.

And while games are an excellent way to connect with family members and make memories, board games also pack a powerful learning punch! Gameschooling is the intersection of play-based learning and homeschooling. Gameschooling allows you to add more play to your homeschool routine and make it “count” for those year-end homeschool powers that be.

If you’ve ever thought about dabbling in gameschooling, the holiday season is the perfect time to get your feet wet!

Holiday Homeschooling Is A Chance To Try New Things

The holiday season brings lots of joy and excitement. When you have little ones, the energy can be VERY high. It can be a challenge to get kiddos to sit down and pay attention for any length of time.

What I’m trying to say is, it can be incredibly challenging to maintain your normal day-to-day homeschool rhythm. So, why not channel that excitement into non-traditional learning activities such as gameschooling.

Who knows? You just might discover your family’s new favorite homeschool thing!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- I truly believe that homeschooling can be almost all fun and games. Adding more play to your homeschool day can completely change the learning atmosphere!

Holiday Gameschooling Is Still Homeschooling

We all know that play-based learning is important for children and teens. Play benefits the whole child. It has a positive impact on a child’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development. Plus, play allows a child to discover unique interests, likes and dislikes. These are discoveries that no one else can make for you.

Gameschooling is a measurable form of play-based learning. Children and teens are doing so much more than simply having fun when they are engaged in play.

Playing educational board games has a host of benefits for your homeschool, plus you build relationships and make memories in the process. I am constantly amazed by the amount of learning that happens when I sit down to play games with my kiddos.

Here are just a few skills that your children and teens use while playing board games:

• Verbal communication
• Self-regulation
• Cooperation
• Turn-taking
• Sharing
• Listening
• Attention and focus
• Following directions
• Creativity
• Social skills
• Learning to handle wins and losses
• Cognitive skills such as counting, color/shape/pattern recognition, strategy, problem-solving, early literacy, etc.

I have witnessed the power of play and gameschooling time and time again. I could tell you about how games taught all three of my kiddos how to tell time, how to make change, how to conquer addition and subtraction, how to multiply and divide, how to negotiate and problem-solve.

Most recently, games have helped my youngest, who is a reluctant writer, fall in love with character development and writing stories.

Why do games work so well? It’s simple! Playing games 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.

Gameschooling Through The Holidays

Among the biggest homeschooling perks in my world is the fact that our family can play games frequently. Board games are an integral part of our homeschool routine. We don’t have to try to squeeze in a family game night on an already jam-packed weekend, but rather we can play daily and sometimes multiple times daily if we desire.

With the holiday season upon us, now is the perfect time to dabble in gameschooling without the pressure of your daily homeschool to-do list weighing on your mind. You can kick back, relax, and make memories with your children and teens.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Play a game first thing in the morning or at the end of the day (depending on what works best for your unique family). Games are a wonderful way to help with transitions during the day.
• Play a game over lunch. Our family loves to pull out Boggle or a Professor Noggin Trivia game (afflinks) and have some fun while we eat.
• Pick one day a week to be a game day. Get your feet wet with academic gameschooling… but don’t tell your kids that games are educational because that will ruin the fun. Try Yahtzee for stealth math,  Story Cubes for literacy, or The Scrambled States of America for geography.

When it comes to gameschooling, the sky is the limit!

Holiday Gameschooling Resources To Get You Started

Homeschooling shouldn’t feel super hard or complicated. You can cultivate a family culture of curiosity and joyful, lifelong learning… and it doesn’t need to look anything like the public school of your past!

As a school psychologist and homeschool mom, I am passionate about play-based learning and gameschooling. I would love to help your family on your gameschooling journey.

Here are three resources I’ve created to support families:

1. Free 7-Day Gameschool Kickstart

When you join the 7-Day Gameschool Kickstart, you’ll receive the following:

2. Gameschooling 101: How to Add More Play to Your Homeschool Day

This self-paced digital course includes the following:

• Over 25 self-paced video lessons
• Actionable, downloadable PDF resources
• Play-based bonus content
• Access to an incredible resource library

You do not need an overflowing game closet to add more play to your homeschool day. Let me show you how! Sign up here! (Or, click here for a review to learn more.)

3. And, finally, my FAVORITE resource: Never Board Learning!

Never Board Learning is a private online community for creative parents and educators who enjoy play-based learning and gameschooling. Never Board Learning features a private (non-Facebook) community forum, guest speakers, Q and As, day in the life family spotlights, and a growing resource library filled with challenges, documentation resources, and print-and-play activities.

At Never Board Learning, we believe homeschooling can be *almost* all fun and games. Join today and have more fun tomorrow! Read more about Never Board Learning here!

Whether you’re brand-new to gaming or whether you’re a second-generation gameschooler, I wish your family a happy, healthy holiday season and a wonderful 2022!

Tell us: Does your family homeschool through the holiday season? What does it look like in your world? Share in the comments!

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!

5 Ways to Plan for Fun in Your Homeschool Year ~
Written by Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

I don’t know about you, but I am in complete denial that it is August. Summer is my favorite and I mourn its passing every year, but this summer went by in a blink. I’m not ready for autumn and all that comes with it, including homeschool planning.

If we’re being honest, I haven’t planned at all. I’ve never entered August without a plan! In a typical year, at this point in the summer, I’ve not only planned for fall but I’ve also written an article outlining our plans for the year.

But this hasn’t been a typical year. The past 18 months have been a challenge on so many levels. Despite my best efforts to rest and relax this summer, my soul is still weary.

When I look ahead to fall, the only thing I know for sure is that I want to infuse more fun into our homeschool routine. 

Every year, I flirt with the idea of trying a 4-day school week, but then I change my mind at the eleventh hour. Not this year, though!

I might not know what we’re doing for math or language arts yet, but I do know that we’ll be homeschooling Monday through Thursday and saving Fridays for family fun. I want to fill our Fridays with field trips, outdoor adventures, baking, gameschooling, science experiments, play, and more.

Why Fun Is More Important Than You Think In Your Homeschool

Fun is an incredibly important part of the homeschool experience. When we look back on these years, we want to remember the connection, the smiles and laughter, the stories, the adventures.

We want to remember the fun.

One way to infuse more fun into the homeschool day is to be more playful. Play has a positive impact on a child’s physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development. Research has demonstrated that play is not only essential for child development, but it is important for all of us.

Play helps us to connect, to have fun, and to make memories. Adding more play to your homeschool day can reduce stress for everyone, plus your children and teens can learn as they play.

The Educational Benefits of A Fun Approach 

Adding more fun and playfulness to your homeschool routine can have academic and non-academic benefits.

Sprinkling more fun into your day can help increase retention. One of my all-time favorite quotes is from Alfred Mercier: “What we learn with pleasure, we never forget.”

By infusing fun into your learning, children and teens retain more.

When you have fun with your kiddos, you are connecting as a family. Connected children and teens are generally more content and cooperative when it comes to other, less fun, homeschool tasks.

This, in turn, makes life easier for homeschool parents. The result? More satisfying educational outcomes!

5 Ways To Plan For Fun In Your Homeschool

As you get ready for back to school and are working on your homeschool plans, I recommend being intentional about adding the fun. Here are 5 easy ways to plan for fun in your homeschool routine:

1. Games

If you’ve been following us for any length of time, you knew this one was coming! By adding play-based learning and gameschooling to your homeschool routine, you can fuel academic and non-academic learning. There are some amazing games on the market today and virtually any game you play with your kids will involve some stealth math, at the very least!

I often talk about the academic benefits of gameschooling, but gameschooling also works on soft skills. These are just as important – if not more so- than academic skills.

