Let's Play a Game Together!
What do kids do best? Play of course. Why not encourage this natural tendency by providing your children with great entertaining games that just happen to be educational as well.
Educational Games such as Mancala and Set teach math concepts. Go Fish and Concentration are educational card games that can be adapted to teach anything from sight words, to math concepts to learning a second language. There are educational games to teach number theory, cooperation, and social studies.
With such difficult times in the economy now this Christmas would be a great time to stock up on some games to play at home with friends and family.
Roll the dice and join the fun!
Games in School
Children play games to practice reading skills, math facts, strategy, logical thinking and many other skills that are not measured on standardized tests.
Games Day
In Boston, Homeschoolers meet for Games Day about once a month.Each family brings their favorite board game to share.
A couple of kids play Mancala while another looks on discussing the strategies and math behind the game. Four more are sitting at a table playing the aMAZEing Labyrinth and wondering about the Minotar of Greek Mythology. All around the room kids are having fun, sharing knowlege and playing with their friends.
The following are some of the best games we have run across. Please let me know about your favorites in the comments section below.
Math Games make number theory accessable to young and old
The Family Game of Visual Perception
About Set®Marsha Jean Falco - The Creative Genius Behind Set
The SET® Game is becoming a phenomenon! It seems everybody is playing it. Who would have thought? I invented it for my own amusement in 1974 and introduced it to the outside world 17 years later in 1991.
Would you like to see the first two versions? I am constantly asked, "How did you think of it?" The story goes like this. In 1974 I was living and working in Cambridge, England. One part of my job as a Population Geneticist was to try to understand if German Shepherds who get epilepsy inherit it. Geneticists, as you may know, try to connect the traits that plants, animals and people have to the genes and chromosomes in their cells. To help me understand what I was looking at, I wrote information about each dog on file cards. Because blocks of the information were the same on each file card, rather than writing the data, I drew a symbol to represent a block of data. I used symbols with different Properties to indicate different gene combinations. The veterinarians working with me would look over my shoulder at the cards spread out on the table.
As I tried to explain to them what to look for, the idea came to me that I could have some fun with this. At home with my husband and friends I worked out the game which we now call SET®. Years later, my daughter and son, who enjoyed playing it so much, urged me to put the game in stores. Since then the SET® Game become very popular.
http://www.setgame.com/set/index.html
Board Games
The glass beads for Mancala feel smooth and make a tinkly sound when counting and dropping them into the pits. Practice strategy and counting skills.
Set requires you to quickly recognize like and unlike attributes.
Pit is the loudest and most fun game for 7 players. Not as much fun for less players.
Mancala
Believed to be the oldest game in the world-originated in Africa-Mancala is a game of counting and strategy.
Amazon Price: $11.48 (as of 12/30/2009) 
SET Game
The game SET® is an excellent way to introduce basic set theory. It provides a concrete model for understanding and a tool for working through set operations.
Amazon Price: $9.20 (as of 12/30/2009)
The Amaze-ing Labyrinth
The aMAZEing Labyrinth uses a clever board design to create a series of ever-changing mazes that one to four players must move through. The object of the game is for each player to collect as quickly as possible all seven treasures depicted on their individual treasure cards. To add to the challenge, players know what the next treasure is only after they find the one before it. Before each turn, a maze card is pushed into the maze in a strategic place, helping the player make his or her way to the prize. This means that the entire maze shifts and changes on each turn, confounding some and helping others. Players will need to think ahead to choose just the right spot to shift the maze in their favor. This is an excellent game to get lost in. A simpler version can be played by younger children. --Lee Strucker
Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 12/30/2009)
Snails Pace race
This is a great game to practice color words when you are learning a foreign language.
Amazon Price: $13.99 (as of 12/30/2009)
Go Fish and Concentration
These may be the most adaptable games ever invented!
Make a deck of matching cards to match whatever theme you are studing and start playing and learning. Match-pictures to words
-Titles to authors
-pictures to first letters or last letters
-baby animals to mothers
Teach these games to children and they will be able to independantly work on all those skills and facts that we have been trying to teach them. Play these games in any language to help promote oral language skills in a fun and natural setting.
