Games

Toy Theater – Puzzles and Educational Games

Today we feature Toy Theater, a site filled with a dozens of interactive animated games and puzzles to develop thinking skills and to have loads of educational fun in the process. This link is to the puzzles page… but be sure to also check out the other categories of interactive games by clicking the menu tabs at the top of the page. There you’ll also find math, art, reading & music goodies too.

CLICK HERE to go to the website!

Games, Math

Fraction Worksheets Spinner Games

Kids can’t resist spinner games, so yours should really get a kick out of these. WeAreTeachers.com has several neat printable game worksheets that help teach fractions. Their packet of fractions worksheets includes 11 printable games. Students can play the games to practice writing and recognizing fractions, coloring and producing fractions, fraction equivalents, and fraction-decimal conversion.

Click HERE to go to the website!

Games, Just for Fun, Living Books

Choose Your Own Adventure… in Narnia!

Wow! Want to go on your own adventure in Narnia? Check this out.

This is just totally cool if your kids enjoy “choose your own adventure” stories. This is a series of four interactive, choose-your-own-adventure-style “game books” based on C. S. Lewis’ Narnia series, originally published by the Episcopal Radio-TV Foundation. All four volumes of the “Narnia Solo Game Series” are meant to be read & played by one reader, and are available in PDF, kindle, and other ebook formats.

Parental Note: These interactive stories include Narnia-style magic and fantasy characters, so if that is not your cup of tea, just don’t get these. But if your kids like Narnia, and enjoy games, they will love these very unique books and will have hours of fun “exploring” the stories.

Click each link to go to that volume on archive.org:

#1) RETURN TO DEATHWATER

#2) THE SORCERESS AND THE BOOK OF SPELLS

#3) LEAP OF THE LION

#4) THE LOST CROWNS OF CAIR PARAVEL

Games, Grammar

The Child’s Own English Book – Lessons & Word Games

Today we feature this little-known gem, which is a terrific introduction to grammar: You have an introductory story/essay on each part of speech, how it is used, and why it is important. This is followed by several games to play that will help teach young students to identify and properly use their nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns, interjections, etc. A unique and innovative approach to beginning grammar, this is a playful and child-friendly classic text! Highly recommended!

To download this PDF ebook, RIGHT CLICK HERE and “save” to your computer.

Mac users: Hold down the CONTROL button and click the above link, then “save” to your mac.

Games, Math

Fun Dice Games that Teach Math

Dice Games = Math Fun

One “math manipulative” that most of us already have in our homes is dice. This little cubed figure is our best friend when it comes to teaching multiple math concepts.

Dice games are versatile. They can be based on luck, skill, planning, or all of the above. You can find games to play with two players or twenty, on a table or on the floor, and ages 3 – 80 can enjoy them together. They are a great way to practice math skills and pass the time.

First, here’s a few helpful tips when playing with dice:

– Use a cup to control shaking before the roll (this can be noisier but that is okay!).
– To prevent dice from falling to the floor, instruct students to cup one hand as if it were a soccer goal and roll the dice with the other hand into the “goal”.
– Use old place mats or felt squares to dampen the noise of dice rolling.
– Students often get overly excited about rolling dice, creating flying dice and theatrics. Use this rule to help keep gaming orderly: If dice are rolled off the mat, the player loses his/her turn.

Next, here are some great links to a multitude of cool dice math game ideas:

DO-IT-YOURSELF MATH GAMES WITH DICE

PRINTABLE MATH GAMES USING DICE

A BUNCH MORE DICE GAMES FROM ACTIVITYVILLAGE

 

 

Games, Grammar

Classic Grammar & Games: The Child’s Own English Book

The Child’s Own English Book (PDF ebook)

Today we feature this little-known gem, which is a terrific introduction to grammar: You have an introductory story/essay on each part of speech, how it is used, and why it is important. This is followed by several games to play that will help teach young students to identify and properly use their nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns, interjections, etc. A unique and innovative approach to beginning grammar, this is a playful and child-friendly classic text! Highly recommended!

To download this PDF ebook, RIGHT CLICK HERE and “save” to your computer.

Mac users: Hold down the CONTROL button and click the above link, then “save” to your mac.

Games

Real Life Games for Kids…

…as opposed to virtual computer games, that is!

Here’s a wonderful page at activityvillage.co.uk that offers a couple HUNDRED hands-on games for children, for just about any occasion: solitaire games, memory games, car travel games, party games, math games, make-your-own games and many more. Many include printable and/or instructions on creating your own game boards and pieces (which makes them even more special to your kids).

CLICK HERE to go to the site!

Family Life, Games

Great Grandma’s Treasury of Fun & Games

Great Grandma’s Treasury of Fun & Games (Volume One)

Re-discover some of the fun playtime activities enjoyed by children of previous generations in this volume of vintage family fun games and activities, taken from a variety of turn of the century collections.

In Volume One, we have a fun collection of: string figures, tricks, puzzles, quiet games, singing games and riddles. (If you’d like to see Volume Two, let us hear from you!)

To download this PDF ebook, RIGHT CLICK HERE and “save link” to your computer. Mac users, press the “control” key then click the link and save to your mac.

Games, Homeschool Helps

Teach With Games – and make your own, too!

Here’s a neat – and FREE! – way to create your own simple printable games to help younger students review or memorize what they are learning.

TeachWithGames.com has developed a online tool that lets you quickly create free printable card games with your own customized information, PLUS you can also search for games others have made studying the same information you need to memorize. Once you make a game you can save it for yourself — and as soon as it’s approved, it will also be shared with others to study the same subjects. It’s a community of games!

There are four different style game formats that can be used for different information: Pairs, Sets, Categories, and Sequences. Examples of all these can be found on the site. And you can click HERE to view a short instructional video that shows you step by step how to get started and create your first game.

Access to the tool is free when you register for a free membership on the site.

CLICK HERE to go to the website!