Soft skills are social skills; they are the skills that we all need to interact well with others. Things like your ability to communicate, be kind, negotiate, be polite, work well with others. Every single game you play with your kids offers real-time social skills practice and coaching. (Want to get started with gameschooling? Join our free 7-day challenge!)

2. Field Trips

I love field trips! I loved them as a kid and I think I love them even more now, as a homeschooling mom. Field trips are an easy way to add more fun to your homeschool routine.

We are lucky to live outside of Boston, where there are oodles of fantastic field trips. That said, some of our favorite field trips are simpler ones. We love to visit local farms, hike conservation land, attend library events, and public school performances and art shows.

And don’t forget about virtual field trips! If there is a silver lining to this whole pandemic situation, it is that the world is at your fingertips- virtually– now more than ever before.

3. Lazy Unit Studies

As a mom and educator, I know the importance of following a child’s lead. Children learn so much when we follow their interests! A wonderful way to embrace rabbit holes and follow your child’s lead is through unit studies.

Traditional unit studies are fantastic, but they can be time-consuming to plan, prepare, and execute. At times, these traditional unit studies can also be costly… especially if you have multiple children and/or your child loses interest halfway through.

And that’s why I love a good Lazy Unit Study. And by lazy, I mean simple! 

Lazy Unit Studies have all the advantages of traditional unit studies but without overwhelm. A Lazy Unit Study allows you to focus on a child’s current area of passion without hours and hours of planning and prep. The result? More fun for all involved!

4. Food

We are embarking on our eighth year of homeschooling and I can tell you that food solves almost any homeschool struggle. Plus, food can make your homeschool day fun!

My kids’ favorite homeschool subscription is Universal Yums, but you don’t need a subscription to add more tasty treats to your day.

You can make your history studies come to life with a related meal, or you can gather around the table and eat yummy treats while listening to an audiobook or podcast. Are your kids squabbling? Adding popcorn can turn the day around!

5. Outsource

Another way to make homeschooling more fun is to outsource. Several years ago, my kids and I found ourselves in one too many math-related power struggles. At that moment, I decided to outsource math. It was one of the best decisions we’ve made in our homeschool. Outsourcing can decrease stress and tears!

Outsourcing can also add more fun to your routine. My children love to take Outschool classes related to current interests. And we love to add other online learning opportunities to our homeschool day.

Most recently, my kiddos celebrated Shark Week with Nana from You ARE An Artist Chalk Pastel. (Nana and I teamed up for a live event as part of a pop-up Never Board Learning event, too!)

The sky is the limit when it comes to outsourcing. Perhaps you join a homeschool co-op, or maybe you have regular playdates with homeschool friends and parents take turns teaching. Or, maybe your kids enroll in music lessons. Outsourcing is a great way to add more fun while pursuing areas of interest!

You’ll never regret adding more fun to your homeschool routine

Homeschooling is a long game. The days are long but the years are short. When we look back on our homeschool years, we want to remember the fun we had, not the tears.

Homeschooling Really Can Be All Fun and Games ~
Written by Cait Curley of My Little Poppies

I want to talk to you about homeschooling and why I think it should include more fun and games. (Wouldn’t you like to add more fun to your day??)

There’s this quote that I absolutely love. I think of it all the time, but especially in these post-2020 times, and I wanted to share it with you today:

I tried to teach my child with books.
He gave me only puzzled looks.

I tried to teach my child with words.
They passed him by often unheard.

Despairingly, I turned aside.
“How shall I teach this child?” I cried.

Into my hand, he put the key
“Come,” he said, “play with me.”

– Unknown

As a school psychologist, lifelong gamer, and unexpected homeschool mom, I am a huge advocate for play-based learning and gameschooling. I’ve witnessed the power of play when it comes to children and teen’s learning lives and social-emotional development.

I’ve witnessed the power of play across multiple age ranges, when I worked as a nanny, as a tutor, as an assistant teacher, as a school psychologist, and as a homeschool mom.

Homeschooling Really Can Be All Fun and Games

In these post-2020 times, we’re all looking for more connection, more smiles, more laughter, more… FUN. I want you to know that I believe homeschooling can be almost all fun and games.

Why learning can (and should) be fun

Yes, I believe homeschooling can be almost all fun and games. It’s not going to be perfect. Not even close. But I really believe we could all be having more fun.

In fact, I think learning should be fun.

If you don’t believe me, I triple dog dare you to watch this TED talk by Peter Gray and this TED Talk by Stuart Brown. The truth is, research has shown that play is good for all of us, not just for our children.

Better yet, play benefits the whole child. Play has a positive impact on your child’s physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development. Play fuels learning in a fun, non-intimidating way.

The best part? When you take the time to play with your children and teens, you are connecting and making memories that will last a lifetime.

If you’re new to play-based learning and gameschooling, you might be wondering what this type of learning looks like in the real world. And you might be curious how to make this approach to learning measurable so that it counts for those looming year-end homeschool evaluations.

How gameschooling really works

If you’re new to play-based learning, I always recommend dabbling in gameschooling. Gameschooling is the intersection of play and homeschooling. When you gameschool, you can add more play to your homeschool day and easily make it “count” for those year-end homeschool evaluations.

If you’d like to see gameschooling in action, I have two articles for you:

• Cait’s gameschool day in the life (with a 9-, 11-, and 12-year-old)
• Cait’s gameschool day in the life (with an 8-, 10-, and 11-year-old)

Both articles are examples of homeschool days that incorporate gameschooling. But I want you to know that you don’t need to be a lifelong gamer to be a gameschooler.

I have been collecting games since ’86, but you can get started with just a deck of cards!

The benefits I’ve seen in my own homeschool

1. Decreased stress
   I always say that our family survived 2020 by chucking squishy burritos at each other. It sounds goofy but it is true! Games are a wonderful way to distract, laugh, be silly, and connect.
2. Learning
   I have countless examples of how gameschooling has fueled learning in our homeschool. Games have taught one or more of my children to:
   • read
   • tell time
   • identify coins and learn to make change
   • handle frustration
   • add, subtract, multiply, and divide
     
3. Retention
   The wonderful thing about play-based learning and gameschooling is that it is a fun way to learn. Interest-based learning helps with retention. This just makes sense! If you’re interested in a topic, you will naturally retain more than if you were forced to memorize the information for a quiz!
4. Fun
   A playful mindset can transform not only your homeschool routine but also the atmosphere of your home. Play boosts connection and makes family memories. By playing more, you are building a family culture of playfulness, curiosity, and lifelong learning. And guess what? Connected kiddos tend to be more cooperative and content when it comes to homeschool – and household- tasks!

Looking for ways to add more fun to your homeschool (but don’t know how)?

If you’d like to add more play-based learning and gameschooling to your homeschool day, I would love to help. I created Never Board Learning to assist parents on their play-based learning journeys.

Never Board Learning is a private online community for creative parents and educators who love play-based learning and gameschooling. 

With a private community forum, guest speakers, Q&As, day-in-the-life family spotlights, exclusive promos and giveaways from some of your favorite companies, and an ever-growing printable resource library including documentation resources, challenges, and print-and-play activities and games.

At Never Board Learning, we believe homeschooling can be *almost* all fun and games!

Hope to “see” you on the inside!

Now, it’s your turn. Tell us: Do you think homeschooling should be fun? How do you add play-based learning to your homeschool routine? Share here!

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!

Originally posted April 13, 2021.

Cait’s Gameschool Day ~
Written by Caitlin Curley of My Little Poppies

This is my sixth year participating in Simple Homeschool’s Day in the Life series. Every year, I try my best to keep it real and that’s easier said than done! It’s challenging to share a ‘typical’ day.

