Gameschooling for the Non Gamer

Game Schooling for the Non Gamer

I threw out Candy Land.  OK, donated. Whatever.  Honestly, it was boring me to tears. And came in a kit with other "classic" games- so memory cards Hi Ho Cherrio and Candy Land cards all in one place. Think huge card messes to clean up. I dreaded my kid pulling that thing out. Guess we wouldn't be playing games.

Then one day I ran across a gameschooling blog post, possibly My Little Poppies, then found them on Facebook, then found gameschooling facebook groups. Up until that point I sincerely thought Shoots and Ladders and Candy Land were pretty much my only little kid friendly game options. I had seen other games in stores, friends houses or thrift stores, but thought them gimmicky or silly.  In walks gameschooling.  

Over the last year my childhood joy in games has been brought back to life. In a big way.  I was an only child and rarely got a chance to play games against other people. It wasn't uncommon for me to play 2 or 3 sides of a monopoly game. 

Card and small game storage in a shoe holder

Now our game shelves have exploded. Well, they haven't they're neatly organized and I've become very strict about keeping them that way. 

First Games: where to start

If you're interested in incorporating more play and games into the life of a child, homeschooled or not, where do you start?

•          The first game I always suggest to people who are just becoming familiar with this new world of table top gaming is Sleeping Queens. 

This was the first game to introduce me to non standard playing decks, and was simple enough for me to figure out and then teach my kid.  It was the first game my eldest lost at then went back to play again. And our deck has received quite a bit of love.  Sleeping Queens can be found on Amazon (I got the anniversary edition because that had some extra queens in it and a nice tin my kids couldn't tear). I've also seen packs at the local grocery store. It's simple enough my 3 yo can join us, but interesting enough that I'm happy to play without wanting to gouge my eyes out out of boredom (looking at you Candy Land).

•       Next up is cooperative games from Peaceable Kingdom.  There are a lot of them but three have really stood out for us.  Hoot Owl Hoot (though in my head I still say Hoot Hoot owl) is a color matching game like candy land.  Perfect for the non counters non readers in the family. And yet unlike Candy Land there is some strategy you can employ, and you work as a team to beat the board.  Stone Soup is also great, essentially a memory game but beautifully done with a few extra elements that make it much more interesting than the standard memory game.   Count Your Chickens is my third recommendation. It's been a favorite in our house among the preschoolers, and my 7yo enjoys playing it with my 3yo.

•       Two great cooperative games for the younger elementary set are Out Foxed and Ghost Fightin' Treasure Hunters!. I enjoy playing both of these with my 7 year old. Both teach strategy, logic and teamwork. 

• Battle Sheep is the next to add to your collection. This one we just unwrapped for my daughter's seventh birthday, and we've spent more hours playing this game than probably any other we own. It has enough strategy to make it fun for kids and adults, but simple enough my 3 yo can join in (with some guidance). 

•    Sum Swamp is another I love to suggest. A simple board game that requires addition and subtraction.   Add more complex dice for the more advanced mathematicians.   Sums in Space is a similar game but has a teamwork mode and gets more advanced on the math front (this one is on my wish list).

•      Last up is Shut the Box. A great, super simple dice game that has been popular for several hundred years for a reason. Team, solo or competitive play options. Great for math skills. I have Shut the Box and Super Shut the Box by BlueOrange, and my math phobic 7 year old loves both.

There are so many more I'd love to mention. But I'm trying to leave this list concise.

Where and How to Buy (Insider Secrets)

         OK, so by now you've taken a look at some of these games on Amazon (or your preferred shopping source). And you're wondering how you're going to do this inside a normal human budget. (If you've recently won a large sum in the lottery please skip this section).  Here's my go to list for  money saving when getting games.

• Thrift it.  Thrift stores are the best for games, so keep your eyes open. Some things to keep in mind: some companies are known for great games. Keep your eyes peeled for their logos.  (Gamewright, blueOrange, Think Fun, Ravensburger, Peaceable kingdom are all on my watch list).  If you remember it from your childhood or pop culture, look for it used. Don't waste your money on Connect 4, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Monopoly, Scrabble, etc,  new.  Even on sale.

• This brings me to sales.  SALES! Between the game schooling facebook groups I'm in (Gameschool Community: My Little Poppies and Gameschooling (Homeschooling with Games)) I've found more sales than I can afford to shop. Also, Homeschool Gameschool with Meg Grooms has a weekly deals thread on her Facebook page.  Amazon, Target, Miniature Market, Barnes and Noble, and Michaels have all had at least one very good game and toy sale this past year. Don't forget to check Amazon's lightening deals.

• Garage sales. Both virtual and in person. People move or move on, and they don't want to lug their game boxes with them. Keep your eyes peeled because these are often motivated sellers and your best deals will come from these sources.

• Online game b/s/t pages. Occasionally you can find a good deal on those pages.  Remember that shipping games can get costly, and sometimes used prices on those pages are the same as sale prices. However, those pages can be a great source for older out of print games you find on your wishlist.

Final Word (General Tips)

• Follow the gaming facebook groups! So many great ideas and leads there.

• If you have a child who is still working on their good sportsmanship awards and refuses to replay a game if they lose right off, it's OK to let them win. I won't tell.

• If you remember it from your childhood, don't pay new prices for it! There are a million point two copies of Trivial Pursuit at your Goodwill waiting for a home.

• Some days it can be hard to make time during the day to play games. Create a routine, a game before bedtime or after a math worksheet or a Family Game Night. If you homeschool, at the beginning of the day pull out a stack of games you would like to play for the day. They may not all happen but having them out can remind you to actually play them.

• Remembers games should be fun, so don't get too caught up in the "How Will This Educate My Child" question. I promise they are learning!