Pass the Pigs
Great Educational game for New Year's Eve or Christmas Parties
One New Year's Eve a friend brought over the game "Pass the Pigs". I'm not quite sure what makes shaking up and tossing those cute little pigs around so hillarious but we just couldn't stop laughing. This is a must have game for a great party or just to pass some time. Educationally it's good for practicing adding and multiplying the scores. Pit
A Great Educational Game for Christmas
It is the loudest and most fun game you could imagine. Best played with 7 players, it can be played with as few as 3. For larger parties just get more sets of cards.
Loud, fast-paces and lots of fun!
Pit
Amazon Price: $9.98 (as of 12/30/2009)
Board Games
Harvest Time is a great game to play throughout the whole year. The games starts with planting vegetables in the spring and goes on to harvest them in the fall, trying to get your crops in before winter comes. Everyone helps eachother and wins together or loses to winter.
After teaching the children to play these games I like to make them available to take home in Take Home Literacy Bags.
Board Games in the News!
- Board games 'boost early maths skills'
Playing four 15-minute sessions of board games such as snakes and ladders can improve a child's mathematical abilities significantly, according to a study of four and five-year-olds. And the improvement in numerical tests is still measurable nine weeks later.- Literacy board games for school beginners improve their visual discrimination
- An action research was undertaken to find the effect of literacy board games on the visual discrimination competence of first graders.
Supplies for making games
The Squidoo Game
Games are fun and educational
Which kind of games do you like to play?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byBoard and Card Games
Jimmie says:
We play lots of hands on games, especially for teaching math. It hides the learning in lots of fun.
I recommend Scrambled States game for learning USA geography.
Posted March 24, 2009
JaguarJulie says:
Ha, funny you should ask this question -- I am all about computers for nearly everything EXCEPT for board games! Hmmm, funny isn't it?
Posted March 17, 2009
shazia says:
board
Posted January 05, 2009
beeobrien says:
We love to play mancala, Risk, Uno and lots of others. Wii is also fun for the family.
Posted August 17, 2008
cherangelry says:
Even though I'm always on the computer, I've never been good at gaming on them. Board/card games are much more my style. There are, however, some very fun educational computer games that I still hold near and dear to my heart.
Posted May 10, 2008
Becca_Sanz says:
I love all kinds of games but especially Mancala and Monopoly.
Posted April 26, 2008
blue22d says:
Scrabble. Love your lens. I have a 13 month old granddaughter and will be keeping me eye on this lens to see what I can pull to use with her. Thanks for the great lenses you produce.
Posted April 17, 2008
Jimmie says:
Sorry, Monopoly, Uno, Skip Bo, Dominoes, Guess Who, Scrambled States. We enjoy board and card games. Computer games are okay, but they are too solitary. Family game night is around the table, laughing and having fun!
Posted March 26, 2008
Computer Games
kendra says:
educational games
Posted September 07, 2009
CleanerLife says:
Now I play computer games like Civilization, or Tetris, but when I was younger I loved board games like Monopoly, Stratego and Chess.
Posted March 18, 2009
mulberry says:
I grew up playing board and card games and loved them. My interest in card games faded but I still like board games and computer games.
Posted May 28, 2008
spirituality says:
I play at squidoo, and having soo much fun :) Seriously - I belong to the 25% of the Dutch population who does not play computer games regularly.
Posted May 26, 2008
ali says:
monopoly
Posted April 04, 2008
"Don't Bother Me Mom - I'm Learning"
What are your kids learning while playing on the computer?
We all worry about how much time our children are attached to the computer but in his book "Don't Bother Me Mom - I'm Learning" by Marc Prensky, (See below in Books of Games) Marc points out "Not only do game players learn all these thinking, collaboration and other skills, but they begin to acquire them at a very early age."Check out this book below.
