Educational Games

4 Dec 07 - Post Script: I just added three more games (Dominoes, Marbles, and Monopoly) and another website (educationallearninggames.com) to the list. :D


Lately I've come across some different looking games. These two are both described as being "cooperative" games (versus "competitive" ones).

• Fairy Finds Game - Children work together to build a fairy ring in this fun game that teaches cooperation as well as strategy skills. They play against a troll, who wants the beautifully illustrated board for himself, and who can exist only in the form of puzzle pieces kids put together (or not) at the whim of the die. But they can strategize their way out of it.

• Wildcraft! An Herbal Adventure Game - Wildcraft! is a cooperative game, and fosters teamwork and imagination. Players must work together to "win" the game. However, don't let this make you think it is not an exciting journey! Trying to get back to Grandma's house before nightfall along with all the pitfalls encountered along the way will keep you on the edge of your seats.

They are each $30. That seems like a lot to me. Is that the going rate for a "new" game these days? Does the fact that I can't find them used or on ebay indicate that they are great games and so one wants to get rid of them? Also, both are for ages four and up and don't require reading.

Though we've been playing games more often since moving to Wyoming, I think I need to play regurally (like daily) for a while before allowing myself to splurge on Wildcraft! or any others... like my friend tells me, put it (impulsive items) on a list for thirty days and then decide if you still want it. :D

While looking around, I also found this site (Keen 2 Learn) that looks like it has a lot of neat educational games.

I'm on a Homeschooling for Boys Yahoo! Group, and there has been a thread about games. Here's the list they've come up with for younger kids:

1. Alphabet Game
2. Apples to Apples (Jr)
3. Backgammon
4. Battleship
5. Big Brain (they have a lot of fun with this one)
6. Buckaroo
7. Candyland
8. card games
9. Checkers
10. Chess
11. Connect 4
12. Continuo - a puzzle where you create color chains (Rhombo version)
13. Dominoes
14. educationallearninggames.com
15. funagaingames.com – this site has user reviews, lists of best sellers, recommendations, as well as lists of award winners (Mensa, et. al.).
16. Go Fish / Memory - Homemade - using index cards and phonics sounds ("Do you have th for thick?" etc.)
17. Guess Who
18. Hi Ho Cherry-O
19. Hungry Hungry Hippos
20. Kerplunk
21. Mancala
22. Marbles
23. Mastermind for Kids
24. Monopoly (Jr.)
25. Mugginsmath.com games
26. Operation
27. Othello
28. Pirates Cove
29. Professor Noggin's (we have Earth Science and Explorer's)
30. Qwitch
31. Rat-A-Tat-Cat
32. Scooby-Doo (still tring to learn about it)
33. Scrabble - for non-readers, just start working with letter tiles to spell words out.
34. Shoots and Ladders
35. Slap
36. Sorry
37. Sum Swamp
38. The Amazing Labyrinth
39. The States Game
40. Trouble
41. Uno
42. Wildcraft! An Herbal Adventure
43. Yahtzee (one of the kid's versions)

Wow! That's some list! I'd need more than a Game "Cabinet" to hold them all.

Well, that's all for now!

Suzy :D