educational video games for 5 year old

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25 Best Educational Games for 5 Year Olds That are SO FUN!

1. SplashLearn’s Online Educational Games for 5 Year Olds 

2. the rubik’s cube , 3. sequence cards, 4. tic-tac-toe , 5. knock the can, 6. alphabet bingo , engaging and easy board games, 7. chutes and ladders , 8. candy land, 9. scrabble jr. , 10. feed the woozle .

Parents of 5 year olds know that this age is a critical time in their child’s development, and finding the right way to help them learn can be challenging. Fortunately, there are plenty of fun learning games for 5 year olds that can make the process enjoyable for both parents and children.

Whether you’re looking for ways to teach your child the alphabet or basic math concepts, there are plenty of options. So, let’s get the ball rolling with our list of the best games for 5 year olds!

Looking for more online Math games and ELA games to educate and engage your kids? Here are more games to check out!

List of the Best Educational Games for 5 Year Olds!

With so many different games on the market, we’ve divided our list into categories to make it easier for you to find the perfect game for your child.

Learning Games That Kids Will Definitely Enjoy!

First on our list are classic learning games for 5 year olds that have been around for years. These time-tested games are perfect for helping your child learn the basics, including the alphabet, numbers, shapes, and colors.

Skill Development: Math and reading

Price: Free for teachers and a 7-day free trial for parents. Subscription starts at $4.99 per month

You can find various learning games for 5 year olds online. SplashLearn is a website that offers over 4,000 educational games for kids in grades prekindergarten to grade 5. The games teach children essential math, reading, and spelling concepts. And best of all, they’re fun and engaging.

One of the great things about SplashLearn is that the learning program creates a daily personalized learning plan for your child. This plan will ensure that your child is always working on the concepts they need to learn and they’re able to do so independently.

SplashLearn: Most Comprehensive Learning Program for PreK-5

SplashLearn inspires lifelong curiosity with its game-based PreK-5 learning program loved by over 40 million children. With over 4,000 fun games and activities, it’s the perfect balance of learning and play for your little one.

Skill Development: Helps with cognitive development, motor skills and problem solving

What you need: Rubik’s cube

Not only is the Rubik’s Cube a classic game that’s perfect for helping your child learn about colors and patterns, but it’s also a great way to develop their problem-solving skills. You can help your child get started by teaching them how to solve the first layer of the cube. Once they’ve mastered that, they can move on to solving the entire cube.

Tip: Many online tutorials and how-to videos are available to help your child learn how to solve the Rubik’s Cube.

Skill Development: This game helps with critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It’s also a great way to teach your child how to count. 

What you need: A deck of cards

Sequence cards is a classic card game that is perfect for helping your child learn about numbers and patterns. The game aims to lay down cards in numerical order, from 1–10. Not only will they be having fun, but they’ll be learning essential math skills too!

Tip: Make sure to start with an easy level before moving on to the more difficult ones.

Skill Development: This game is a lot of fun and also a great way to teach your child about numbers and strategic thinking.

What you need: A piece of paper and a pencil.

This game is a classic for a reason—it’s easy to learn, and it’s a lot of fun! Draw a grid with nine squares, and label each square with a number from one to nine. Players take turns drawing Xs and Os in the squares, trying to get three in a row. The first player to do so wins the game!

Skill Development: It is a great way to teach your child about aiming and hand-eye coordination. It’s also a lot of fun! 

What you need: An empty can and a softball.

This is a classic outdoor game for active kids. Players take turns throwing the ball at the can, trying to knock it over. The first player to do so wins the game! Your child will love spending time outdoors while playing this game.

Tip: Set up the can at different distances to make the game more challenging.

Skill Development: This game helps with letter recognition and letter sounds.  

One of the most basic games you can play with your child is Alphabet Bingo. Write out the alphabet on each piece of paper, leaving a few spaces blank. The player then draws a letter from a bag or hat and fills the blank space. The first player to fill in all of their spaces wins the game!

What you need: A piece of paper for each player and a pen or pencil.

Tip: You can make the game more challenging by having the player fill in the spaces with words that start with the drawn letter.