Books of Games
Some of these books tell how to play the games. Some tell how to make the games. Use these for ideas and then adapt them to the theme that you are studying. Check out my other lenses for ideas.
Favorite Games
Vote for your favorite games.
Game Boards from Excavations at Ur, Iraq, Middle East
Buy at AllPosters.com
If you can't find your favorite just add it to the bottom of the list.
Rural Games on the Verge of Extinction
Pagade: An Indian Board Game
The traditional indoor board games of India, as well as outdoor games are on way to extinction, said Prof. R. Vasantha. She has carried out research on various games which were popular and extensively played in the distant past.
The game 'Pagade,' played by people in all regions of the country for several centuries, was on the verge of disappearance.
Many of the traditional games were not limited fun and enjoyment. They were a means to learn, understand and apply principles of arithmetic and geometry.
These traditional games demand sharp intellect and serve as tests of one's fortunes in winning them with skill. Some games such as Alaguli, Pagade (game of dice) and Huli-Kuri Aata test the mental capacities of the players. Research is being carried out on their intrinsic value of these games to serve as teaching aids for young children, she said. She praised the efforts of Ramsons Pratishtana in reviving people's in the traditional games.
Educational Board Games from India
- Traditional Board Games from India
- Games of yore from the Online edition of India's National Newspaper Sunday, Nov 14, 2004
Board Games from India
Mayfair Games Maharaja
The maharaja has called and you, a distinguished Indian prince, are obeying his call!
Build magnificent houses and palaces in his name! Maharaja is a clever strategic boardgame for two to five players.
During the game the players take different roles and travel from city to city in India. Their architects build palaces and houses for the maharaja.
Of course, building a palace is expensive. Therefore it is important to earn enough money in the cities. The first player building seven palaces is the winner.
Amazon Price: (as of 12/30/2009)
Mayfair Games India Rails
Another in the Empire Builder system, India Rails features the exotic land of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and parts of Pakistan.
Build tracks from Bombay to Calcutta, cross the Thar Desert (beware of sand storms!), and pick up and deliver gypsum, indigo, jute and rugs. An additional twist to the game is the special rules regarding pilgrims. India Rails is a bookcase game with puzzle cut map.
Amazon Price: $30.39 (as of 12/30/2009)
Hopscotch
Active ways to learn Math and Reading skills
- Yuletopia - Where Falcon soars
- One boy's favorite outdoor games is hopscotch. He jumps from block to block, shouting out the words written on the blocks as he goes. When he reaches the end, he throws his arms up in the air exclaiming "Yay!" as loudly as he can.
Computer Games: Oldies but Goodies
Wii
Indoor Games to Keep you Fit
Photo Credit: Wii Logo
on Flickr, Creative Commons.
Play computer games and still get some exercise! What a great idea!
Blokus
Friends introduced us to the game of Blokus
this summer and we have been addicted ever since. Spacial relationships, geometry, strategy and logic, this game has it all.We just bought 3 more copies of Blokus
to take to our friends and family in Costa Rica.
Blokus Classics Game
Even guys like my husband, who doesn't like board games, enjoys loves Blokus
Amazon Price: $22.95 (as of 12/30/2009)
More Oldies but Goodies
These are the games that taught my children to read, spell and write. They are great for homeschoolers.
More Great Educational Games for Computer
Learn Math, Science, Logic and Social Studies
Cooperative Board Games on eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Educational Games for Christmas
Playing games with your children will keep them busy and interacting with the family instead of isolated on the computer.
Board Games In the News!
Have you ever heard of Board Game Cafes? They are popular in Costa Rica for playing Magic. Below you will find a link to Board Games in Asia.
- Latest Boardgame Happenings
- The community for boardgamers in Asia playing the latest Euro Designer boardgames
- Newburg Middle students create a buzz with games | courier-journal | The Courier-Journal
About three weeks ago, seventh-graders in Kristen Gallagher's science class at Newburg Middle School were finishing a lesson about electricity and were asked to create board games. But not just any kind of board game -- they had to be electricity-based and either buzz, light up or spin.- Board games gain as economy dips
The state of the economy seems to worsen daily, so families are staying at home, trying to find ways to bond without blowing cash.
