It’s already October! The leaves are falling and the temperatures are dropping. Outdoor excursions are getting shorter so it’s time to seek out some fun indoor activities. I love games for keeping minds active and bodies busy. The following are ten of our favorite herbally inspired games to play.

There are not a lot of herbal oriented herbal games available but there are a few! Some I’ve listed teach about herbs and herbalism while others are more plant growing oriented. All are fun for kids to play, especially when they recognize the herbs in the games.

I’ve attached links to lead you directly to the websites where they are available. Amazon links are affiliate links – if you click and buy from that link, I receive a small percentage of the sales with no extra cost to you. This is helpful for keeping this website going!

Herbal Bingo by Herbal Roots zine. This is a free downloadable/printable game of Bingo that helps kids to remember herbs. 

Go Cultivate! by Herbal Roots zine. This is a free downloadable/printable game that is similar to Go Fish and teaches kids native herb identification.

Officinalis by Robin Red Games. Though this game is from France, it is translated into several languages. You play as an her­ba­list whose objec­tive is to col­lect medi­ci­nal plants in order to concoct infu­sions that pay big while avoi­ding the toxic plants of your oppo­nents! I really love this game!

Herbaceous and Herbaceous Sproutsby Pencil First Games. Herbaceous is a game of potting up herbs to come up with the best collection. Herbaceous Sprouts is a game of collecting seeds, using tools, and growing sprouts in the community garden. The goal is to become the head gardener.

Morels: Strategic Foraging and Feasting for Twoand the add-on game Morels Foray by Brent Povis/Two Lanterns Games This is a game about foraging for morels and other edible mushrooms, and teaches about needing to use caution as some mushrooms are poisonous.

Wildcraft!  by Learning Herbs is a fun adventure that teaches kids how to use herbs for a variety of ailments along the journey to collect berries for Grandma’s pie.

Shanleya’s Quest 1 and 2 Card Games by Thomas Elpel. These card decks are connected to the popular books Shanleya’s Quest 1 and 2 and are great for teaching botany with or without the books.

Have you tried these games with your kids? Which are your family’s favorites?