Board games for children are a great way to teach them about different concepts. They’re also a lot of fun! Here are a few of our favorites:

The game’s objective is to be the first player to finish by climbing up ladders and avoiding slides (chutes). This is a perfect math game for younger kids, as it doesn’t require any reading. It’s a great way to spend some quality time with your child while they learn important skills.

Skill Development: This classic game is a great way to teach your child about numbers and counting. 

What you need: Chutes and Ladders board, dice, and different colored counters

Tip: Use dice with pictures instead of numbers to make the game more accessible for younger kids.

Candy Land is a classic board game for children. The game is simple—players move their pieces around the board according to the colors of candies they draw from a deck of cards. It is a fun, easy game that young children will enjoy.

Skill Development: It is perfect for 5 year olds, as it helps to develop counting and color recognition skills.

What you need: Candy Land board game

Scrabble Jr. is a great way to introduce your child to spelling and vocabulary. The game is played with two to four players. Players take turns making words with the letter tiles they have been dealt. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins! You can even help them by teaching them the definitions of words they don’t know.

Skill Development: This game is perfect for helping your child expand their vocabulary and learn new words. 

What you need: Scrabble Jr. board game

Tip: Use smaller words and simpler rules when playing with younger children.

This game is about matching shapes and colors. The aim is to get the Woozle fed by matching the right colored food to his mouth. This is an extremely fun game for 5 year olds as it is both fun and educational. Your child will love playing this game, and you’ll love watching them learn!

Skill Development: It’s a great way to help your child learn about shapes and colors and develop their fine motor skills.

11. Guess Who?

Guess Who? is a classic board game that has been around for years. The game’s objective is to be the first player to guess which character their opponent has selected.

To play, each player chooses a card with a character on it. They then take turns asking yes or no questions about the other player’s character, such as “Do they have blue eyes?” The first player to guess correctly wins the game!

What you need: All you need is the game board pack of Guess Who?

Skill Development: It’s a great way to help your child learn about facial features and matching.  

12. Katamino 

A puzzle game that helps kids with spatial awareness. With eighty different challenges to solve, it’s a great way to keep little ones engaged and learning.

You can also play the game with multiple players, making it a great option to spend more quality time with your child.

Skill Development: Katamino is perfect for kids starting to get a handle on shapes and geometry

What you need: Katamino puzzle set

Exhausting Physical Games for Kids

Along with the indoor games, there are a lot of outdoor games for children they can play to have some physical activity in their daily routine. Here are some popular and fun games for 5 year olds.

13. Hula Hoop 

Hula hooping is not only a great workout but also a lot of fun! It’s the perfect game for 5 year olds to play to use up some of their boundless energy. Your kid can practice hula hooping in the backyard, at the park, or even indoors if you have enough space. With some practice, your kid will be a pro in no time!

Skill Development: This physical activity can also help improve coordination.

What you need: One or more Hula Hoops, and you’re good to go!

14. Scavenger Hunt 

A scavenger hunt is a great way to get kids moving and exploring. To play, hide different items around your backyard or house. Then, give your child a list of items they need to find. Once they find all the items on the list, they win the game! Depending on your child’s age and ability, you can make the game as easy or as difficult as you like.

Skill Development: It’s also a perfect opportunity to teach them about nature and the world around them.

What you need: Some items that can be hidden as treasures and some sheets do draw maps or write clues for the hunters.

15. Don’t Let the Balloon Touch the Ground 

All you need is a balloon and an outdoor space. The game’s objective is to keep the balloon from touching the ground. Players can use their hands, feet, or other body parts to keep the balloon aloft. If the balloon touches the ground, the player who last touched it is out! The last player standing wins the game.

Skill Development: This game is great for coordination and gross motor skills.

What you need: A balloon, that’s it!

16. Hide and Seek

Hide and seek is a classic game that children can play anywhere. It’s a great way to get kids moving and exploring their environment. 

Your child can play hide and seek with you, another adult, or even older kids. If you’re playing with younger children, be sure to provide them with some good hiding spots!

Skill Development: It’s the perfect opportunity to teach them about blending with environments and how to use their senses.

What you need: An enclosed area indoors or outdoors, like a small field or in a hall where players can hide

17. Bean Bag Toss 

A bean bag toss is a great game to engage children in physical activity. To play, have your child stand a few feet away from the target and try to toss the bean bag inside. If they succeed, move the target further away. 