Dice
- DiceCollector.com's PAPER DICE TEMPLATES
- Templates for making your own dice. Not all are cubes and not all have numbers. Includes phases of the moon, world map, and playing cards.
Let's Play a Game in the Woods
There is a new group being formed in Squidooville. It's called A Walk in the Woods. Whitefoot the Wood Mouse is inviting you to join him there. If you are a member of Squidoo and you may join the group. The exposure that your lens gets by joining will boost your lens rank and add to the number of web pages linking back to your lens. If you are not yet a member of Squidoo you can still come over and read about those who are. Come take A Walk in the Woods.
Lenses with lots of Teaching Ideas
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Beginning to Read
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Mrs. Wishy Washy and The Big Bad Pig are inviting you all beginning readers to join them in the adventure of learning to read. Learn how to make Word Walls, Literacy Bags, activities for Center Time and lots, lots, more. You will find suggested begi...
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Frog Unit Study: Hopping to Learn
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Take trips to the frog pond. Become a frog and play games and sing songs, gobble up the insect words and swat the fly verbs. This lens will give you dozens of ideas, resources, hints and tricks to create frog-themed activities for both homeschool fam...
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What happened to RECESS?
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Do you remember the games you played during recess as a child? Think about all the physical activity that involved and what you learned from those recess games. Did you know that more and more recess is being replaced by testing and homework? While...
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River Otters: Playful Friends of the Woodlands!
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Learn about River Otters through games and hands-on learning centers. Decorate your classroom with a Woodlands Riverbank Theme. Learn the habits of River Otters, the food they eat and how they raise their young. You will find suggestions for both fi...
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Whitefoot the Wood Mouse: A Mouse Unit Study
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Whitefoot welcomes homeschoolers, teachers, parents and children to turn into mice, scurry through the tunnels and sniff out learning opportunities in every corner. Whitefoot the Wood Mouse welcomes everyone to his nest where learning never ends. He...
Educational Games is in the Four Wheeler's Online Unit Study Directory
Thank you to the Four Wheelers for including the Educational Games in their Online Unit Study Directory.
- Internet Directory of Unit Studies
- The Four Wheelers Internet Directory of Unit Studies contains a list, roughly arranged by subject, of links to unit studies that are published on the Internet.
What have you learned by playing games?
How do you use games to teach your children?
Please let my know by leaving a comment here. Tell me about your favorite game or teaching idea. Don't forget the stars at the top and if you lensroll this page or add it to your favorites please let me know so that I can reciprocate.
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Reply
- TimeHacker TimeHacker Mar 19, 2009 @ 2:31 am
- Very nice resource, I must return to this lens once I have children :) 5*
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Reply
- JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Mar 17, 2009 @ 4:51 pm
- Evelyn, quite a nice lens of educational games! Your lenses are always quite complete and quite interesting! Thanks for the lensroll of my board games lens. Quite a comprehensive lensroll! ;)
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Reply
- marsha32 marsha32 Jan 29, 2009 @ 10:09 pm
- I love educational games, just ask my children and grandchildren LOL
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Reply
- andyajsb andyajsb Jan 23, 2009 @ 1:13 am
- brilliant lens! Just the sort of things I have been looking for. Keep up the good work!
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Reply
- Mortira Mortira Sep 28, 2008 @ 10:24 am
- Wonderful lens! Games and learning go together so well - it's too bad every grade can't be like kindergarten! *****
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Meet the Author of this Lens
Evelyn's Hands-On Learning Blog.
If you found inspiration here check out what else I'm up to:
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Evelyn Saenz: Lensography of a Teacher
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My passion is teaching and finding ways to teach children in fun, hands-on, creative ways. The unit studies I make on Squidoo reflect my view that learning should be integrated and no skills should be taught in isolation. I believe that each topic s...
by Evelyn_Saenz
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