educational games for the holidays
Whether you are looking for gifts to buy for a child in your life or you’d like to have some educational games on hand for the long winter break- we’ve got you covered!
Did you listen to our recent episode interview with long-time educator Meg Stone? Meg now teaches in a hybrid school environment where she leads a class called Game-Based Learning. In our interview, Meg talks about the myriad incredible benefits of board games and she shared her favorites with us. These are time-tested, teacher-approved games that are sure to be a hit with your kids this winter season.
Favorite Games that are teacher approved
- KEVA Planks: This is not exactly a “game,” but it still falls under the “play-based” category. Great for any age! Simple wooden planks that are used to build a multitude of things (truly endless possibilities). Can start very basic and can get VERY complex. You might consider it more of a STEM tool than a game.
- Corresponding Brain Builders cards add a fantastic layer of complexity, examine a 2-D blueprint and build the corresponding 3-D structure.
- For younger kids, try the Junior Brain Builders set.
- Concept for Kids: This is a board game where players secretly select an animal and then give clues from a set of options to try to get other players to guess their animal. This kind of game helps develop lots of skills because the clue-giver has to think not only about what information is true about their animal, but also what information will be USEFUL to the guessers. So they’re not only trying to communicate the information, but they’re also taking the perspective of the other person.
- A host of visual discrimination, visual problem solving, pattern recognition games:
- SET– A classic visual discrimination game. A true brain builder! Bonus- it can be played alone or with others
- Qwirkle– A fun blend between SET and Scrabble. Great for ages 5-95
- Q-Bitz– Another excellent brain builder that requires quick thinking, visual problem solving, and spatial reasoning. Recommended for ages 7+
- Q-Bitz Junior– All the fun of Q-Bitz for ages 3+
- Ghosted– recommended for ages 10+
- Dragonwood– A favorite in my household. Perfect for ages 5-95. This one never seems to get old and includes a lot of probability and math skills.
Favorite educational Games from the Education Breakdown
Games With a Math Focus
Sum Swamp– Work on simple addition and subtraction. Great for K-2. Also practices skills of knowing even/odd numbers.
Monopoly Junior– A kid version of the classic. Work on counting spaces around the board and counting money.
Skip bo– Number recognition, counting in sequence.
Yahtzee– A classic. Tons of dice rolling fun, addition practice, and critical thinking skills.
Sleeping Queens– Create math equations with your cards to rescue queens and defeat knights.
Games With a Reading Focus
Alphabet Bingo– Perfect for your PreK and Kindergarten kiddo.
Zingo– Begin to recognize basic words, matching words and pictures.
Zingo sight words– One level up from the traditional Zingo game. This one doesn’t have pictures so your child needs to be a beginning reader. Great for kingergarten-1st grade.
Games for Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Skills
Spot It- A quick-thinking, brain-building game.
Race to the Treasure– A cooperative game to build paths while defeating the ogres.
Blokus– A great game for the whole family. Can be played with 2 people to make it easier, or up to 4 for a real challenge.
Carcassone– Involves planning and strategy and math for scoring points.
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What are your favorite brain building games?
Does your family have a favorite game that you think we should add to the list? Leave us a comment and let us know!