How to Make Board Games Part of Your Homeschool Curriculum

Audio By Carbonatix

The new school year is just around the corner, and kids everywhere are getting ready to transition back into a routine. But here is the wonderful beauty of homeschooling: that routine doesn’t have to be limited to rigid schedules, heavy textbooks, and endless worksheets.

One of the greatest joys of teaching kids at home is discovering that learning happens everywhere, and board games are a fantastic, hands-on tool for teaching almost any subject.

Whether you are teaching math skills through strategy, world history through territory building, or language arts through wordplay, games bring laughter, healthy competition, and deep connection straight to your kitchen table. “Gameschooling” allows kids of all learning styles to absorb critical concepts while simply having fun together. And the best part is, they’ll be enjoying themselves so much, they’ll forget they’re learning!

Scripture reminds us that joy and connection within our homes are foundational to how our children learn and thrive:

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” — Proverbs 17:22 (ESV)

When we infuse our homeschool days with joy, learning ceases to feel like a chore and becomes a shared family adventure.

Gameschooling by Age Group

To help you build your game closet this school year, here is a breakdown of wonderful board game options organized by age group:

Games for Younger Learners

For early elementary kids and preschoolers, games build foundational skills like counting, turn-taking, color recognition, spatial awareness, and fine motor control.

• Outfoxed – A classic whodunit game for preschoolers, perfect for critical thinking skill-building in little ones.
• Ticket to Ride: San Francisco – A younger-child-friendly version of the original Ticket to Ride (fun for older kids), and a great way to teach kids about geography and thinking ahead.
• Stare! Junior – a fun and challenging memory game the whole family will enjoy!
• Shenanigrams – a word-building (and stealing!) game that even your most mischievous littles will love.
• Number Hunter – this one has a neat combination of geography, ecology, and math, all rolled into one exciting adventure!
• Quixx – this fast and fun dice game teaches math and strategy, and is perfect for the entire family.

Games for Upper Elementary

As children enter upper elementary, games become incredible tools for critical thinking, logic, geographic knowledge, vocabulary expansion, and historical context.

• Century Golem Edition: Eastern Mountains – a strategy game that is both fun to play and gorgeous to look at. (Bonus: This game can be combined with Century Golem Edition and played as a special format called “The Call to Adventure”!)
• Tetris: The Board Game – a twist on the classic Tetris video game that teaches logic and strategy.
• A Lotta Axolotls – a strategy-based game full of cute axolotls. What more could you want?
• Shifting Stones – this one teaches logic and decision-making skills while building on your child’s math foundation.
• Here to Slay – an exciting adventure-strategy game of monster fights and heroic feats. It also has lots of fun expansions available.
• Splendor – a gem-collecting strategy game that teaches kids about currency and logic.
• Unlock! Kids Edition – it’s a ready-to-play escape room in a box designed specifically for children. These puzzle games encourage critical thinking and teamwork.
• Get the Picture – a word puzzle game that only takes 10 seconds to learn, so it’s easy to fit into any homeschool schedule.
• Hues and Clues – a vibrant color-and-word-guessing game that encourages teamwork and builds deductive reasoning skills.
• Ligretto – a speedy card game that encourages quick thinking and strategic planning.
• What Do You Meme? Family Edition – a game of funny memes and deductive reasoning that will have your family cracking up.
• Taboo: Kids vs. Parents – a great way to build your child’s vocabulary… and yours, too!
• Mantis – this strategy pick is also perfect for the whole family – if your child knows their colors, they can play! Take turns trying to score or steal and get as many points as you can.
• Mancala – a classic strategy counting game that has been around for thousands of years. (Bonus: Look up the origins of the game for a fun history add-on!)
• Catan – It’s a classic for a reason, and a favorite in our household. Collect resources and build settlements in this hexagonal strategy game. (Bonus: There are lots of different versions of Catan out there to try!)
• Lost Cities – A fun, two-player adventure-based strategy game that is quick to set up and easy to learn.
• Kingdomino – Another family favorite! Take turns choosing tiles to build your kingdom. This one teaches strategy and planning ahead.
• Azul – This game is both aesthetically pleasing and fun to play. Take turns picking tiles to build a Portuguese mosaic wall while helping your child develop critical thinking and logic skills.
• Dixit: Revelations – This guessing game is a bit like Apples to Apples, only you are guessing picture cards instead of word cards. Your children will learn deductive reasoning and build their descriptive vocabulary, and you’ll get to learn more about them. It’s a win-win!
• Wingspan – For your little nature enthusiasts, this one teaches all about birds and their habitats while also teaching strategy and decision-making skills. Plus, it’s absolutely beautiful. (Bonus: Download the Wingsong app to hear the call of each bird featured in the game!)

Games for Teens

Teenagers thrive on deep strategy, long-term planning, complex rule sets, and cooperative problem-solving. Playing games with your teens creates a relaxed environment for conversation, strengthening your relationship while challenging their minds.

• The Bible is Funny – A hilarious Apples-to-Apples-like card game of out-of-context Bible verses. Perfect to lighten up a rough homeschool day.
• Ransom Notes – A magnetic word game that will bring out the inner goof in your teens while teaching them to think outside the box.
• Viticulture – You and your teens will manage a vineyard in this strategy-based board game. It’s great for teaching resource management and planning.
• Everdell – Build up a city of adorable woodland creatures in this strategy game. This is an absolute favorite in our home; the artwork is beautiful and the game is well-crafted.

Your Turn

Take a look at your homeschool schedule for the upcoming school year and block out one afternoon per week as a dedicated “Game Day”. My daughter-in-law does “Fun Fridays” in her homeschool, and it often involves several board games. Swap out your standard curriculum for one or two games from your closet, and invite your kids to learn with you through play.

A Prayer for Joyful Learning

Heavenly Father, thank You for the freedom and gift of homeschooling our children. As we step into this new school year, help us to remember that learning is not confined to pages in a workbook, but is found in the joy of discovery and relationships. Fill our homes with warmth, patience, and laughter. Give us creativity as parents to use simple tools like games to spark curiosity and cultivate wisdom in our children’s hearts. Bless our time together and let Your peace reign over our school days. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Additional Resources:

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