Our family doesn’t really have ‘typical’ days in a typical-kind-of-year.

This year?  What even is school? What is time? What day is it?

(Can you relate??)

I procrastinated on writing this post. I kept waiting for a normal-ish day to appear. I might as well wait for a unicorn to appear in my family room! And so I present to you our gameschool day in the life for Monday, February 8th, 2021… the day before this article is due.

The backstory…

Before I share our day in the life for February 8th, I need to rewind a little.

Do people still say rewind? Is there a 2021 term I should use instead of rewind? What was I just talking about? 

This is how my brain works now, in 2021 times. I walk into a room and forget why I’m there. I lose my coffee, only to find it lukewarm on some random shelf in my pantry hours later. I can’t think of simple words and terms, like ‘lampshade,’ and instead, need to talk in circles. “You know! The thing! That thing! On the light! The lightbulb cover thingy!”

The past year-plus has been hard, you guys. It’s been hard for every one of us in a myriad of different ways. Words are hard. Complete thoughts are hard. Homeschooling is hard. Laundry is [still] hard.

I digress…

I need to rewind a few days. I had planned to document our day in the life last Friday. I was excited to share some of the resources we’ve been using for our latest Lazy Unit Study. We are head over heels for all things bird-related right now and having a blast.

Best laid plans, am I right?

On Friday morning my daughter woke up with an excruciating headache and a super high fever. This is the kid who never gets sick; she’s my best patient. This is maybe her third fever ever.

In normal times, we’d hunker down and have a lazy day. But in 2021 times, and because we have been really careful with social distancing and mask use, and because my husband works directly with COVID positive patients in the ICU, I left the boys at home and took her to our pediatrician for testing.

And then we had our lazy day. It was a total snooze-fest and not worth writing about. And then it was the weekend and we weren’t homeschooling. And then yesterday into this morning we had a snowstorm.

Fast forward to today. It’s Monday, February 8th. We are post-sick. It’s kind of a snow day. And we are in quarantine awaiting test results.

How’s that for typical?!

And without further ado, I present to you our non-typical day in an anything but typical year.

Sunday night…

This has been- by far- our most challenging homeschool year. And our most challenging year as a family. It’s all just total and complete bananas.

In October, I wrote an article for this site in which I shared how we were muddling through the worst year ever. I confessed that we hadn’t had an official first day of school. I shared how we had yet to find a routine.

Honestly? Not much has changed since then. Read-alouds, hours spent in nature, and play are the things that are giving us life in this season.

Hearts over heads, always but especially right now.

We’ve been able to add to our homeschool routine since last October. We have fallen into a bit of a rhythm. Things feel a bit easier than they did in the fall and we tend to accomplish a bit more. I’ve also given myself lots of grace. I’m not sure anyone is having their best year ever. If I don’t get to math or writing one day, we’ll survive.

One helpful thing is to do some low-key, lazy prepping the night before. I’ll select some books I’d like to read. Collect notebooks and sharpened pencils. Strew some creative resources related to a current area of interest. This has made the mornings infinitely easier. I come downstairs, pour my coffee, and the materials are ready to go.

Last night, as I prepped for a day of post-sick, semi-snow-day quarantining, I decided it should be a gameschool day. 

Why? Because re-entry is hard when you aren’t feeling 100%. And energy is high following a hefty helping of snow. And games are a wonderful way to connect and sneak in stealth learning.

I grabbed some of our favorite card games and placed them beside my coffee maker. I call this a “game menu” and it works like a charm for my family. It’s merely a suggestion and often my children will play many of the games I suggest.

Once I’d selected the games, I went upstairs to read until I fall asleep in my book, as I do most evenings.

Play and gameschooling is an important part of our homeschool routine.

We all know play is essential for child development. Play benefits the whole child. It has a positive impact on a child’s physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development.

And yet…

It can be challenging to make space for play in our current go-go-go, do all the things, ace all the tests society. Leaving space for play can feel like we’re wasting time. It can feel like it shouldn’t “count” as learning and that we’re somehow cheating the system.

Well, I’m here to tell you that gameschooling works. As a school psychologist, lifelong gamer, and homeschool mom, I believe homeschooling can be almost all fun and games. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be perfect, but I do believe we could all be having a lot more fun.

Gameschooling is the intersection of play and homeschooling. With gameschooling, you can allow space for play and make it count for those year-end homeschool assessments.

Our family considers play to be a part of our homeschool routine. It is just as important as math and science and writing and reading. We play at least one game per day and often, on strange days like today, we play even more.

(If you’re curious about gameschooling, I’m hosting a free 7-Day Gameschool Kickstart challenge. It’s oodles of fun and the only thing you need is a deck of cards!)

Cait’s Gameschool Day in the Life

Monday morning…

This morning, I woke up at 5:55. I grabbed my slippers, threw on a hoodie, and poured myself a cup of coffee. I love when I wake up before my early-risin’ kiddos. I’m currently reading The Snow Child (afflinks) and it’s fantastic. It’s the perfect snow day book!

Before I sit down to read, I toss some cinnamon buns in the oven. They aren’t homemade, but my kids don’t mind. I find cinnamon buns to be an excellent re-entry strategy.

I read until my three children trickle down the stairs. We meet at the kitchen island for breakfast. This is the start of our homeschool morning routine.

Our current morning routine includes:

• Kid Nuz podcast – A bite-sized current events podcast that isn’t too heavy for my sensitive kiddos.
• The Daily Poem Podcast – This podcast has been on a long break and we’ve been listening to re-runs. We were delighted to see it was back this morning.
• SQUILT – Every morning we listen to the piece listed on the SQUILT daily listening calendar. This morning, we enjoyed John Coltrane’s My Favorite Things.
• Copywork- I usually select a thought-provoking quote, poetry stanza, or famous line from a novel.

And then it is time for our most treasured homeschool routine. It is called “Coffee and Books” and it is as simple as it sounds. I drink coffee and read books to my kids as they eat.

Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest ones. Reading aloud is the most important part of the entire homeschool day and our Coffee and Books routine allows me to tackle the most important thing first thing in the morning.

This morning we read the following:

• Several poems from Bright Wings: An Illustrated Anthology of Poems About Birds (We are knee-deep in a Lazy Unit Study on birds and have been loving this collection.)
• Two stories from Kindness: A Treasury of Buddhist Wisdom for Children and Parents.
• Two chapters from our current read-aloud obsession, Astrid the Unstoppable.

When our read-aloud is finished, it’s time for the kids to brush their teeth and do their morning chores. This provides a movement break for everyone. Then it’s time to regroup in front of the woodstove for our day of gameschooling.

Morning Gameschooling…

This morning, everyone agreed to play Skyjo first. This is unusual. We typically have some sibling negotiation, but everyone is on a Skyjo kick lately.

This is a big win for me because Skyjo is a fantastic card game that has a ton of math. When you play, you’re practicing addition and subtraction, the use of negative numbers, and probability.

Of course, I don’t tell the kids all of that. When it comes to gameschooling, it’s about the connection. That’s where the magic happens. Connect first and just watch the learning unfold.

As a lifelong gamer, I have a large game collection but this collection has grown slowly and intentionally over several decades. I truly believe that you can gameschool well with a deck of cards. So if you don’t have Skyjo at home, fear not.

There are so many fantastic math games that you can play with that deck of cards sitting in your junk drawer!

After Skyjo, we decided to play Last Letter. This is a fast-paced seek-and-find-meets-language-arts game. Each player is dealt a hand of cards. There are interesting scenes on each card. Then, you turn over a card from the deck. Players race to “match” a card in their hand with the card on the table (or in this case carpet) using a word.

