[Ayoob]

We're going to homeschool, and games are going to be an integral part of the curriculum of our grade school program. We have dice, dominoes, backgammon, checkers, chess, go, scrabble, and a bunch of other games. We're thinking that we'll be able to teach numbers and strategy with games. Card games work in here and there, between go fish and contract bridge.

This leads to a study of algebra, history, language, and music.

What do you think? I was thinking that we would study games for kindergarten and up through about fourth grade.

[eastbay]

Don't forget a variety of self defense activities. The very young benefit greatly from this. As a kid we used to play king of the hill and war because we had no equipment. Even football demonstrates fighting skills. They build character and civility.

[Xenophobe]

What do you think? I was thinking that we would study games for kindergarten and up through about fourth grade.

I think playing games never was, and is not, what school is all about. Deleted. Ad Hom. Quit Posting That Kind of Trash.

[Narz]

I personally love games & think I learned more from them than public school.

There are a lot of great new "EuroGames" that have come out since I was a lad. Settlers of Catan being the most popular. They can teach all sorts of things like supply & demand, scarcity, negotiation, psychology, mutual aid (though, in the end, most games are competitive though there are some non-competitive games out there).

I wouldn't focus solely on games of course but if they take up two hours a day I don't think that would be a bad thing.

[Ludi]

I think playing games never was, and is not, what school is all about.

Playing games is how children naturally learn (as well as how other young animals learn).

But "school" isn't much about learning, especially these days.

[Ludi]

Open source learning materials: http://www.oercommons.org/

[Tyler_JC]

http://www.k12.com

I've seen ads for these guys. I don't know if it's any good.