Get Tabletop Games and Puzzles in the Classroom

Welcome to Board of Education a place for educators and families to learn about the best puzzles and tabletop games for the classroom and kitchen table.

When I say tabletop games I am including board games, role playing games, dice games, and card games. Some of my favorite tabletop games include: Stone Age, Pandemic, Tsuro, Love Letter, Sleeping Queens, Rat-a-Tat Cat, For Sale, Farkle, and Martian Dice.

When I say puzzles, I do not mean jigsaw puzzles, but rather brain bending fun puzzles that reach several curricular areas. My favorite curricular puzzles come from a genius mathematician gone educator Dr. Gordon Hamilton and his brilliant MathPickle activities. It is my opinion that every math classroom should be using his puzzles--they are that good.

I have been an educator for nearly 11 years. I readily use puzzles and tabletop games in my elementary classroom. Games provide an instant buy-in for children. Getting children interested in learning is a large part of the battle that educators face on a daily basis. I have found that games and puzzles provide a very clever way of sneaking in learning.

A few years ago, I wrote a grant for $100 to my school's Parent Teacher Organization for tabletop games. I was granted the money, and the games were a big hit! A year later, I wrote a grant to our district foundation for $1,000. It was generously funded, and I've created an after school gaming club, and have hosted family game nights as well. I am currently working on organizing a district-wide tabletop gaming festival.

I've been playing tabletop games for over 30 years. Being the youngest of 5 children, I benefited from my older siblings love for games. Some of my fondest memories were created as I spent countless hours with my family.

Quality hours that are sadly missing from a lot of families these days.

I also learned quite a bit playing games. I learned how to take turns, how to problem solve, and negotiate. My creativity grew, as did my vocabulary, and I developed a lot of schema on various subjects.

And you know what...? I didn't even know I was learning. I was just having a great time!

It's quite simple, really. Play.

I am excited to write about the great games and puzzles that have benefited my students and my children. In future posts, I will review games and explain how they may fit nicely into your classroom or living room.

Until then, I urge you and the kids in your life to simply...

Play!