For example, the face-up card might have a circus on it and I might have a card in my hand that has a tiger. I would put my card on top of the circus card and say, “Tiger!” Then, it’s time to use the last letter. The card I placed face-up would now be the card everyone wants to match, but they’d have to find something on the card in their hand that begins with the letter R.

Again, you don’t have to have the game Last Letter to enjoy some stealthy language arts fun. You could play I Spy with your children using the same last letter rule. If you spy a table, your child will have to find something that starts with an E next and so on. There are also tons of free and super affordable print and play language arts games on websites like Teachers Pay Teachers.

After a couple of rounds of Last Letter, my oldest asked to play Maestro Mastery. This is a new-to-us game that I’ve been playing with my younger two.

For whatever reason, my oldest hasn’t had a chance to play yet and he was excited to try it out.

Maestro Mastery is a memory-style card game featuring famous composers. When you make a match, you read aloud to the group from the card. All three of my kiddos take piano lessons and this complements the lessons beautifully. We can’t wait to show the game to our piano teacher once we’re officially out of quarantine!

Again, if you don’t have a music game at home, you can find free and affordable online music study resources. SQUILT has a few games available and you can find others on Teachers Pay Teachers and Etsy.

Lunch…

At this point, everyone is hungry. Often, we’ll listen to a podcast while we eat lunch. Today, the kids elect to listen to The Strange Animals Podcast. Today, we learn all about the Lightbulb Lizard!

After lunch, I clean up while the kids go outside to shovel the front walk. This is something dad asked them to do before he left for work. The snow is fluffy and they end up playing outside for close to two hours.

On a typical Monday afternoon, we meet friends for a socially-distanced hike at our favorite nature center. In fact, we hike most weekday afternoons. That said, today is not a typical day. We are sad to miss the hike but we are still waiting for the test results.

I use this time to tackle laundry, make an orthodontist appointment, and check-in with my 7-Day Gameschool Kickstart participants. Most importantly, I get a call from the pediatrician’s office telling us my daughter is negative for COVID so I do a happy dance in my kitchen!

Afternoon gameschooling…

One of my favorite things in this life is rosy-cheeked kids. After almost two hours of snow play, my three came inside for some tea and games. We start with Organ ATTACK!

Organ ATTACK! is described as “a family-friendly organ harvesting game.” I know that sounds horrible but it is downright hilarious!

And do you know what? Those fact-filled funny cards help human anatomy facts to stick like glue!

If you don’t have a game like Organ ATTACK! at home, you could “play” your way through human anatomy with free online activities. Here are some creative ideas!

Next up, we played a Professor Noggin American History game. This Professor Noggin series is fantastic because the trivia games are affordable and they cover a variety of academic subjects.

When we finished the Professor Noggin game, it was just after five o’clock. We ran out of time to play the art game (Show Me the Monet) and the geography game (The World Game), but that’s okay!

The goal is connection over perfection and completion. What matters is that we were present and playing together. We can play more tomorrow!

Evening…

We cleaned up our games and I prepped for taco night. Yes, it’s a Monday, but re-entry is hard and I’ve found tacos to be a guaranteed win.

As I work on dinner, my little two engage in free play. I’ve mentioned that we are gameschoolers, but it’s really the play aspect of gameschooling that is important to me, as a mom and educator.

I know that it can be hard to allow space for free play, but I have seen our daily homeschool work its way into my children’s play time and time again. As Mr. Rogers said, “Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” It’s true!

I love to eavesdrop on my children’s play. Tonight, my little two are lost in a storyline about pandemics and quarantine. One character is a doctor who works in the ICU.

This storyline is bittersweet, but I know they are working through important thoughts and feelings, especially as their dad works on the frontlines.

Meanwhile, my oldest is lost in a book. I’m an old-fashioned book nerd and I’ve been resistant to e-readers. I just love the feel of a book in my hands.

That said, 2020 made it extremely difficult to keep my kids in books with the libraries closed and so each kiddo got a Kindle for Christmas. They have absolutely loved having access to many books again.

Tonight, my husband is home in time for dinner and that makes us smile. We chat about our day. Then, we clean up and the kids get ready for bed. Once we’ve said goodnight, my husband finishes up a little work while I read on the couch.

When he’s finished, we watch a show together and then it’s time for bed.

It’s the end of another atypical day in an atypical year! Please know that there is much you didn’t see here. My children fight, our house is super messy right now, we are behind on laundry.

Our homeschool life is fun and exhausting and chaotic and beautiful and ugly and I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.

Would you like to learn more about gameschooling?

I am over-the-moon excited about our free 7-Day Gameschool Kickstart. I’ll teach you how to add more play and gameschooling to your homeschool day, using just a deck of cards. Join today and have more fun in your homeschool starting tomorrow!

My, how the days have changed:

• 2020: Cait’s gameschool day in the life (with an 8-, 10-, and 11-year-old)
• 2019: Cait’s homeschool day in the life (with a 7-, 9-, and 10-year-old)
• 2018: Cait’s homeschool day in the life (with a 6-, 8-, 9-year-old and puppy)
• 2017: Cait’s homeschool day in the life (with a 5-, 7-, and 8-year-old)
• 2016: Cait’s homeschool day in the life (with a 4-, 6-, and 7-year-old)

This post contains affiliate links.

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what you need most!

3 Awesome Benefits of Gameschooling ~
Written by Cait Fitzpatrick Curley of My Little Poppies

Christmas week is upon us and I don’t know about you, but I am excited to set homeschool routines aside and gameschool our way into 2021!

Gameschooling can change the entire atmosphere of your homeschool, plus it offers a host of academic and non-academic benefits. If you’ve ever considered adding more board games to your homeschool day, now is the perfect time to test it out.

Today, I am sharing three benefits of gameschooling.

3 Awesome Benefits of Gameschooling in Your Homeschool

Gameschooling Benefit #1: Games Boost Academic Skills

There are amazing educational games on the market today. You can find a game for any academic subject, but you truly don’t need an overflowing game shelf to get started with gameschooling. All you need is a few basics and a playful mindset.

And, trust me, gameschooling can transform your homeschool routine and family life for the better. When you sit down to play a game with your children, you can work on academic skills. Gameschooling offers kids a chance to learn new skills, to practice old ones, to fail, to succeed, and to try again.

Games don’t judge. They aren’t threatening. Games don’t assign homework. They don’t correct. Games offer a safe space for learning. Gameschooling is stealth learning at its best.

As a school psychologist and homeschool mom, I have witnessed incredible learning happen through gameschooling. I have countless stories of how gameschooling has helped to boost my children’s academic skills.

I could tell you about the time my daughter was struggling to understand coin identification… until I dusted off the game Money Bags (afflink) and sat down to play with her.

Suddenly, a concept that was intimidating was fun. Within the span of a week, she and her younger brother had mastered coin identification and learned how to make change.

I could tell you the story of a quirky card game called GUBS and how this little game taught my youngest how to read. He had been on the cusp of cracking the code until the card game crossed his path. He fell head-over-heels in love with the game and its characters.

Because he couldn’t read independently, he had to play on my team. He desperately wanted to play independently. He was tired of being on my team. In a matter of a month or two, he accomplished his goal.

He could play GUBS without assistance. He could read all the cards… and the cards are loaded with unfamiliar and imaginary words. Soon, he read Fantastic Mr. Fox all by himself. GUBS made him a reader.

I could tell you how my boys have been playing Memoir ’44 together every week since last Christmas. This game has fueled countless WWII-related rabbit holes. They have each read several WWII books. My husband and I will often overhear them chatting about WWII battles together. I love that they share this interest and connection.

