The Best Elective Games That Enrich Your Homeschool

Art, Music, STEM & Mindfulness—Learning Beyond the Core Subjects

One of the best parts of homeschooling is the freedom to explore learning that goes beyond just reading, writing, and math. It gives us the flexibility to nurture the whole child—their creativity, curiosity, emotional growth, and sense of wonder.

For us, games have been one of the easiest and most effective ways to support that.

Now, I didn’t always see games as “school.” They were fun—great for bonding—but I didn’t think of them as real learning. That changed when Emily struggled to learn her math facts, and we took a break over the holidays. During that time, we played a lot of games—especially her dad’s favorite, Yahtzee. When we picked school back up in January, she suddenly knew her math facts—fluently.

That’s when it all clicked: Games aren’t just fun—they’re powerful learning tools.

Since then, we’ve brought games into every part of our homeschool, including subjects we often call electives—like STEM, art, music, and mindfulness. These areas are just as important for raising creative, capable, and emotionally intelligent kids. And yes, there are amazing games for all of them.

Why Use Games for Electives in Your Homeschool?

Electives are where your child’s passions and personality can really shine. But they’re often the first things to fall off the schedule when things get busy. That’s where games come in.

Games offer:

  • Creative expression without messy supplies or rigid expectations
  • Critical thinking & problem-solving through STEM puzzles and logic
  • Emotional development and social awareness through mindfulness play
  • Rhythm, language, and memory building through music-based games
  • Low-prep ways to explore enrichment subjects in a hands-on format

Best of all? Most of these elective games are so engaging, kids don’t even realize how much they’re learning.

Art & Music Games

These games make creative expression fun and accessible—even for kids who don’t think they’re “artsy.” From trivia and drawing to singing and storytelling, they help build confidence and imagination through playful exploration.

 The Grand Museum of Art Board Mythical Creatures Drawing Game & Animal Bob Ross the Art of Chill BrainBox for Kids – Art Card Junk Art Plastic Board Games Go Fish for Modern Artists Card Endless Games Encore Board Game – Spontuneous – The Song Game – Doodle Dice Game by Brybelly My Big Art Show: A Card USAOPOLY Telestrations Original 6 Player | Professor Noggin’s History of Art Trivia

STEM Games

Science, technology, engineering, and math games help kids build real-world problem-solving skills while having fun. These games promote logic, design thinking, physics, and coding—all without needing a lab coat.

 Melissa & Doug Suspend Family Game ThinkFun Laser Chess Two Player Strategy ThinkFun Code Master Programming Logic Game ThinkFun Robot Turtles STEM Toy and Hasbro A2120E24 – Jenga Classic – Peaceable Kingdom Engineering Ants ThinkFun Gravity Maze Marble Run Brain Ravensburger Make ‘N’ Break for Ages

Mindfulness & Emotional Intelligence Games

These games support social-emotional learning, mindfulness, self-regulation, and empathy. They’re especially helpful for downtime, emotional resets, or building life skills in a gentle, playful way.

 Mindfulness Therapy Games: Social Skills Game Don’t Go Bananas – A CBT Play Therapy Supply Mindfulness Matters: The Social Emotional Games NoWaries S.T.O.R.M. | Mad Dragon: An Anger Control Card The Yoga Garden Game EQtainment Q’s Race to The Top ThinkFun Yoga Dice Game for Boys

Want to keep exploring? You can shop our favorite elective games here, including options for art, music, mindfulness, and STEM—organized by age and skill level for easy planning.

Adding electives to your homeschool doesn’t have to mean crafting a full art curriculum or squeezing in another workbook. Sometimes, it’s as simple as pulling a game off the shelf.

Whether your child loves drawing, dreams of inventing things, or just needs help navigating big emotions—there’s a game for that. And those little moments of play? They just might become the most meaningful parts of your homeschool day.

What elective-themed game has been a favorite in your homeschool? Let me know in the comments—I’m always looking for new ones to try!