Did you know that children learn best through play? The art of strewing games can be a simple way to enhance core subjects such as math, history, language arts, and science all while playing!
You may be wondering then, what is strewing?
In our homeschool, strewing is the act of leaving interesting and exciting resources out for my children to discover!
It’s the perfect way to introduce new topics, and ideas in which kiddos can engage and interact,
Did you know that many homeschool parents already do this unschoolish habit?
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The Art of Strewing Games in Your Homeschool
Play is serious business for kids, folks. It’s how they learn.
I want to foster a love of learning in my children as well as teach them HOW to learn about the things that interest them.
That’s one of the reasons strewing has become such a major part of our homeschool.
The term strewing was coined by veteran unschooling mom, Sandra Todd, and has been used amongst unschoolers for years. But strewing isn’t just for unschoolers! Any homeschool method can benefit from the art of strewing.
Strewing encourages creativity, natural curiosity, and questions about the world around us.
It can be as simple as setting out:
- books
- games
- puzzles
- documentaries
- craft and art supplies
- kits and hands-on activities
- nature items
When children are interested in something there is an inquisitive drive to learn all they can about it.
I strew items throughout our home that I feel my children may find interesting, exciting, or fun. In this way, they discover new interests, dive deeper into older interests, and explore creative opportunities set out for them.
Pairing Fantastic Games with Amazing Books
I follow my children’s interests with a mostly literature-based/hands-on approach to our homeschool. I like to say that strewing is a delightfully delicious dessert to our otherwise educational meal.
When I strew resources around our home there are no strings attached. It’s all about creating an enchanting and encouraging atmosphere of interests.
Sometimes the items I strew are met with indifference or are completely ignored, even games.
That’s totally fine!
I try to strew games that I think would pair well with current picture books and read alouds. These also coincide with the children’s interests. Other times I strew games because…why not? Games are fun!
Games don’t have to fit into a predetermined educational box of math, science, history, etc. to be educational. Though they absolutely can!
Gameplay is just that, an invitation to play!
There is much that my kiddos are learning by playing games:
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early literacy skills
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following directions
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math skills
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verbal communication skills
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cooperation skills
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learning to handle wins and losses
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self-regulation
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critical thinking
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problem-solving skills
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attention and focus
Below are some fabulous games you can include in your strewing endeavors.
*Before choosing a game please keep in mind the recommended number of players, and age recommendations. You can click on each game below to read more about it.*
The Art of Strewing Math Games
I want to nurture my children’s desire to learn in fun hands-on ways. Math is typically not a subject that one would be described as fun.
Yet, many games have helped my kids practice the math skills they’ve learned or learn new math skills in engaging and exciting ways!
My daughter learned to count money with the game Money Bags in a single afternoon!
Some of our very favorite games are Math games. They are games that I strewed not because of the Math aspect, but because they were games, I thought my kiddos would enjoy! And they did!
That’s strewing, folks!
And Math CAN be fun.
The Art of Strewing Problem Solving and Logic Games
Earlier this year my son dove into World War I. Thus, began his interest into secret codes! I gathered a few games and books to encourage his interest.
He LOVED the Mastermind Game…however, the CODENAMES game has yet to be opened. That goes back to the heart of strewing.
Leave your expectations at the door. Strewing is not about coercion or forcing your child’s interest in a direction you want it to go. 
The Art of Strewing History and Geography Games
When the kids were obsessed with Greek mythology, I strewed games with a Greek theme:
Recently my son has wanted to dive deeper into the Civil Rights Movement. So, I gathered a few books and games to meet his interest:
I’m always looking for new and exciting ways to help my kiddos learn more about their interests. With many of these historically based games, my kids have unknowingly learned about trade, economics, and budgeting!
The Art of Strewing Language Arts Games
I love that our language arts program, Brave Writer, encourages playing with language. Playing language games helps my kids with:
- literacy
- oral language
- grammar
- spelling
- vocabulary skills
Has your kiddo shown an interest in language? My children love creating stories, rhymes, and words. So, I try to strew a few language arts games each week.
The Art of Strewing Art Games
Did you know there are art-themed games? Yes, some are simple card games, but there are other more strategic board games like Bob Ross: The Art of Chill, Pastiche, and Fresco that require more strategy and can make great games for the whole family.
If you have art loving kiddos, like mine, then you’ll be pleased to discover a treasure trove of art games to strew!
The Art of Strewing Nature Games
Do you have kiddos interested in nature? Then you’ll be thrilled that there are nature games to strew when you can’t get out into the forests and parks.
The Art of Strewing Science Games
Yes, you really can learn science while you play! The following games are a great way to introduce science in a playful and hands-on way especially if your children have a passion for it.
The Art of Strewing Games for Little Kids
If you’ve got little ones that don’t have loads of gaming experience, then here are a few games that may interest you. These beginner games are perfect for your beginner gamers!
Incorporating Educational Games into Your Homeschool
Board games are a great resource to strew throughout your homeschool, after school, or on the weekends. Family games offer loads of learning opportunities, plus they’re fun! Do you use strewing and games in your homeschool?
For more gameplay inspiration, check out my friend Cait at My Little Poppies! She is the game master and I look to her for inspiration on new games. She also has a thriving Facebook Gameschool Community that is a wealth of knowledge!
You may also be interested in these posts about strewing:
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Homeschool Strewing as Part of a Child-Led Education
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The Art of Strewing Math in Your Homeschool
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100 Strewing Ideas for Your Homeschool
Want more game ideas? Then check out these posts:
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30+ Stocking Stuffer Game Ideas For Kids
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The Art of Strewing Math in Your Homeschool
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Playing with Language Games Your Kids will Love
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Exploring Art: Art Books and Games for Kids
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50 Favorite Games The Whole Family Will Love
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Brownies, Books, and Games in the New Year
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Learning Math with our Favorite Games and Apps
Lots of ideas for games. Stack it and settlers are current favourites in my home