But gameschooling doesn’t just work those academic skills. Playing board games with our children can work on countless soft skills, too!

Gameschooling Benefit #2: Games Help to Grow Social Skills

Social skills are those skills we need to communicate and interact with one another, both verbally and nonverbally. Social skills involve communication, listening, empathy, conflict resolution. These skills help us to build and maintain important relationships, both personal and professional.

Do you want to help your child to be an effective communicator? Would you like your child to learn conflict resolution skills? Do you want your child to flex those empathy muscles? Would you like to teach your child to be a team player? Do you want your children to win- and lose- with grace?

Well, guess what? Gameschooling is the perfect way to work on those all-important social skills. Every single time you sit down to play with your child, you are building those skills.

And let’s be honest here–gameschooling can be downright ugly at times. It can be riddled with siblings squabbles, board flipping, cheating accusations, and tears. Just remember that children aren’t born knowing how to play games, to work together, and to lose gracefully.

Just as we need to be patient with our children’s reading development, we must be patient with our gameschooling.

If gameschooling is super painful for you right now, I want to tell you it gets better. I’m reminded of that each time I see my boys lost in Memoir ’44 together or when my daughter asks me if I’m up for one more round of Gobblet.

When my kids were teeny-tinies, we played a ton of cooperative games. Why? Because cooperative games helped my ultra-competitive guy learn to work on a team. It also showed him that the act of playing a game is fun and that it’s not all about winning.

Cooperative games also helped my daughter grow in confidence. Before introducing cooperative games, she would shy away from playing with us because she was put off by her brother’s competitive nature.

Gameschooling Benefit #3: Games Can Boost Connection

When I worked as a school psychologist, I used games to connect with students. This worked especially well with tweens and teens. They could chat with me but avoid eye contact and they had something to do with their hands. Before they knew it, we were having fun and growing an important connection.

The same holds for gameschooling. This has been a super-stressful year. Gameschooling has helped our family immensely. When you sit down to play a game together, you are connecting, making memories, and having fun.

Playing silly games has been especially important for our family this year. Laughter really is the best medicine!

We have played countless rounds of Beat That! and Throw Throw Burrito. In fact, we have played Throw Throw Burrito so many times that one of our burritos no longer has eyeballs! I am 100% confident that I’ll never look back at our homeschooling and regret playing silly games with my children.

Gameschooling has tons of academic and non-academic benefits, but you’re also making memories to last a lifetime. The benefits of gameschooling can change the entire atmosphere of your homeschool and family life. You’re building a family atmosphere of play and joy. You’re building a home they’ll want to come home to!

By adding gameschooling to your routine, homeschooling can be almost all fun and games.

I truly, wholeheartedly believe that homeschooling can be almost all fun and games. Children are born to learn and play is their love language. When we relax and let our children pursue delight, amazing learning can happen.

It’s important to note that a game doesn’t need to be Educational-with-a-capital-E for it to teach your children new skills. Remember my GUBS story? That quirky card game is not a reading game.

It was simply a game that my son loved and wanted to play it over and over again. This delight and repetition grew his reading skills.

Add more play to your homeschool with Gameschooling 101

Gameschooling is the intersection of play and learning. It’s a way to grow skills in a stealth way while boosting family connection and making memories to last a lifetime.

By adding gameschooling to your homeschool routine, you’ll be able to:

• Teach your children academic and non-academic skills.
• Help your children to problem solve, think creatively, and think outside the box- something our kids need now more than ever!
• Build a family culture of play and joyful curiosity. 
• Grow those all-important social and communication skills.
• Quit trying to find the perfect homeschool tools and embrace the now, building memories with your children.
• Stop worrying at 3 am and start enjoying your family’s homeschool journey.

If you’d like to add gameschooling to your homeschool day in 2021, I’d love to help you. I have created a course called Gameschooling 101: How to Add More Play to Your Homeschool Day. 

I poured my game-lovin’ heart and soul into this course because I truly believe we could all be having a lot more fun while homeschooling.

Gameschooling 101 will teach you all the benefits of gameschooling, how to gameschool with basics, and how to document your gameschooling for those year-end Homeschool Powers that Be.

I want you to homeschool with confidence, knowing you’re raising curious, joyful, lifelong learners who will be ready for anything life throws at them–even a year as weird as 2020!

It’s almost time to say goodbye to 2020, which was arguably the weirdest and most stressful year ever. I don’t know about you, but I’m excited to hunker down for the next two weeks and gameschool our way into 2021!

In honor of 2021, I’d like to offer the Simple Homeschool community a discount on the course. Use the promo code SH21 to get 21% off Gameschooling 101 from now through January 31, 2021. Join me and have more fun in your homeschool tomorrow!

Tell us: Are you a gameschool family? Share your family’s favorite gameschool moments with us!

This post contains affiliate links, which means Simple Homeschool receives a small commission from some of the links on this page.

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!

Top Photo by Pedro Santos on Unsplash

Cait’s gameschool day in the life ~
Written by Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley

Hello, Simple Homeschool friends!

I am writing this post a little early this year, as I am traveling in early January. In years past, I’ve tried to share a typical homeschool day in the life to give you a sense of our homeschool routine, but this year I am going to switch things up.

Today, I am sharing a gameschool day-in-the-life.

I don’t know about you guys, but the week after Christmas is anything but typical over here.

It is a week of slow, glorious family time. We snuggle on the couch, lost in new books. We hike on snowy trails and then come inside to work on puzzles and sip hot cocoa. And boy-oh-boy do we play games.

We are gameschoolers. Gameschooling looks different for everyone, but in our world, it means that we prioritize play. I consider play to be an essential part of our homeschool day. On a normal week, we play at least one game daily.

But, as I said, I’m reporting to you from the week after Christmas. 

The kids are still on a Christmas high. The house is a happy disaster, with pine needles and cookie crumbs underfoot. And mom and dad are happy but dog tired.

It’s the perfect week for gameschooling!

I truly, wholeheartedly, believe that homeschooling can be almost all fun and games. Play is essential for child development. And, guess what? Play isn’t something just for kids. Science has shown again and again that play is good for all of us. (Don’t believe me? Click here.)

If you want to add more play to your homeschool day in 2020, but you don’t know where to begin, please keep reading. I’m sharing a few helpful gameschool freebies with you!

Adding more play to your homeschool day can change the entire atmosphere of your homeschool.

When you sit down on the floor to play with your kiddos, you are boosting connection and fueling learning. Board games offer children a relaxed, non-threatening way to practice and learn new skills.

I hope that this gameschool day-in-the-life will show you that kids learn all the time. I’m going to show you how much learning can happen, even when you have zero expectations, and I am going to share a super-simple way to record your play so that it “counts” as homeschooling.

But first, because I am a creature of habit, this gameschool-day-in-the-life started as it always does: with a read-aloud.

We call our morning routine Coffee and Books. It is a treasured homeschool tradition and is super-simple to maintain. I roll out of bed, pour coffee, and read books while the kids eat breakfast. I love this routine because we all know reading aloud is the most important part of the homeschool day and, with Coffee and Books, I get to tick off a big homeschool must-do right off the bat.

This week, we are reading Little Women (afflink) because my children have never read it and I want to take them to see the new film. It grows my heart to read books that I loved as a child with my kiddos. It’s a happy bonus that they are loving it just as much as I did as a kid!

After Coffee and Books, we tackle our morning chores and then head upstairs to brush teeth.

Once teeth are brushed, on a typical day, we would work on our “homeschool must-dos;” these vary but usually include the following:

• Reading
• Math
• Writing
• Music
• Nature
• Play

But this isn’t a typical day! We have a day full of white space and zero plans.  Today is a *gameschool* day. 