If they miss, move the target closer. You can also make the game more challenging by having them toss the bean bag with their eyes closed or from a sitting position.

Skill Development: It is a great way to get kids moving and improve their coordination.

What you need: A bean bag and a target. You can make your target by drawing a circle on a piece of cardboard or using a hula hoop.

18. Ring Toss

Ring toss is a classic carnival game that children can play at home with a few simple supplies. Set up the target can in the middle of the room, and let your child take turns tossing the rings from a few feet away. 

As they get better at releasing the rings, move the target further away. Your 5 year old will love the challenge of getting all the rings on the target.

Skill Development: This game will help improve hand-eye coordination.

What you need: You only need a few small objects for rings and something to use as a “target”—like an empty soda can. 

19. Freeze Dance! 

Turn up the music and get moving! This is a great game to get kids up and active. When the music stops, everyone has to freeze in place. The last person to freeze is out of the game. To make it more challenging, ask kids to make different moves when the music is playing—like hopping on one foot or touching toes.

It would be best if you also tried different genres of music to keep the game interesting. Your child will love busting a move to their favorite songs!

Skill Development: This will enhance their improve their attention to detail as well as their body movement skills.

What you need: Speakers and some free space for the kids to dance.

Indoor Games For Kids to Stimulate Their Brain

Not everyone has access to an outdoor space, but that doesn’t mean your child can’t be active. There are plenty of games for 5 year olds that can be played indoors!

20. Tangram 

Tangram is a Chinese puzzle game that people of all ages can play. The game’s objective is to create different shapes using all seven pieces. 

You can help your child get started by showing them how to make basic shapes, like a square or triangle. They can try to make more complex shapes as they get better at the game.

Skill Development: This game is great for problem-solving and spatial awareness.

What you need: The Tangram puzzle set

21. Balloon Volleyball 

Set up a net in your living room or basement and play a game of indoor volleyball! To keep the game fair, you can have one person on each team hit the balloon three times before it goes over the net. The first team to reach 21 points wins the game!

Skill Development: This is a great way to get kids moving and improve their hand-eye coordination.

What you need: A balloon instead of a volleyball and if you don’t have a net you can use a rope or a laundry basket.

22. Cup Stacking

Cup stacking is an easy game and all you need is a set of plastic cups and some patience!

To play, have your child stack the cups into towers of different heights. As they get better at the game, they can try to stack the cups faster or in more complex patterns. 

Skill Development: Cup Stacking is a great way to improve your child’s hand-eye coordination and improve motor skills.

Tip: You can also turn cup stacking into a race by timing how fast your child can stack and unstack the cups.

What you need: Just a bunch of cups!

23. Dots and Boxes 

Dots and Boxes is a simple game that kids can play with a pencil and paper. The goal of the game is to create as many squares as possible by connecting the dots. 

However, one player can only make one line per move. To make the game more challenging, you can increase the grid size or have your child play with more than one person.

Skill Development: This game is great for honing problem-solving and planning skills.

What you need: A pencil or pen and a sheet of paper.

24. Frozen Words

Simply write down a bunch of words on slips of paper, and put them in a container. Then have your child draw a slip of paper out of the container and try to guess the word from the definition you give. If they guess correctly, they get to keep the word. The person with the most words at the end of the game wins!

Skill Development: This is an excellent game for teaching kids vocabulary. 

What you need: Some small chits of paper to write the words and a big sheet of paper or board for the kids to draw on.

25. Who’s the Baby? 

This game is a great way to introduce fundamental concepts like family and relationships. Players take turns asking questions about the baby in the picture, and the player who correctly guesses the baby’s identity wins the game.

Objectives:

• To learn about family and relationships
• To practice identifying people in pictures

Skill Development: This game will help your child practice their memory and observation skills.

What you need: Lots of photos of family and friends.

Let’s Make Learning Fun!

Learning should be enjoyable for both you and your child. By incorporating games into your child’s learning, you can help them retain information while having fun! Try out some of these games the next time you’re looking for a learning activity. Your child is sure to love them! So get out there and make learning fun for your kids!

