Let’s chat about affordable gameschool resources, shall we? There is a common misconception among homeschool families when it comes to gameschooling. Many homeschoolers believe that you must have a huge game collection to be a gameschooler, but this is simply not true! You do not need all the games to be a gameschooler, and gameschooling doesn’t need to cost a fortune. There are plenty of affordable gameschool resources out there. Today, I’m sharing inexpensive gameschooling resources so that your family can fall in love with gameschooling!
Gameschooling Doesn’t Have To Cost A Fortune:
10 Affordable Gameschool Resources Your Family Will Love!
Learning With Games Can Be Expensive…
Let’s face it, board games are expensive. On the My Little Poppies blog and in the Never Board Learning community, I often talk about the dangers of gameschooling.
All too often, when a homeschool family first learns of gameschooling, they go on a quest to build the family board game collection.
- Seeing other families’ game collections can lead to feelings of inadequacy
- Families mistakenly believe that they need a collection of games to gameschool
This is where gameschooling gets dangerous! I’m here to tell you that you do not need an overflowing educational board game collection to be a gameschooler.
In fact, you can start gameschooling today and you don’t need a thing. And there are plenty of affordable gameschool resources out there!
These three had a raucous good time playing NBL’s Indoor Scavenger Hunt!
But there *are* affordable gameschool resources! It is totally possible to gameschool without spending a ton of money.
The only true gameschool requirement is to have a playful mindset. When you have a playful mindset, you can infuse play into your daily activities. But a couple of basics can help, too.
With a play mindset and a standard deck of playing cards, you can play all year long.
If you head to the Bicycle website or use the Bicycle app, you can find oodles of rules for every card game under the sun. That should keep you busy for months and you need not spend a dime!
Every year, Board Game Geek hosts a board game challenge. It’s called the 10 x 10 Challenge. The goal is to play ten games ten times during the course of the year.
Think about that for a second. Ten games (and you can use a deck of cards) ten times. That’s 100 games with your family! Can you imagine what an impact that would have on your homeschool atmosphere?!?
Last month at NBL, we took our card games to the next level with a Card Game Bingo Challenge!
10 Affordable Gameschooling Resources Your Family Will Love
- A deck of playing cards:
As I mentioned above, if you have a standard deck of playing cards, you can play all year long! - The Bicycle Cards website and/or How to Play App:
The Bicycle Playing Cards website and app are among my most recommended resources for new gameschoolers. You can search games and filter by the number of players and age ranges. - Board Game Geek:
Board Game Geek is an absolute treasure-trove for game enthusiasts. You can find forums, FAQs, reviews, and buy/sell threads. Do you have a question about that game in your closet? They’ve got the answers! - A plan:
One of the biggest gameschool obstacles is time. Homeschoolers have a million and one boxes to check off every single day. Making space to play can be challenging! If you want to play more, you might benefit from scheduling it. Start your day with a quick game, play trivia or Boggle over lunch, play a quick game on the soccer sidelines, or connect over a game before bedtime. If you plan it, it will be easier to knock out of the park. - Your library and/or your local game shop: Before you pull out your wallet, check in with your local library and/or game shop. Many libraries and game stores have programs where you can borrow and/or try before you buy. Also, many libraries and game stories will let you play for free in-house!
- Dominoes:
Just like a deck of cards, dominoes provide a lot of bang for your buck. Dominoes are super affordable. There are oodles of games you can play with a set of dominoes. - Dice:
Similar to cards and dominoes, dice are a fantastic gameschool basic. They are affordable and can be played in multiple ways. - Go-to homeschool websites:
Many websites offer free or affordable game resources. Let’s Play Math is one of my favorites but there are a gazillion others! - Teachers Pay Teachers:
If you’re looking for affordable skill-specific games, Teachers Pay Teachers is an excellent resource as it is filled with heaps of printable games at low prices. - A supportive community:
If you want to add more play-based learning and gameschooling to your homeschool routine, a supportive community is key. Whether that’s an incredible online community, a local group of homeschool families you meet up with regularly, or a game-loving friend with who you trade games, a support network will help you to play more!
Reading the instructions of Indoor Scavenger Hunt, a printable resource available in the NBL Resource Library.
Never Board Learning Can Help Your Family to Play More
At Never Board Learning, we believe homeschooling can be almost all fun and games. The NBL Community will help your family to play more and learn lots!
Never Board Learning is a private online community for creative parents and educators who enjoy play-based learning and gameschooling. Never Board Learning features a private (non-Facebook) community forum, guest speakers, Q and As, day in the life family spotlights, and a growing resource library filled with challenges, monthly giveaways and promos, documentation resources, and print-and-play activities.
When you become a member, you embark on an NBL Choose Your Own Adventure. You’ll discover your character, your quest, and an enemy to look out for!
But don’t worry- the NBL adventure is a cooperative one. You’ll be able to call upon community members for support, inspiration, and encouragement!
May 2021 was an incredibly fun and productive month in Never Board Learning. Check out this month-in-review to see what all the fuss is about:
At the time this article was published, you can become a member of NBL for just $10 a month, or you can join the fun for a year at $96/year (that works out to just $8 a month!). The amount of connection, support, resources you receive for those dollars is priceless. Read more about Never Board Learning here!
Affordable Gameschool Resources From My Little Poppies
In addition to the many resources we provide to NBL members, My Little Poppies offers several affordable resources. Here are a few resources from our shop:
And a FREE Gameschool Resources From My Little Poppies
Don’t forget about our FREE 7-Day Gameschool Kickstart. You can sign up here!