So, instead of tackling homeschool “must-dos” as we normally would, I asked the kids if they wanted to play a game with me and the answer was a resounding yes.

Cait’s gameschool day in the life (with an 8-, 10-, and 11-year-old)

First up: Listography

I received Listography as a gift from a friend. (I am a major list-maker, you guys!) In this game, everyone creates and shares lists based on a prompt card. Sometimes, you want your list to be unique. Other times, you want your answer to match those of fellow players. Players take turns drawing prompt cards.

Here are some prompt examples from the game we played:

• Things associated with pirates
• Types of pasta
• Movie villains
• Instruments in a marching band

The first person to reach the end of the game board is the winner. It sounds simple and fun, right? It is! 

And while we were having fun playing Listography together, the kids were working on academic skills including:

• Reading aloud
• Reading comprehension
• Writing
• Spelling
• Penmanship
• … and more!

Next up: Election Night!

This is another new-to-us game and I love it. Election Night!(sponsor)is the perfect game for the 2020 election year. This award-winning game is gameschool perfect and I am happy to report that my kids adore it!

(Psst! If you’re looking for more homeschool resources for the upcoming election year, I’ve got you covered.)

The object of Election Night! is to earn 270 electoral votes and become President of the United States. Players battle for critical electoral votes, and must strategize to win key states.

The game features a two-sided board. One side is for addition and the other is for multiplication. The dice used in the game are called Smart Dice. They are specially designed to feature harder-to-master sums and products. (Read: your kids are working on those trickier math facts while trying to win the election!)

When your children play Election Night!, they will be working on:

• Civics 
• U.S. Geography
• Probability
• Addition and/or multiplication
• … and more!

After playing Election Night!, we realized we were famished. It was time for a lunch break.

Next up: Absolute Zero

After lunch, we made some hot cocoa and continued our gameschooling.

Side note: readers often write to me and say that they want to play with their kiddos but the kiddos aren’t interested. I always tell them that they need to make their gameschooling more delicious. By adding popcorn, or chips and guac, or even just a cup of cocoa, kids can’t help but play with you!

Absolute Zero is a math card game that was created by a math teacher. The game can be played with three, four, or five cards in a hand (more cards make for a more challenging game).

The goal of the game is to combine positive and negative number cards to create a value of zero.

The winner of each round is the player who reaches zero first. Then, all other players must add the absolute value of the remaining cards in their hand. The player with the lowest score after five rounds wins the game.

When your kiddos play Absolute Zero, they will be learning about:

• Positive and negative numbers
• Practicing addition and subtraction
• The concept of absolute zero
• … and more!

Next up: Balderdash

Do you remember this one? Balderdash is such a classic party game. In this bluffing game, players must make up phony definitions to be read alongside the real answer. For example, we are still laughing about this one:

“Who was Frank Silver”

The real answer is that Frank Silver wrote the song, “Yes, We Have No Bananas” but everyone thought that was made up! Instead, the most votes went toward the phony answer, “CEO of Apple Computer in 1990”- hilarious!

When they were playing Balderdash, the kids were working on academic skills including:

• Reading aloud
• Reading comprehension
• Writing
• Copywork (players take turns copying the actual definition)
• Creativity and imagination
• Spelling
• Penmanship
• … and more!

Just look at all this writing… and we weren’t even done yet!

Next up: Five Crowns

At this point, my 10-year-old daughter decided to take a gameschooling break so that she could finish reading the second book in the Books of Elsewhere series. My boys have been on a Five Crowns kick lately and so we decided to play one game together, just the three of us.

Five Crowns is a 5-suited rummy-style double-deck card game with shifting rules. In the first round, players are dealt 3 cards and 3s are wild. In the second round, players are dealt 4 cards and 4s are wild… all the way up to the 11th round.

Number cards are worth their face value, while Jacks are 11 points, Queens are 12, Kings are 13, Jokers are 50 and that round’s wild card is 20. Each round, players rush to make runs (a sequence of three or more cards of the same suit) and books (three or more cards of the same value, regardless of suit). The player with the lowest number of points after 11 rounds is the winner.

Five Crowns is wildly addictive and it’s hard to play just one game. (And you don’t have to take my word for it! It has approximately a bazillion 5-star reviews online.) You can also play a solitaire version of Five Crowns!

While the boys were playing Five Crowns, they were practicing:

• Cognitive flexibility (different rounds have different rules!)
• Addition and subtraction
• Strategy
• Memory and attention
• Pattern recognition
• … and more!

Next up: Tri-ominos

I cannot tell you how many times we’ve played this one this winter! We are hopelessly addicted and I love every second of it because I loved this one as a kid! Tri-ominos is a fun twist on traditional dominos.

Unlike traditional dominos, Tri-ominos are three-sided and that adds to the challenge!

The goal of Tri-ominos is to be the first player to reach 400 points over several rounds. Players take turns matching their tri-ominos to the ones previously played. If a player cannot make a match, she must draw from the well until she can make a move. Bonus points are awarded for certain moves, including ending the round. The first player to use up all of their tri-ominos wins the round.

Tri-ominos works on the following skills:

• Addition and subtraction
• Strategy
• Matching
• Visual-spatial awareness
• … and more!

We played Tri-ominos for quite some time and, as you can see from the photo below, it got dark!

After Tri-ominos we took a break for dinner and then wrapped up our day with two favorites.

Finally: Two Silly Card games

At this point that I stopped taking photos because it was dark and they came out terribly.

We played one round of Trash Pandas, a card-and-dice game from Gamewright that the kids got for Christmas. This game makes my kids giggle, but they are also working on:

• Probability
• Strategy
• Addition and subtraction
• … and more!

Finally, we played the slap-happy and hilarious card game called Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. This is one of those games you can learn in minutes and play for days. It’s not an Educational-with-a-capital-E game, but the kids do work on some skills including:

• Visual discrimination
• Attention
• Impulse control
• … and more!

And do you know what? I don’t think every game needs to be Educational-with-a-capital-E. When you play with your child, you are forming a connection, making memories, and creating a playful atmosphere. That’s homeschool GOLD right there!

After all that play, it was time for bed!

What I want you to know about gameschooling:

1. You don’t need a ton of games for gameschooling. All you need are a few gameschool basics and a desire to play more with your kiddos.
2. There is no right or wrong way to gameschool. Some people play daily. Others play weekly. Some people have a four-day week and one day of gameschooling. Some families choose to have a game night once a month. Others gameschool on school vacations and during the summer. Some people have “family game night” first thing in the morning because their kiddos are in better moods. All that matters is that you play with your kiddos. You can make gameschooling work for your unique family.
3. The biggest challenge for new gameschoolers is finding the time to play. I want you to know that you need to prioritize play. Consider it a homeschool “must-do” – even for just a trial period. I promise you won’t be disappointed!
4. Play counts as learning, period. Keep reading and I’ll show you how.

How to make your gameschooling “count” at the end of the homeschool year

I often hear from homeschool parents who want to play more in their homeschool, but they struggle with how to document their play so that it “counts” at the end of the school year. I have several ideas for you here, but here is a super-simple one:

This Gameschool Log is a super-simple way to record your play. Fill in the date, list the games, and check off the academic subjects and cognitive and/or social skills you covered during your play. This log can be added to your homeschool portfolio!

This was a day with zero plan and just look at all the academic subjects we covered! I let the kids choose and I played with them. The learning was just a bonus!

How to add gameschooling to your homeschool routine in 2020…

If you want to add more play to your homeschool day in 2020, I have several Gameschool Challenges for you. Let me show you two of them…

The first is Gameschool Bingo:

I love this resource because it’s super flexible so you can make it work for your unique family. Sometimes monthly photo challenges can be overwhelming.

