In this second part to my Educational Gamer series, however many parts it ends up, I’ll show you a handful of our favorite games for kids after Kindergarten but before the Tweenager roughly. Some kids may find these games too babyish, too easy or just want something more “grown up” then I’d look at the Tweenager level. If your kid falls in this group I hope you find some games to add to your homeschool or family game night library.
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 we have loved and worked or still work great for our homeschool lessons. 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.
Super Genius– From Blue Orange Games
Purchase $12.99 My Review
Skills: Visual Perception Focus | Attention Speech | Language Processing Speed
Blue Orange Games is one of our favorite game companies. They make amazing quality, educational and fun games. Super Genius is a series of matching games that are super fun and educational! They have even been developed hand-in-hand with teachers! Super Genius has several options of game type but they all play basically the same. There are First Words, Addition, Reading 1, Reading 2, Multiplication 1, Alphabet, Compound Words, and Multiplication 2.
Secret Code 13+4– From HABA
Purchase $21.99 My Review
Skills: Addition | Subtraction | Multiplication | Division | Any Level of Math
You are a secret agent and you have to be the first to reach the mask of Amun Ra, but in order to get it you have to crack all the codes along the way using math skills (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division or any combo of the 4) to get past the lasers! Secret Code 13+4 by HABA both educational and really fun!
Flipping Flags– From R & R Games
Purchase $9.99 My Review
Skills: Reinforces pattern recognition skills | World flag recognition
Flipping Flags is a fast-paced matching game that is also a great way to learn the flags of the world. Everyone flips over a card and your goal is to be the first to identify the country that has a set of matching flags first. Get the most cards to win! You can play in roughly 5-10 minutes but if playing with younger kids it might take a bit longer…though they are fast at grabbing cards!
Story Line – Fairy Tales – From Asmodee
Purchase $19.99
Skills: Encourages Reading | Imagination | Storytelling | Decision Making | Creativity
Work together to create a story with one player as the Narrator, however you also want to get the most points. The Narrator awards points for their favorite cards during the game and at the end of the story whoever has the most points wins. Great for creativity and imagination and also encourages reading. For 3-8 players.
Agricola Family – From Asmodee
(Previously MayFair Games)
Purchase $39.99 My Review
Skills: Strategic thinking| Planning ahead| Resource management
Your goal is to build the best farm to earn the most points, but how you play is different each time. You can have 1-4 Players. Yes, ONE to four players. It is pretty easy to set up and understand and you can play a game pretty quickly as well…well maybe not play quickly but time flies when you are having fun!
Cardline Dinosaur – From Asmodee
Purchase $11.99 My Review
Skills: Encourages Reading | Learn about Dinosaurs| Ordering items|
There are 110 cards and all of them have a dinosaur or other prehistoric creature on them with factual information so you can learn while you play. Your goal is to be the first and only player to play all of your cards in one round by basically guessing if the animal your playing is either heavier or lighter than one of the animals already played OR if they are taller or shorter than one. You basically are creating a line of dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures that goes from either lightest to heaviest or shortest to tallest.
Go Nuts for Donuts – From GameWright
Purchase $14.99
Skills: Strategic thinking | Visual discrimination
You bid secretly on what donuts you are going to try to get with your goal is to get the most points but keep in mind there is no sharing the donuts in this game and if two players try for the same donut, no one gets it!
Running with the Bulls – From Calliope Games
Purchase $40.00
Skills: Strategic thinking| Planning ahead | Odds & Evens
Work together to create a story with one player as the Narrator, however you also want to get the most points. The Narrator awards points for their favorite cards during the game and at the end of the story whoever has the most points wins. Great for creativity and imagination and also encourages reading. For 3-8 players.
Yogi – From Gigamic
Purchase $14.99 My Review
Skills: Physical Challenge | Follow Directions | Confidence
Work together to create a story with one player as the Narrator, however you also want to get the most points. The Narrator awards points for their favorite cards during the game and at the end of the story whoever has the most points wins. Great for creativity and imagination and also encourages reading. For 3-8 players.
Forbidden Island – From GameWright
Purchase $19.99
Skills: Strategic Thinking | Visual Discrimination| Cooperation
Work together to save the treasures and each other! Gather the treasures using cards and teamwork but watch out! The island is sinking with every turn. Everyone either makes it off the island with the treasure or you all lose.
Adventure Maximus – From Eden Studios
Purchase $24.99
Skills: Imagination | Storytelling | Problem Solving | Creativity
This is sort of a beginner role playing game for kids. Easily create characters, plan adventures and even run them without an adult! Perfect for kids who like RPG type games and for adults who have no time to run them.
Ghost Blitz 1 & 2 – From Lion Ramparts
Purchase of GB 1 $19.99 | Purchase of GB 2 $39.99 My Review
Skills: Observation | Quick Thinking | Deductive Reasoning | Pattern Recognition
Ghost Blitz and it’s sequel, Ghost Blitz 2 are fun quick thinking and faster acting games by Lion Rampant Imports. The main idea behind both games is to flip a card and either grab the ONE item that matches OR grab the ONE item NOT show in color or actual item! It’s a bit of a challenge but a lot of fun trying
Difference – From Gigamic
Purchase $15.99
Skills: Quick Thinking | Pattern Recognition
Difference is like so many spot the difference puzzles some of us grew up loving. The difference, hehe, is you are playing against other players and after you find one match you have to try to find another one with the same scene but a different card!
Guess the Mess – From R & R Games
Purchase $29.99
Skills: Quick Thinking | Organization | Deductive Reasoning |
This game is fast-paced good “clean” fun. Get a card with a location on it and keep it secret then try to find picture cards that represent that location in 30 seconds. Then guess the location for someone else’s mess! For 3-8 players.
Santas Bags – From Griggling Games
Purchase $19.99 My Review
Skills: Resource Management | Trade Negotiation | Planning ahead
Santa’s Bag is a fun resource management game that is perfect for the Holidays (or all year round). Kids are randomly lined up with various toys that require resources to make. Help Santa out by gathering the right resources to make the toys. Be the helper with the most points to win!
Spy Alley Jr – From Spy Alley Partners
Purchase $24.99 My Review
Skills: Deductive Reasoning | Memory
Spy Alley Jr is a fun game of secret identities and finding out who is which spy! You are given a card with a Spy on it and you become that Spy while you try to guess which Spy the other players are. It’s easy to learn, quick to play and always so much fun
Silly Peppers – From Rather Dashing Games
Purchase $19.99 My Review
Skills: Math Skills | Planning ahead | Adjusting to rule changes
Red Hot Silly Peppers is another fun game by Rather Dashing Games. You are trying to make Salsa using cards…and math. The goal is to basically get the most cards so the more cards you use in your Salsa the more points you have at the end. There is of course always twists with any good game but I won’t spoil those right away.
Blue Plate Scramble – From Peaceable Kingdom
Purchase $12.95
Skills: Quick Thinking | Memory building | Cooperation
You have 5 customers with specific orders and they can get very very angry. In 30 seconds you and the other players have to work together to flip over cards and remember and then match what each customer ordered! Get through breakfast, lunch and dinner without making customers angry and you all 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 still for homeschool and game nights and some the kids have outgrown but were favorites before that time. A few I haven’t reviewed yet but have played and were added nicely to our routines.
If you are looking for games for elementary aged kids 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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