Best Gameschooling Board Games
Remember the school days when you’d be so bummed that outdoor recess was canceled? But then you remembered that meant you got to play all the teacher’s best games! What if students could feel that excitement on a regular basis? With gameschooling, games aren’t just used as a reward or alternative activity during inclement weather.
🏆 Our Top Picks for Best Gameschooling Board Games
In a hurry? Take a quick peek before you go.
What is Gameschooling?
As you may deduce from the name, gameschooling is simply the encouragement of learning through play, particularly through board and card games. It is growing increasingly popular within the homeschooling community.
By incorporating this refreshing and innovative approach to education, board games become fundamental learning tools and are integrated into the daily or weekly curriculum.
Gameschooling can be an effective and enjoyable way to tackle challenging subjects like math and science. Kids are more likely to succeed when they enjoy what they’re learning and games offer a fun, alternative learning experience that strays away from traditional teaching styles that can be overwhelming and frustrating to some. Plus, games help keep kids’ skills sharp all year round!
Ditch the snooze-inducing lessons and monotonous worksheets and give Gameschooling a try! For some inspiration, check out this list of best gameschooling board games.
Proof! [Math]
Players: 2-6
Playing time: 15mins
The race is on! In this fast-paced math game, players exercise their mental math skills as they constantly scan a set of cards to find hidden equations using addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and square roots.
Each equation must consist of at least three cards and you’ll need to show your work to your fellow players. Once you’ve spotted your math problem, shout the answer and give your proof. The game continues until all cards have been played.
Play with confidence knowing that Proof! is an award-winning game and comes highly recommended by teachers. The game can even be played in solo-player mode or the rules can be adjusted for kids of varying math abilities.
With easy-to-understand rules and a quick setup time, it’s a great addition to any math lesson or review session.
Zingo! Sight Words [Reading]
Players: 2-6
Playing time: 15mins
The perfect game for early readers, Zingo! Sight Words puts a spin on the classic Bingo while teaching children to read by matching. Young players will get acquainted with popular sight words and over time learn to recognize and read these words as they show up.
Begin by distributing a Zingo card to each player and shuffling the 72 word tiles to be placed into the Zinger. When everyone is ready, slide the Zinger to reveal two word tiles at a time. As players see words revealed that appear on their card, they should shout out the word to claim it.
The goal is to be the first to cover all 9 spaces on their card. Don’t forget to shout “Zingo!” to let everyone know who the winner is!
With two levels of difficulty, this is the perfect game to grow with your child and lead them on their reading journey.
Cytosis [Biology]
Players: 2-5
Playing time: 60-90mins
Think big, play microscopic.
The scientific accuracy of this game makes it a must-have for those trying to learn biology. Shrink yourself down and be metaphorically transported into the human cell where this worker placement game takes place.
By moving your flask around the board to different organelles, you can collect resources like carbohydrates, ATP, and mRNA to build enzymes, hormones, and hormone receptors. Build your cell, fulfill goal cards, and collect health points to win the game.
If you’re looking to introduce biology in a more natural, less intimidating way, here’s your opportunity. This game is loved by scientists and gamers alike, so even once you’ve mastered the biology concepts, it’s still a great game to play.
Dr. Eureka [Logic]
Players: 1-4
Playing time: 15mins
Join the ingenious Dr. Eureka in the lab to help him conduct some of his latest experiments. Players are tasked with recreating the doctor’s concoctions by solving the formulas and transferring the right molecules to the correct test tube. Put your dexterity skills to the test as you rearrange the molecules without touching them.
With 54 challenges it’s easy to stay busy in the lab. This brain-bending game is an excellent addition to any STEM curriculum and is great for improving problem-solving skills, processing speed, and visual perception.
It can be played as a solitary activity or as a race with other players. Who will be the maddest scientist of them all?
MMRY: Moons & Planets [Solar System & Space]
Players: 1-4
Playing time: 20mins
Calling all future astronauts, astronomers, and potential first-generation Mars inhabitants. This one is for you!
Essentially, this is a memory game where players take turns flipping over two tiles at a time in an attempt to find matches. The player with the most sets of matching tiles at the end wins the game. It’s very simple and can even be played by very young children.
One of the best things about this game is the artwork — it is incredibly beautiful. You won’t find cartoon replicas of the moons and planets, instead, the creators used real astrophotography that will leave you awestruck.