This resource has all the fun with zero pressure, plus it gives your kiddos ownership over their play!

You can read more about how to use Gameschool Bingo and download your own set here.

The second free gameschool resource is 365 Days of Play:

Yes, it’s true! I’ve created 365 play prompts to keep you busy the whole year through! You can choose to follow the prompts daily, or choose to use the prompts at random. Do whatever works for your family- the most important thing is that you play together!

I hope this day-in-the-life will inspire you to play more in 2020. You can read more about the above resources and download the freebies here.

We don’t *just* gameschool…

Today, I shared an atypical day in our homeschool. The week after Christmas is perfect for gameschooling, but our homeschool days don’t always look like this!

Our curriculum choices include a patchwork of creative educational resources, from online math and science classes to Lazy Unit Studies. We use gameschooling as a supplement to our core curriculum choices, but we do consider play to be an integral part of our homeschool day.

Our week includes a variety of activities including:

• Field trips
• Art lessons
• Piano lessons
• Story Club
• Scouts
• Hiking
• Athletic practice (soccer, swim, gymnastics, or ski, depending on the season)
• Gameschooling dates with friends

What you don’t see here…

Please know that I’m just a homeschool mom, doing this homeschool thing right beside you.

All of the photos above are carefully cropped so that you don’t see the Christmas cookie crumbs, wrapping paper scraps, random gift bags and boxes, and teetering laundry baskets.

I have the same worries that you do. I second guess myself all the time. My children squabble. They spill juice and our pooch walks through the puddles, spreading stickiness throughout our home.

I raise my voice more often than I’d like to admit. They roll their eyes more than I wish they would.

This is real-life homeschooling- and gameschooling- in all its beautiful, sticky, messy, wonderful glory. And I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Have you ever had a gameschool day in the life? What does it look like for you?

My, how the days have changed:

• 2019: Cait’s homeschool day in the life (with an 8-, 10-, and 11-year-old)
• 2018: Cait’s homeschool day in the life (with a 7-, 9-, 10-year-old and puppy)
• 2017: Cait’s homeschool day in the life (with a 5-, 7-, and 8-year-old)
• 2016: Cait’s homeschool day in the life (with a 4-, 6-, and 7-year-old)

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Back to Gameschool ~
Written by Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley of My Little Poppies

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of play. I truly believe that homeschooling can be almost all fun and games. Does that mean our homeschool is all sunshine and roses? Not even close! But I do think homeschooling can be more fun than we think.

Play has the power to transform a homeschool.

And, guess what? Science has shown that play is good for all of us, not just our kiddos!

Today, I’d like to share some of my back to gameschool tips with you.

But, first, I want to share one of my favorite gameschool stories…

I have three children (ages 11, 9, and 7) and they are all big gamers. That said, my littlest guy has always been the biggest gamer of the bunch. He could play games all day. In fact, he often plays games with his imaginary BFF, Mister Pancake, when no one else is available.

A few years ago, this little guy was on the cusp of learning how to read. At that time, our entire family was obsessed with a quirky little card game from Gamewright called GUBS.

The littlest fella was, by far, the most obsessed member of our party. He woke up in the morning and asked to play GUBS. He wanted to play one last round before the day was done. I kid you not- my thumbs were sore from all the shuffling.

We were having a blast and making oodles of memories but there was one problem: the little guy couldn’t read yet and so he needed to be on my team.

For those unfamiliar with GUBS, it’s a card game based on an imaginary world. For a little kid, there are lots of unfamiliar words: Velvet Moth, Toad Rider, Esteemed Elder, Super Lure, Haki Flute. I could go on and on.

What I’m trying to say is that GUBS was not the BOB Book of the game world. It was tricky! It was way above his reading level.

And yet…

My little guy was head over heels with this game. He’s a pretty imaginative little fella and he was completely lost in the land of GUBS. He talked about the world, its characters, and its obstacles morning, noon, and night.

He was determined to play GUBS independently. As much as he loved to play with us, he was tired of being on my team. And do you know what? In a matter of a month or two, he accomplished his goal. He could play GUBS without assistance. He could read all the cards.

And then, he read Fantastic Mr. Fox (afflink) all by himself! He was a reader and to this day I give full credit to his determination and that quirky little card game.

Now, is GUBS one of those “educational” games that you see on Pinterest? Nope. Does it explicitly teach reading? Not even a little.

But here’s the thing that we tend to forget: Children learn through play. Gameschooling offers kids a chance to learn new skills, to practice old ones, to fail, to succeed, and to try again. Games don’t judge. They aren’t threatening. Games don’t assign homework. They don’t correct. Games offer a safe space for learning.

Today, I am going to share a few favorite games for your homeschool and I will list them by subject but I want you to remember GUBS. Children learn through play, period. They do not need an “educational” game to build skills. They need only a willing parent and some white space on the day’s schedule.

So without further ado, I’d like to share a few of my favorite games by subject. (If you are looking for more ideas, I have more extensive lists by academic subject in addition to other categories here.)

Math

Almost every game on the market today involves some math. Some of my favorite affordable math games include:

• Countdown!
• Qwixx
• Yahtzee
• Monopoly

Helpful hint: You can often find used copies of Yahtzee and Monopoly at thrift stores and yard sales!

Language Arts

Virtually every game you play will involve reading.

Here are a few of our family’s favorite games for this category:

• Tall Tales
• Rory’s Story Cubes and/or eeBoo’s Create a Story Cards
• Mad Libs (Yes, there is a game!)

Here are some other ideas:

• Use a favorite game as a writing prompt. For example, remember GUBS, that quirky little card game that I mentioned earlier? You could make up an entire story based on those cards!
• Ask your children to take turns reading the instructions. This helps with reading aloud and reading comprehension.
• Have your child keep score. This helps practice those writing skills.
• Make up your own game! Think of how many skills this would involve, far beyond reading, writing, and language arts!

Science/Nature

Here are just a few of our favorite games for science and nature:

• All of the science games created Genius Games
• Cardline Animals
• Hit the Habitat Trail
• Professor Noggin Science-themed decks

Geography

Some of our favorite geography games include:

• Scrambled States
• GeoBingo
• Sequence States and Capitals

Here’s another super simple idea- Invest in a decent globe and play with it with your kiddos. Remember when you were little and you’d spin the globe and close your eyes, place your finger on it, and see where you’d land? Do you know how much learning can happen with that type of play? Add an atlas or check out Google Earth to take the play to the next level.

History

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

• Any of the Timeline card decks
• Professor Noggin history-themed decks
• Made for Trade

You can gameschool all those other subjects, too!

It’s true! From coding to fitness to art to music to logic, there are countless play options. There are even options for solo play and cooperative gaming. If you get stuck, check out our gameschooling by academic subject landing page.

Games help families to connect and to build memories together. Play makes for more cooperative kiddos and happier parents.

I promise you- play can change the entire atmosphere of your homeschool. If you need help getting started, here is a free list of gameschool prompts for every single day of the year.

I wish you all a successful, connected and play-filled homeschool year!

Now tell us- what is your family’s favorite game? Share here!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!

Written by Cait Curley of My Little Poppies

Gosh, I love summer.

I love the sunshine, the white space on my calendar, and making memories with my children.

Simple memories are my favorite ones to make.

When I think back to my childhood, some of my favorite memories are those simple ones:

• Swimming with neighbors in a local pond
• Building forts in the backyard
• Afternoons with all-you-can-eat watermelon
• Running through the sprinkler
• Flying kites and exploring tide pools at the beach
• Endless summer reading
• Chasing after the ice cream truck
• Playing board games and card games with friends

These are the types of memories I want for my children. Simple, old-fashioned fun.

