Imagine you’re in the car with the kids, excited to see your extended family (or at least, specific members of your extended family), and you’re not quite there yet.


And the kids been glued to their video games, cell phones, and electronic devices the whole time. You know it’s not good for them, but at least you have some peace during the car ride. You shrug it off, not too worried about it, thinking about all the running around with cousins they’ll do once they get there.


And then you hear…


“Are we there yet?”
“I’m bored.”
“I’m hungry.”


…and whining.


Now what do you do?


It seems impossible for kids to entertain themselves these days without the use of batteries.


That’s what spurred me to create this “Pen & Paper Games” packet that I want to share with you. It’s full of my very best on-the-go, play-anywhere games that you don’t need any equipment (other than a brain) to play! These games I’ve played with my kids over the years, even standing in lines at Disnleyland.


Click here to download the packet and enjoy with your family!

 
 
By the way, Bagels is still our favorite line-waiting game, because it’s so fun to play and easy to teach the on-lookers who are wondering why we keep shouting “PICO!” and “FERMI!” followed by uproarious laughter. Bagels is good for the car too, only maybe without the shouting. It’s basically a mental version of the old Mastermind game, but don’t tell them that! Just enjoy the game and have fun learning and exploring our wonderful world.


If you’ve ever wanted to sneak a peek into my cabinet of educational games and books for kids, now is your chance. Use this list for gift ideas, boredom busters, and just plain family fun. Some of these games you can pick up at the store, and the rest are the home-made, print-it-out, cut-and-play variety that your kids will really learn from.


I first made this list because I felt that so many games are watered-down versions of either bingo or “roll the dice and see where you land”, with the occasional card pick. I was curious to see if there were any truly great educational games still available, or if they were all just brain candy.


My games listed here are designed to develop strategy, critical thinking, and chaotic surprise in addition to having the kids learn practical knowledge along the way (not trivial fluff). And when a kid memorizes the card deck, it works in their favor because now they know the entire periodic table.


Here you’ll find games including arithmetic, fractals, equations, chemistry, physics, and more. If you have any you’d like to add to the pile, just submit it in the comments section so everyone can benefit. Are you ready?


Note: This list is growing so please check back for updates!


Favorite Books

Favorite Resource for Science Supplies

A lot of science supplies can be purchased online these days, especially the hard to find stuff. However, if you’re in the market for oddball items from a company that reuses industrial overruns, here it is:


  • RAFT Resource Area For Teaching RAFT (Resource Area For Teaching). When I was first starting out, I would take a pickup truck to RAFT in San Jose and load up on everything I needed to teach science for the month. Since I was teaching at 60 different schools (about 50 classes per week), I went through a LOT of materials… and I knew I had to get them inexpensively. RAFT has grown a lot over the years, and if you’ve never had the opportunity before, now is your chance to check it out for yourself.
  • Educational Innovations is the place I got a lot of my physics stuff when I was teaching at the university.
  • Sci-Supply is an inexpensive physics store with lots of great stuff for smart kids.
  • Science First is where I get a lot of my higher-end, more commercial grade physics demos.


Favorite Science Games

Math Games

  • Equate the Math version of Scrabble, which is great for kids that are getting the hang of arithmetic
  • Best Dice Game for honing math skills – I keep a set in my purse wherever I go (no kidding!)
  • Monopoly using a third and fourth die to calculate tax for purchases or compound interest (for rate and time); federal income tax brackets (which depend on your capital) replaces the ‘income tax’ square… we try to make it as realistic as we can, and even do the ‘bidding option’ stated in the rules when buying property.
  • Mathematician Dice
  • Cryptarithms (one of my favorite math games – it’s the image of “SEND MORE MONEY” at the above right – you have to figure out what number each letter represents!)
  • More Math Recommendations

Awesome Games Overall

  • Chess find a 34-piece set (with four queens) and a vinyl mat

Intelligent Music for Kids

(that doesn’t make adults want to rip their hair out)

Here’s the video of the Element Song:


Here’s the video of the Nano Song:


Note: You can find more songs at the Harvard Physics Song site, but be sure to preview them before sharing them with your kids as they are more appropriate for college-level students!


What Pi Sounds Like by Michael Blake (see video below):


If you really want to baffle Aunt Edna next time she visits, then these tips are for you. As a kid, I was never very good at Scrabble, mostly because I played with adults and my word range simply wasn’t as large… so it was highly unfair.


Here’s a way to tip the scales if you feel like you’re in the same boat as I was. The words below can score you big points, both on the board (if you use the triple boxes) and also in the eyes of your family!


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