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Using Games in Your Homeschool

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Alternate Education > Homeschooling | By: Katie Shuler (02/12/12) Views: 235

Playing games can be an invaluable part of your homeschooling day! Every homeschooling family is different. From the curricula they use (if any) to the schedule they keep (if any). But, there is one educational avenue where many agree on…game play. Not just board games, and not just computer games. All games.
Sports games are a great way to provide brain stimulation AND physical activity. There are problem solving skills involved in playing team sports, and children also need to learn and process social skills for sporting games.
Video games are some of the most dreaded games out there. Parents watch their children become so absorbed that they can spend hours, days, even weeks just on one game. But the right video games can be fun and educational. You can find lists of Wii games (check out this one on Amazon) that people feel are educational.
Board games are tried and true learning tools. Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, Scrabble, Life; this list could go on and on.
For the right person, role playing games like Dungeons and Dragons can be great educational fun. Older children (and adults, lol) can play a variety of RPGs, learning in areas like science, history and even tactics/strategy.
With more and more having access to computers and the Internet, online games are becoming a popular way to learn while having fun. As a homeschooling mom, I can tell you that my kids have an allotment of time every day for the purpose of playing online learning games. Even at very different grade levels (2^nd and 7^th), they both enjoy the variety of games they can find on the web. They play art games, keyboarding games, spelling games using literature-based word lists, math games, health games and even vocabulary games online.
Game play can always be a good way to break any monotony in your school day. You can ease some strain and frustration, but you can also use game play to spend more time together as a family!