You’ll also find that each piece is color-coded so you can easily reference the guidebook and learn all about the different planets and moons found in outer space.
For an out-of-this-world game that does a stellar job teaching about our solar system, add this game to your must-play list and prepare for take-off!
Money Bags [Financial Literacy]
Players: 2-4
Playing time: 20mins
Teach your kids the true value of a dollar.
Money Bags is a fun way for kids to learn the denominations of bills and cents as they make their way through the game by collecting and counting money and later exchanging it. Throughout the game, players grow comfortable combining different sets of coins to reach a specific total.
Challenges arise when an unlucky spin prohibits the use of certain coins. It’s up to you to strategize another way to make the same value. The game is played until the first player reaches the finish line. At this time, everyone adds up their money and whoever has the largest amount is the winner.
The money is modeled to look realistic and helps players prepare for real-world situations. For additional practice, set up a play shop where kids can add the totals of the items and pay using the correct bills and coins.
Planet [Ecology & Environmental Science]
Players: 2-4
Playing time: 30-45 mins
The future of this new world is in your hands. Every player is a creator in Planet and life starts with just a 12-sided planet core. Players strive to create a world where animal life can prosper and populations can bloom.
With just 12 turns, players need to be strategic as they choose and place different tile pieces like mountain ranges, deserts, forests, and oceans to build the perfect ecosystem to attract different animals. Win animal cards by creating the most suitable environment for wildlife and bringing biodiversity to your planet.
Use this game to help teach ecology and the importance of environmental science, especially today. It does a wonderful job showing the fragility of ecosystems and how important it is to be mindful of species other than our own.
Genotype [Genetics, Biology]
Players: 1-5
Playing time: 45-75mins
Take on the role of scientist and researcher as you help Gregor Mendel — the father of modern genetics— test his hypotheses by performing genetic experiments on pea plants.
Compete with your fellow players as you exercise problem-solving skills to create the perfect genetic recipe for breeding the intended characteristics into your plants. Collect data and manipulate your specimens to carry the traits needed to fulfill your pea plant cards.
Players will learn about dominant and recessive traits through the use of Punnett squares (and the roll of the dice) to simulate the breeding of plants, leaving the genetic makeup a bit up to chance.
The goal of this game is to teach players about the roles phenotypes and genotypes play in genetic inheritance. To learn more about the science that inspired this game, reference the helpful booklet included to prepare yourself for gameplay.
Periodic [Chemistry]
Players: 2-5
Playing time: 40-60mins
This game has transformed the Periodic Table of Elements into a gameboard. In Periodic, players traverse the board using chess-like movements to collect elements and score points by fulfilling goal cards.
Learn the fundamental principles of chemistry by spending energy tokens to move your flask by activating trends like “increase or decrease atomic mass” or “increase or decrease atomic number”. Be the first player to discover all the elements on a goal card to earn bonuses and inch your way closer to a win!
Move your piece with intention and hone in on those resource management skills to give yourself an edge on the competition. Chemistry can be a challenging subject to teach and learn, but with the help of fun games like Periodic, it can be a fun and exciting lesson to look forward to.
Robot Turtles [Early Coding]
Players: 2-5
Playing time: 15mins
Computers are an integral part of our daily lives. As we become more and more dependent on them, it becomes increasingly important to understand how they operate.
For a head start in this high-tech world, introduce your kids to Robot Turtles, a fun game with a silly theme that introduces kids to the basic building blocks of coding.
Begin the game with each player’s turtle card in the corner and their prized jewel in the center. Use the code cards to move right, left, and forward to make your way toward the jewel. If a mistake is made, debug your code by using the “bug” card to fix the issue.
Once the basic coding skills have been mastered, start adding obstacles to make the game more challenging. The game can be played by kids as young as 4 years old and they’ll have no idea they’re learning the fundamentals of programming. It’s a great way to jump-start STEM programs and gameschooling.
Wrap-Up
We hope you enjoyed our list of the best gameschooling board games! These are a great introduction into the world of gameschooling and are sure to get your kids excited about learning diverse subject matter.
Have you tried any of the games on this list? Do you have any favorites that you think should be included? Drop a comment below and let us know what you think! We’d love to hear from you.