What are some benefits of playing games for 5 year olds?

Playing games has many benefits, including improved problem-solving skills, hand-eye coordination, and concentration. Games can also help to introduce new concepts and vocabulary words. Educational games for 5 year olds can also prepare them for the skills they’ll learn in school.

What should I do if my child isn’t interested in educational games?

Don’t worry! Not every child is interested in games, and that’s okay. There are plenty of other ways to help your child learn. Try reading books together, doing puzzles, or even just talking about the things that interest them. As long as you’re spending time together and engaging with your child, they’ll be learning!

How can I tell if my child is ready for some of these games?

The best way to know if your child is ready for a particular game is to try it out and see how they do. If they seem to be struggling, that’s okay! Just try an easier game or one that’s more tailored to their interests. With time and practice, they’ll be playing more complex games in no time!

Do I need to buy anything special to play these games?

No, you don’t need to buy anything special. There are various free games for 5 year olds to enhance their learning. Many of the games on this list can be played with items that you already have around the house!

Are there any games for kids that can be played quickly?

There is no need to worry if you don’t have much time to spend on these games. Just a few minutes here and there can make a big difference. If you’re short on time, try incorporating learning into everyday activities like cooking or cleaning. Add games to your weekly or monthly schedule since every little bit helps!

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13 (Secretly) Educational Video Games That Kids Will Actually Like

Yes, it's possible for video games to be fun and educational.

• She received the Renau Writing Scholarship in 2016 from the University of Louisville's communication department.

Games are a great way to keep kids entertained. It's an added bonus if they're educational. 

Video games have come a long way from the Super Mario Bros. games of the '80s and '90s -- and I'm not just talking about graphics. Developers have gotten super creative at sneaking in educational lessons where kids would least expect them. And one of the best ways to learn is when you're having fun .

In addition, an ongoing study published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open says that kids who play video games daily show improved cognitive skills in comparison with kids who don't play at all. 

Check out our list of mobile apps, PC and video games that can educate and entertain your kids.

What your kids will learn: creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, reading, math and more

Minecraft is available on multiple platforms.

World-building game Minecraft lets players explore, gather resources, craft tools and engage in some mild combat. The game has different modes -- survival, creative, adventure, spectator and multiplayer -- so players have flexibility in how they approach it. 

Creative freedom and self-direction isn't all that the game lends its players, according to iD Tech . Minecraft teaches teamwork and the motivation to improve reading and math skills. To get better at the game, parents told iD Tech that their kids started reading about biomes and calculating rations for adventures, dividing supplies and how many minutes until "night" in the game. Minecraft's educational benefits have also been packaged for the classroom . 

You can play the game on PC, mobile, console, Amazon Fire and Oculus. 

The Oregon Trail

What your kids will learn: historical events, critical thinking, problem-solving skills and more

Are you tough enough to survive blizzards, disease and snake bites in the retro "Oregon Trail" game?

The Oregon Trail came onto the scene in the '70s and has gone through quite a few changes since then. My 10-year-old self spent many an afternoon trying to get my digital wagon 2,000 miles west to safety. Before you start the trip, you pick a job (each has its own unique benefits), name your companions and purchase supplies. 

Recent updates to the game let you trade, upgrade your wagon and buy food and medicine to increase your group's chances of survival. Along the trip, your group encounters illness, obstructive rivers, highway bandits, food constraints and other complications of the time. Though the situations are a bit dramatic, players learn fast about pre-planning and making choices with the long term in mind.

I played (and described above) the 5th edition of the game, which you can order on Amazon. If you want a newer mobile experience, you can try The Oregon Trail: American Settler for iOS or The Oregon Trail from Gameloft on Apple Arcade .

What your kids will learn:  vocabulary

Wordscapes is a fun brainteaser game

Fans of Words with Friends and Scrabble (the app or the board game) may be drawn to Wordscapes, which allows kids to learn new words and practice logic skills. You get unlimited tries to solve crossword-style puzzles using only a handful of letters (with few free hints). The app challenges you on some levels by prohibiting three-letter words and offering daily puzzles that challenge you to guess all the words in a certain order. Wordscapes has a built-in dictionary that makes it easy for kids to add to their vocabularies. You can play on Android and iOS . 

