How To Gamify Your Homeschool

A homeschool mom wrote to ask me where my episode on gamifying your homeschool was. The problem is I don't have one! But I thought it was a fantastic idea. This is The Homeschool Sanity Show, the episode where we talk about making our homeschooling more like a fun, motivating game.

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Gameschooling

You might have heard of gameschooling. There are some excellent online influencers who share games for teaching just about every topic. I've shared games for teaching language arts as well as holiday games. I'm a huge fan of games as a break from traditional teaching. Kids love them and depending on the games, we parents do too. Not only are games fun learning, but they can create family memories you will cherish.

I incorporate games into Grammar Galaxy as well. I particularly like active games because they're a welcome break for active kids. The fun involved in a game releases dopamine in the brain which aids in retention of the material.

Language Arts Board Games

Free Grammar Games

Free Vocabulary Games

Gameschooling: The Waldock Way

Gameschooling: My Little Poppies

Gameschooling: The Mulberry Journal

Gameschooling is great. But there is more to gamifying your homeschool than simply adding educational, fun games to your curriculum.

Gamifying Your Homeschool

Gamification means adding game principles to your homeschool life so that you and your family are more motivated.

Let me share an example to explain. Imagine that you were invited to play a card game. There are many rules: you must play certain cards for points but there are other cards that will cost you points. You begin trying to play to earn points. But you forget and play some cards that cost you points. There aren't any written rules to refer to.

After some time goes by, you ask how you're doing in the game. Are you ahead, behind, winning, or losing? You're told to just keep playing the game and you'll figure it out. New rules seem to be added to the game every turn that cost you points. When you make what you think is a play that will earn you lots of points,