Aargh, ye matey! With movies like Pirates of the Caribbean and books like Treasure Island, pirates have captivated the imagination of many people. For many years, my son was among that number, so we have quite a few pirate-themed games.
Whodunnit Games
If you love crime shows, mysteries, and logic, you need to check out these whodunnit games! Following clues to solve mysteries develops logic, critical thinking, perseverance, and curiosity. It’s also helpful in everyday life! We’ve all had small mysteries of
Brave New Worlds
Is your child learning about space, or do they want to learn about space? Then you definitely want to check out Brave New Worlds! I got it on Kickstarter when my space-obsessed son was far too young, so it’s been
Thinkfun’s Escape the Room Games: Secret of Dr. Gravely’s Retreat
My family has tried a few escape rooms now and has really enjoyed them, so you can imagine my delight when I saw this game at a thrift store for less than $5! New, most of Thinkfun’s escape room games
Chemistry Games
You can learn a lot from games, but some subjects are easier than others. In the summer of 2025, my family began learning about chemistry. Crash Course and Khan Academy formed the backbone of our first introduction, but I wanted
Subatomic
Are you looking for a game to play double-duty for chemistry and physics? Subatomic is a bigger, more complicated game, but it might be just what you’re looking for! This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click on
Compounded
Chemistry, strategy, and competition, oh my! Compounded might be just the game to round out your chemistry studies. Careful, though; if a lab fire occurs, you could lose everything! This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click on
Periodic
Are your kids learning chemistry? Periodic (by Genius Games) is one of the best chemistry games out there that will help your kids gain familiarity with the periodic table of the elements. Even better, it’s just a really fun game
Code Master
Coding has become almost a buzzword these days and it seems like everyone is learning it or wants their kids to learn it. There are even coding games for preschoolers! However, most coding requires a computer and screen time, which
Physics Games
For the past year or so, I have been aware that my blog is missing physics games and so I have been on the hunt for them. While it’s easy to find great chemistry and biology games, it’s much harder
Games for 6 or More Players
Most games work best for 3-4 players, with some made for as many as 5 players. However, sometimes a bigger family wants to be able to play together, or maybe you even want to play with friends. Not to worry;
History Games
History was my least-favorite subject, but I have come to appreciate it more as I explore it with my children. However, we still do not have a ton of history games, though they are more widely available now. We’ve studied
Axis and Allies
Axis and Allies is one of those games that have been around for a long time and everyone’s heard of it. However, I had never played it or even seen it; all I knew was that it was long and
Shifting Stones
Shifting Stones is another Gamewright game, so I was confident it would be a winner and I was right! If your family enjoys lots of logic and a little luck, then you definitely want to check out Shifting Stones. This
Piratoons
Up until very recently, my son was obsessed with pirates (we’re talking about nearly a decade-long obsession!). There are quite a few pirate-themed games, so it was easy to find lots. Not only is Piratoons pirate-themed, it’s a fantastic resource-management
Crows
Logic, tile placement, strategy, and spatial reasoning has Crows a sure winner. I actually have a hard time believing Valley Games went out of business because we love all the games we’ve tried from them. (Apparently, there were several contributing
Sail Away
Until very recently, my son was obsessed with pirates, so naturally, we have a number of pirate-themed games. Sail Away is one that I bought on sale for a really good deal and ended up being very pleasantly surprised about!
Escape Rooms
A few years ago, escape rooms and escape room board games were all the rage, but I was wary of trying an expensive one-time-use product. However, I’ve since had the opportunity to try a few different ones, and I wanted
Backyard Builders Treehouse
Friendly, low-key competition, some addition, strategy, and a bit of luck: that’s Backyard Builders Treehouse. No reading is required and only minimal easy addition in the scorekeeping, making this game ideal for younger players. The game was made by Crash
Herd Your Horses
Like many girls, I caught the horse bug early. My big sister started horseback riding lessons when I was 7 or 8, and I started shortly afterward. I didn’t get my first horse until I was a teenager, so the