In the third part to my Educational Gamer series, however many parts it ends up, I’ll show you a handful of our favorite games for the Teenager. It seems like Teenagers are harder to bring to the family game table and plan lessons for that aren’t “boring” or “stupid” so hopefully this list can help.
We homeschool and we use games as part of our learning. Games themselves are teaching your kids something whether they (or you) realize it or not. Sometimes it’s obvious like working on math, reading or critical thinking but sometimes it isn’t as obvious.
Most games teach about taking turns, that losing is ok too, sportsmanship (saying good game afterwards whether you win or lose) and following rules. Some, however teach strategy, problem solving, deductive and even inductive reasoning. You might not notice these until a year or more later…but kids who game learn these things. Keep this in mind whenever you play any game with your children/child.
There are TONS of games to look into but here are a few that my teenager nephews (16 and 14) and niece(almost 13) like as well. We plan on using them for our son who is going to be 10…going on 15…
I’m posting a link to a review (if I have done one) and a link to purchase the game on Amazon. (This will be an affiliate link, which doesn’t cost anything more for you but helps me a little, so thanks in advance if you purchase.) I know when I find a game I like to know more about it or where to buy it so I include these things.
5 Stones – From Griddly Games
Purchase $9.00 My Review
Skills: Hand-eye coordination | Focus
5 Stones is a fun game that has you tossing 5 smooth hematite stones into the air and trying to catch them…but the catch is there are 5 different games that have you do this with different ways to catch them! In fact your goal is to be the first player to master all 5 stages!
Pandemic – From Z-Man Games ( Asmodee)
Purchase $39.99
Skills: Basic Math | Strategy | Planning ahead | Puzzle solving
Work together to save the world from being wiped out by various diseases. Treat locations before an outbreak can occur and cure all 5 to win but watch out as there are many ways to lose…but only one way to win!
Oh My Goods – From Asmodee (MayFair Games)
Purchase $15.99
Skills: Cooperation | Deductive Reasoning | Memory | Sequencing
Life in the Middle Ages is tough. Your life as a craftsperson isn’t any easier but it could be. Shrewdly manage your resources and factories, hire a few assistants and build up a robust production chain to become a master artisan.
New York: 1901 – From Blue Orange Games
Purchase $59.99 My Review
Skills: Visual Perception | Focus & Attention | Strategy | Social Play
New York 1901 is a city building tile placement game set in…New York…1901. The idea for this game is beautiful because not only do you place tiles to build Skyscrapers but you will actually demolish existing tiles on the board with shiny new tiles…don’t worry you get points for the tiles you placed first AND the tiles take their place!
Dice City – From AEG
Purchase $39.99 My Review
Skills: Math | Strategy | Planning ahead
Dice City is what they call a dice-crafting game. Sort of like deck building but with dice…and it’s also played differently. This has become a favorite for us on Game Night’s and since you purchase cards based on how the dice are rolled it is never the same game twice. Roll the dice, put them on the corresponding places on your board, purchase new cards or ships and or choose to fight bandits in order to get the most VP to win!
Peptide – From Genius Games
Purchase $19.99
Skills: Chemistry | Science | RNA to protein translation
Peptide is a great, and accurate, science game for anyone interested in or needing to learn Science. Link amino acids side-by-side, building a Peptide Chain a.k.a.a protein by choosing Organelle cards carefully. There is an interactive open-card-drafting mechanic to the game which is perfect for how it all works. Score points for your chains and get the most to win.
Tigris & Euphrates – From Fantasy Flight (Asmodee)
Purchase $35.99
Skills: History | Strategy |
You are one of up to four neighboring civilizations in ancient Mesopotamia trying to build up a dynasty. Compete for land and learn to balance commerce, religions, housing, and agriculture
Quadrillion – From Smart Games
Purchase $19.99 My Review
Skills: Spatial Insight | Problem Solving | Planning | Concentration | Logic
This stand out game has you set up a puzzle and fill in the pieces just like some of the other games by Smart Games but unlike those, Quadrillion has you use the board as part of the puzzle too! It is great for kids and adults alike and perfect for teens. It is also a great “Odd man out” game on game nights! Quadrillion is a challenging and insanely fun and addictive puzzle game.
Robo Ralley – From Avalon Hill
Purchase $39.99
Skills: Resource Management | Strategic thinking | Planning ahead
Guide your robot to the various flags across the randomly selected boards but watch out for other robots, pits, lasers and conveyor belts! You have to lay out cards in the order you want to move your robot over several turns but since there are other players also moving they could end up pushing you, turning you and even shooting you with lasers! Get all the flags to win!
Agricola – From Asmodee (MayFair Games)
Purchase $62.00 My Review
Skills: Resource management | Short term vs long term goals | Supply and demand
Agricola is a worker placement/resource gathering game by Mayfair Games and my son’s new favorite for Game Nights. You have 14 Rounds to build your farm and get the most points while every other player is trying to do the same. Plan wisely and beware…you can lose points for unused spaces!
Quadropolis – From Days of Wonder (Asmodee)
Purchase $29.99
Skills:
Build building, please the people and out-do neighboring cities in Quadropolis! As the mayor of a major city it is your job to have buildings built based on the needs and wants of your people. Score points for buildings in an effort to become the most prestigious mayor of them all!
Wordspiel – From Set Enterprises
Purchase $12.99 My Review
Skills: Reading | Spelling | Basic Math
You make words using the cards in your hand and have to be the first to go out to win, however, there is a catch. I usually don’t love catches, but in this case it is brilliant. The last letter of the word (or series of letters) needs to be the beginning of your word! Words Spiel = WordSpiel!
Catan – From Asmodee (MayFair Games)
Purchase $43.99
Skills: Resource management | Trade negotiation | Strategy | Planning ahead
Gain resources through trade, luck of the dice, or luck of the draw and use them to build up your towns to cities and add trade routes but beware the Robber and the other players! Have a strategy on how best to gain points and manage your resources carefully to be the first player to 10 points in order to win.
There are so many games you can choose from to add to your homeschool or just for reinforcing skills or simply for Family Game Nights. We play some of these for homeschool and game nights and some just the Gentleman can play but the Diva is catching up quickly. Our nephews and niece also love a lot of these games and they are officially teenagers. A few I haven’t reviewed yet but have played and have been added to the Gentlemans lessons.
If you are looking for games for your Teenager I would recommend starting with one…or all…of these. I added reviews where I could so you can get an idea of how the game plays, what materials it is made out of and any other information I put in there…which might be a bit. I am pretty thorough. Also links to check out the company’s other games and an amazon link in case you want to purchase it. (Yes it is an affiliate link which doesn’t cost anything more for you but helps me a little, so thanks in advance if you purchase.)
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