Today, I’d like to chat about that last bullet point: games.

Vertical photo by Rene Böhmer

We play games year-round, but there’s something special about summer gaming.

Some of my favorite summer memories include games: UNO on the beach at Cape Cod, Parcheesi (afflinks) on the porch in Maine, Jax on the front steps of a friend’s home, Red Rover on the soccer field.

I could go on and on.

If you are new to gameschooling, now is the perfect time to start a family game tradition!

Summer offers so much space for play:

• The days are longer and everyone stays up a little later
• There is more white space on the calendar
• Summer day trips and vacations offer ample space for gaming

Whether you spend the afternoon at the local pool, take a day trip to the beach, go camping for the weekend, road trip across the country, or spend a week at the lake- travel-sized games will help you make family memories!

And let’s not forget about the educational value of playing games with your children.

Whenever one of my children is struggling with a certain concept or skill, I put aside the workbook and pull out a game. Games have helped my children learn to read, memorize math facts, identify coins and feel confident with money, and to tell time- among countless other skills.

Games are a safe way to learn and practice skills. Games don’t judge, they don’t leave red marks, they don’t hand out grades. Instead, games allow for practice of skills. Mistakes are expected. If you lose, you get to clear the board and try again.

If you’d like to add more games to your summer routine, the key is to make travel games accessible!

Simply tuck a small-ish game in your pool bag, suitcase, or glove compartment. When you find yourself with a minute to spare, pull it out and see who wants to play.

Do you need help getting started?

Here are some things to look for when selecting a travel game:

• Truly, all you need is a deck of cards to get started. If you need help remembering card games, check out Bicycle’s site!
• Many classic games are now available in travel size. 
• Think outside the “travel game’ box. These games are usually small too:
  • Card games
  • Dice games
  • Dominos
  • One-player games
• If you’ll be spending a lot of time near water, you may want to research waterproof games.

Summer gaming will make family memories and boost learning!

I promise you-your children are learning as they play. Even if they are playing the least educational game in your family closet, they are learning to cooperate, take turns, and also how to win and lose with grace.

Learning happens all the time when we relax and let it. 

So go ahead and spend a lazy summer afternoon playing with your kids. You won’t regret it, and you’ll make memories that will last a lifetime!

(If you need more help with gameschooling, be sure to check out this Gameschooling 101 article!)

Tell us in the comments- does your family have a favorite travel game?

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!

Gameschooling ~
Written by Caitlin Fitzpatrick Curley of My Little Poppies

Do you want to know one of my favorite homeschool perks?

Come closer and I’ll let you in on my little secret.

(This homeschool perk isn’t something I tell just anybody.)

Are you ready?

I get to read books and play games all day.

That’s right. We are gameschoolers.

I’ve written about the importance of gameschooling in a previous post here on Simple Homeschool, and I’ve also chatted about favorite games and strategies on The Homeschool Sisters Podcast.

Folks often write to me and say that they know play is important, but that they have trouble squeezing games into an already busy day.

Today, I’d like to talk about how to incorporate more gameschooling into your homeschool routine.

Gameschooling, Step 1: Change your mindset.

My absolute favorite thing to do is to take a fantastic read aloud or two and then play a related educational game.

Games provide an excellent opportunity to introduce a concept to your child, to reinforce and practice skills, and to build confidence.

All the while, games allow you to connect with your child and make memories.

Put simply: games are safe.

Games don’t judge. There are no red marks. They don’t dole out homework. There is no pressure to perform.

The only goal is to have fun with those around you.

The problem is, many of us grew up with workbooks, homework, and drill and kill. Much of our learning was, well, not fun. And as a result, playing a game during the school day can feel like we are cheating the system; like it couldn’t possibly count as homeschooling.

It’s important to begin to think of play and games as part of your curriculum. Gameschooling counts as learning. Those smiles mean you are on the right track!

Board games help children develop a host of skills including:

The climate of your homeschool will improve when you add more play to your day.

Is your daughter struggling with spelling? Does your son cry into his math workbook?

Guess what? There’s a game for that!

What’s more, I can guarantee you’ll have fewer power struggles when you put the workbook away and dust off that game board.

Step 2: Plan your gameschooling

Once you change your mindset and think of games as learning, the next step is planning.

There is no right or wrong way to schedule your gameschooling. Some folks play all day and never crack open a textbook, while others devote one day each month to games.

Here are a few ideas:

• Add a game to your morning routine
• Play a game after dinner
• Choose a day or evening to play each weekend
• Gameschool over homeschool vacations and summer break
• Encourage children to use one-player games during afternoon quiet time

Set a reasonable goal and stick to it.

The most important thing is to do what works for your family.

Just as there is no right or wrong way to schedule your gameschooling, there are no rules when it comes to what to play.

You might choose to cover a variety of academic subjects. Here is an example of what that might look like:

Here is another example:

Another idea is to pick a focus subject. If your child is struggling with math, games are a wonderfully fun way to work on those skills and build confidence.

Or, you could use games as an enrichment activity. My kids love to play coding games.

But, truly, as I mentioned above, all games offer opportunities for learning and connection. So it doesn’t matter if you decide to play only the silliest games in your closet…

… your kids will still learn from the experience!

Step 3: Play… and have fun!

Here is another important thing that I want you to remember: You do not need an overflowing game closet to gameschool.

Truly.

I have been collecting games since I was a teenager and I have amassed quite the collection but you don’t need a closet full of board games.

All you need are some basics and a desire to play. Internet access is a bonus- there are countless game ideas and free printables online!

(If you need help getting started, check out these resources for beginners and these tips for building a game collection on a budget.)

I have witnessed first-hand, time and time again, how easy it is for children to learn through play and games. Our homeschool runs more smoothly when we have left ample space for play. The connections we make over that gameboard carry over into the rest of our day. I find my children to be happier and more cooperative when we’ve played together.

Step 4: Record your play…because it counts

When parents play alongside their children, they have the opportunity to work on a host of skills… while having fun and making memories.

But how do you record all that play? How do you “count” it at the end of the year?

Here are a few ideas:

• Take photos to include in a homeschool portfolio.
• Make a game list, just as you would make a reading list. Include it in your portfolio.
• Set up a gameschool group with homeschool friends and keep track of your meet-ups.
• Make use of an online learning portfolio. This year, I am using Seesaw for the first time. It’s free and super easy to use!
• Another great idea is to post your games to Instagram with a certain hashtag. Then, at the end of the year, you can create a Chatbook to include with your portfolio.

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!

Resources featured in photos:

• Money Bags
• Dixit
• Vincent’s Starry Night and Other Stories: A Children’s History of Art by Michael Bird
• Totally Gross the Game
• MSB Science Explosion
• Hit the Habitat Trail
• MMRY Moons and Planets
• The Scrambled States
• Once Upon a Time
• Made for Trade
• Fauna
• World Monuments
• Kilter by SimplyFun
• Tall Tales
• Sums in Space
• Pay Day
• Dr. Eureka
• MSB Math Explosion
• Pet Me
• Code: Rover Control
• Code: On the Brink
• Code: Robot Repair
• Robot Turtles
• Code Master
• Mad Libs The Game
• Twister
• Hedbanz
• Guess Who?
• Scavenger Hunt for Kids
• Cartoon It
• Walk the Dogs by SimplyFun

Are you a gameschooling family? What does your gameschooling routine look like? Share here.

This post contains affiliate links.

What’s Your Homeschool Mom Personality? Take Jamie’s quiz now and receive a free personality report to help you organize your homeschool based on what your personality type needs most!