The Little Big Planet series

What your kids will learn: logic, spatial orientation skills, design and problem solving

The Little Big Planet series.

This spunky little game follows the adventures of Sackboy and his friends. The first two games are mostly platform-jumping and avoiding obstacles to make it to the next level. Players can also create their own levels, customize characters or build complex contraptions in a level. Finally, players have the option to share their creations in the PlayStation Network.

The first game, Little Big Planet, was released in 2008  and the creators have released several entries since. Little Big Planet 3 is the newest installment , which introduced three new characters: Toggle, Swoop and Oddsock. The games are available on PSP, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 3. You can also check out Little Big Planet Karting and the free Run Sackboy! Run app on Android and iOS .

Portal series

What your kids will learn:  logic, problem-solving, physics, math, science and spatial skills

Even though this mind-bending puzzle game has been out since 2012, it still feels fresh and inventive. 

Portal is along the lines of Little Big Planet, but it's a bit more mature. The first Portal got a Teen rating for the inclusion of some bloodstains, but Portal 2 is rated E. The games might be a bit scary or difficult for players under 9 , Common Sense Media suggests.

Portal places players in a secret research facility who is led through a series of dangerous tests by a humorously narcissistic AI called GLaDOS. The puzzles are solved by creating an entry portal in a wall, creating an exit portal somewhere else and walking through. Players advance by learning how to manipulate physics and spatial constraints. Just try not to fall forever. Portal and Portal 2 are available on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. 

Kerbal Space Program

What your kids will learn : physics, the solar system, mathematics and basic aerospace engineering

Kerbal Space Program is a lot more than just cute aliens. 

Your kids don't have to play in a cardboard box in the yard if they want to be an astronaut. This rocket simulation game focuses on a space program for an alien race called the Kerbals. When you start a game, you'll be tasked with building a rocket that either works or doesn't work, based on " realistic aerodynamic and orbital physics ." Once you get your Kerbals into space, you can explore the solar system, build bases and construct space stations. The game got a lot of attention from NASA and the B612 Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to planetary science and planetary defense. 

The game has three modes -- Science, Career and Sandbox. Science mode lets players unlock new tech and advance the Kerbals; Career mode has players oversee every aspect of the Kerbal's space program; and Sandbox mode is more freeform play. Kerbal Space Program and its expansions -- Breaking Ground and Making History -- are available for PC and console.

What your kids will learn: trigonometry in its basest form, angles and critical thinking

Eloh is such an addicting, yet satisfying game.

This app is another example of teaching your kids without them knowing they're being taught. Eloh is a visually beautiful musical puzzle game that teases your brain without stressing you out. Each level features island spirits that you can move. Once you get them into the right spot, tap the red speaker and music will start. The goal is to bounce the "sound waves" off the spirits and hit the spiral icon. It's kind of like banking a shot in billiards. 

The levels get progressively more challenging, but there's no timer, ads or in-app purchases. The app costs $3 to download on Android or iOS . 

What your kids will learn: logic, patterns, data analysis and problem-solving skills

Zoombinis was a game I frequently played after school growing up.

If you grew up in the '90s, you might remember this game. Zoombinis kept me busy many an afternoon. In the game, you must guide the little blue critters out of the evil Bloats' clutches and home to Zoombiniville. Each of the 12 levels such as Allergic Cliffs, Stone Cold Caves and Pizza Pass get progressively more challenging, with kids using logic and pattern identification to win. Play on iOS , Android or PC. 

Where on Google Earth is Carmen Sandiego?

What your kids will learn: geography, the locations of historic events and other geographical facts.

Carmen Sandiego is globe-trotting on Google Maps. 

Google Earth and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's Carmen Sandiego games -- The Crown Jewels Caper , The Tutankhamun's Mask Caper and The Keys to the Kremlin -- offer something new while paying homage to the original franchise. Players use the magnifying glass to interview witnesses in different cities and gather clues, learning about geography and history along the way. When you think you've figured out the next step, click the airplane icon to fly to the next city and continue unraveling the mystery. You can play on web browser , Android or iOS . 

Nancy Drew Interactive Mysteries

What your kids will learn:  historical events and important figures, critical thinking, foreign cultures, languages and customs, problem-solving skills and more

The Nancy Drew interactive mystery series is probably my favorite game franchise of all time. 

