As the holidays quickly approach, it’s time to start thinking about what gifts you’d like to give to your favorite homeschooler.
Gameschooling can be a great way to spend time with children, plus games are a fantastic tool for teaching life skills and developing critical thinking skills. If you know a homeschooler who loves playing games, here are 30 of the best educational games that they will be sure to love!
Math Games
The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game
Ages 3+
This game is a blast for all the family to play. It helps develop matching, sorting, and strategic thinking while teaching your child how it’s done iit’s interactive way that they will love!
Tiny Polka Dot
Ages 3+
The card deck that grows with your child! Tiny Polka Dot includes 16 fun games to teach math, from counting and early numeracy skills up through arithmetic and logic.
Sum Swamp
Ages 4+
Players navigate through a treacherous swamp, practicing basic math skills by adding and subtracting numbers on dice.
Money Bags
Ages 7+
Students learn valuable money skills as they strive to be the first across the finish line.
Labyrinth
Ages 7+
Players journey through a twisting maze to reach all their targets and treasures in the game.
Clumsy Thief
Ages 8+
Quickly snatch up money with this hilarious, fast-paced card game.
Mastermind
Ages 8+
Mastermind is a challenging game of logic and deduction. The codemaker sets the secret code while you try to break it using your wits, some luck (maybe), as well as deductive reasoning skills!
Proof! Math Game
Ages 9+
An award-winning, fast game that the whole family can enjoy. It’s great practice at perfecting your mental math skills as you try to find creative equations hidden among nine number cards and collect the most cards to win.
Prime Climb
Ages 10+
Roll the dice and add, subtract, multiply or divide your way to victory in Prime Climb! This beautiful board game is great for 2-4 players.
Language Arts Games
Wordplay for Kids
Ages 6+
This game is excellent for developing spelling, vocabulary, and concentration skills.
Story Cubes
Ages 6+
Create a world of your own! A game with limitless imagination, endless stories, and infinite possibilities. Combine dice to create tales to entertain and delight your companions!
Bananagrams
Ages 7+
You’ll be driven bananas playing this anagram game! As players race against each other, they need to build crossword grids and use all of their letter tiles first.
Boggle
Ages 8+
This game is so much fun! The more words you get, the better. Players are given 90 seconds to write down as many words as they can find on the grid before time runs out.
Quiddler
Ages 8+
It’s time to get wordy! The goal of this card game is to arrange all the cards in your hand into one or more words.
Scattegories
Ages 13+
Push your creativity to the limit with Scattegories. Thinking of words in a specific category while racing against time can generate hilarious answers and nail-biting suspense! A fun party game to be had by all.
Science/STEM Games
Rock Bingo
Ages 6+
Check out this fantastic game set that will teach your kids all about geology! They’ll play rock bingo, mineral memory, gem tic-tac-toe, plus more.
Gravity Maze
Ages 8+
The 60 challenges in this gravity-powered maze game will have you on your toes! It’s perfect for all skill levels, from beginner to expert.
Science Ninjas: Valence
Ages 8+
The molecule-building game, Valence! Your goal is to assemble a team of Science Ninjas to build new molecules and earn points. But watch out – opponents can break down your bases with Acid Assaults!
Circuit Maze
Ages 8+
If you’re looking for a logic-based challenge that will teach the basics of circuit construction, this game has it all. Whether your skills are at beginner or expert level there is something to keep everyone entertained!
History/Geography Games
Continent Race
Ages 7+
Learn the continents, countries, and flags of our world with this game. It’s a race to see who can collect more from each continent first!
Race Across the USA
Ages 8+
The object of the game is to be the first player who visits six different states, answers geography questions correctly then return home.
Election Night
Ages 8+
A game that teaches kids addition and multiplication facts, geography, and the mechanics of the Electoral College!
Ticket to Ride
Ages 8+
Build your train routes across the United States in this board game. You will need to connect iconic North American cities on a map of the 20th-century USA to earn points.
Catan
Ages 10+
In this game, you build and settle the Island of CATAN. In a competition for victory points, players control their own civilization and look to spread across a modular hex board.
Trekking the National Parks
Ages 10+
Learn about the National Parks in this fun, family-friendly game.
The Oregon Trail
Ages 14+
Race from Missouri to Oregon in this survival game based on the classic computer game.
Cooperative Games
First Orchard
Ages 2+
This cooperative game is a great way for children to learn how to take turns, follow directions, and reinforce color recognition. It also helps them develop social skills by playing with other people!
Count Your Chickens
Ages 3+
Mama Hen is looking for some help to find her chicks. Spin and count numbers while you travel around the farm, collecting all of them before time runs out in this family-friendly cooperative game.
Outfoxed
Ages 5+
A cooperative whodunit game for the whole family!
Pandemic
Ages 8+
In this cooperative game, players must work together using their characters’ strengths to strategically eradicate the disease before the world is overwhelmed with ever-increasing outbreaks. A truly unique experience where you win or lose together!
Final Thoughts
No matter their age, games can be a great way to spend quality time with family and friends, learn life skills, and hone critical thinking ability. I hope that this list has inspired you to give the gift of games to your favorite homeschooler!
What’s your favorite family game to play during the holidays?
Xuan Klevecka is a Southern California-based homeschool mom, wife, and sometimes purveyor of vintage goods. She’s an Enneagram 5w4, a lover of good food, and a former middle school history teacher. You’ll either find her looking at road maps and daydreaming about her family’s next epic adventure or perusing recipes and cooking up a feast for the brood.