I will shamelessly say that I have played these games since they started making them in 1998 . Some are based on Nancy Drew books (The Secret of the Old Clock game, for instance, is based on the first four books in the series) while others are original mysteries. 

The point-and-click games let you play as Nancy, solving a mystery as the amateur detective would. Whether you play as a junior or senior detective, you'll question suspects, solve puzzles, discover clues and find your way out of multiple sticky situations to catch the culprit. 

The beauty of these games is that they teach kids without them knowing it. At 9 years old, I knew a ridiculous amount about the Mayan civilization after playing Secret of the Scarlet Hand, as well as the key players in the French Revolution after playing Treasure in the Royal Tower. There are 33 games to date for PC, mobile and certain gaming consoles.

Democracy series

What your kids will learn:  multiple layers of government functions like parties, funding, taxes, elections, policy changes, political capital, budgets, debts and more. In addition, they'll learn about compromise, cause and effect, strategy and conflict resolution.

Can you run a country? 

Has your kid ever wanted to be in politics? Now they can try their hand at it with the Democracy game series. In this government simulation game, you play as the president or prime minister of a democratic government and alter policies in the areas of tax, economy, welfare, foreign policy, transport, law and order and public services. The catch, like in real life, is that each policy affects other factors like voter happiness, crime rates and air quality, for example. Players also have to deal with situations like homelessness or protests and make decisions accordingly. 

You can play Democracy, Democracy 2, Democracy 3 and Democracy 4 on PC.

National Geographic Challenge

What your kids will learn: historical figures and events, geography and more

Trivia fans, anyone?

The National Geographic Challenge is a quiz game that lives up to the "challenge" part of its name. There's no shortage of questions that range from easy to hard and are divided into regions -- North America, Europe, Asia, South America, Africa and Australia. Start a game for up to four players and choose an avatar. You can try to answer 40, 60 or 80 of the game's timed questions. The games are complemented by impressive photography and video from the National Geographic archive.

The National Geographic Challenge will test kids' knowledge with questions like: In what year did Madagascar gain independence from France? In which country does the River Niger reach the sea? The game is available on Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3. 

World Rescue

What your kids will learn: geography, conservation and sustainability, global problems, healthy living and activism

World Rescue is one of the games offered by the institute. 

World Rescue was developed by ZU Digital with the help of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Think of it as a 21st century Captain Planet, minus the superpowers. The game's levels are set in Kenya, Norway, Brazil, India and China. There, you'll help five heroes solve problems like displacement, disease, deforestation, drought and pollution, giving kids lessons on real-world issues. You can play World Rescue on Android or iOS . 

For more, check out our list of the best video games to play in 2021 ,  best online games to play with friends  and  seven great kid-friendly gifts that aren't video games .

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Top Rated Games For Kids

Explore Quizzes

Turtle Diary offers a unique blend of education and entertainment to create the ideal interactive learning platform for your little ones. The kids' quizzes offered on our site enable children from first to fifth grade to become confident in applying learned concepts, and grant instant evaluations.

Free Educational Games

TurtleDiary offers 1000+ games that are interactive, educational, and that kids love to play. TurtleDiary includes multiple learning-based games for kids that support necessary skills while promoting fun.

From basic topics like Number Recognition, Simple Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division, to more complex topics like Geometry, kids can master Math basics and more.

Language and Art Games

Kids learn Sight Words, Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs, and other Parts of Speech, developing grammar skills right in the app.

Nowadays, the skill of typing is undoubtedly essential. More activities are technology based and knowing how to type efficiently and successfully is key. TurtleDiary provides fun keyboarding games for kids that develop the necessary skills for typing success.

For kids who thrive on competition and challenge, we offer many fun multiplayer games. Kids can engage with their classmates, a friend (with an invite) and others in the world, in a safe environment.

Science Games

Our science games will develop your child's sense of curiosity. They build upon basic science concepts, reinforcing comprehension in an engaging, approachable, stimulating manner. Our program offers a collection of science games covering topics like the human body, weather, life cycles, animals, and much more.

Geography Games

In our map games, kids learn about US and World Geography. Students have access to maps of the world divided into different regions, so learning is simpler, and tasks feel less overwhelming.

Explore Worksheets & Quizzes

We have over 500+ Online quizzes enabling children from first to fifth grade to become more confident in applying learned concepts. They can also receive instant evaluations. Our fun quizzes give kids the opportunity to receive positive feedback as they master new skills and build their knowledge base.

Typing Lessons

The app offers 3 skill levels for typing - basic, intermediate, and advanced, that include multiple lessons in each. The basic level covers touch typing skills and introduction to the QWERTY keyboard. At the intermediate level, students learn to type basic words and simple sentences. The final advanced level progresses kids to more complex sentences and short paragraphs, all the while building solid typing skills. The program is comprehensive enough to ensure typing mastery and user friendly so your child can develop at an individualized pace.

Worksheets are a great learning tool for kids just learning to write or those who want additional practice at home. At TurtleDiary, we recognize the importance of practicing educational content online and offline. We offer 1000+ printable worksheets in subjects such as language arts, math, and science. Worksheets give students an opportunity to display their work in a written format and to receive feedback. Be sure to check out our fun and colorful worksheets for kids, available for download.

Geography Quizzes

Learn US states and Countries with their capital and their location.

Learn about World Currencies

Learn about Culture, Food and religion of the US and the World

Learn about Natural Wonders and Resources of the US and the World

Learn about important cities of US and the World

Math Quizzes

Foundational topics like Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division subdivided into smaller related subtopics, progressing from easy to hard, in a step-by-step manner.

Language and Art Quizzes

These quizzes will help kids learn Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs, Prepositions, Compound Words, Conjunctions. They are the building blocks of all reading and writing.

Educational Tools for Parents & Teachers

TurtleDiary offers assessment tools and detailed reports for teachers to track students’ activities and to report their progress. For example, we offer:

Worksheet Generator

Teachers can create their own worksheets, with customizable and unique content.

Printable Lessons

Teachers have the option to print from our 100+ lessons or review lessons online for inspiration and ideas.

Assessment Tests

We offer plenty of assessment tests, accessible anytime, to analyze student performance and identify areas of concern to address.

Assignments

In the app, teachers can create their own assignments, and send them right to students, with ease.

Teachers can view reports, including quiz scores and activity performance to closely track how students are progressing.

Google Drive Integration

Our app offers a seamless integration with Google drive. Teachers can access current or past google drive documents without leaving the program.

Google Classroom Integration

Teachers can login to TurtleDiary using their existing Google Account. They can use a simple process to import their existing google classrooms into TurtleDiary, saving time and teaching resources.

Student Management Tools

Our app offers several management features that simplify and streamline processes for administrators and educators in a top-down approach.

Account Creation

District Administrators: The app design allows District Administrators to invite multiple schools to join the program. Once School Administrators become established, teachers can receive individual invitations to create accounts.

School Administrators: School Administrators can invite multiple teachers to join the program. A teacher can then create classes and add students to the class.

Educator Account: A teacher can create classes and add students to the classes.

Account Login

There are a few ways to access TurtleDiary:

Using TurtleDiary Login Credentials: Teachers and students each receive their own accounts so sharing passwords is not necessary.

Using Your Existing Google Account: Teachers can login to TurtleDiary using their existing google account.

Our dashboard provides an easy-to-use interface to access the TurtleDiary program and all its offerings. From the dashboard, teachers can manage classes and update student details, easily adding students or creating classes, as needed.

Educational Games & Activities to Guide Kids in Elementary School

Turtle Diary offers a huge compendium of online educational games from K4 through 5th grade. These support the content kids are already learning in the classroom. Often students need just a little bit of extra help to master those concepts that are introduced in the classroom. With Turtle Diary they can have that...and so much more.

The games contain amazing graphics with age-appropriate content for each grade level in each subject. Students will enjoy playing the games while you know that behind the scenes, they’re practicing and reinforcing new skills.

With Turtle Diary, kids can try multiple games that all reinforce the same concept. This gives them a scaffolded and repetitive approach to mastery of a variety of subjects. Gone are the days of rote memorization and boring flash cards.

With our site, kids will be begging to come back and play some more games. Students can play by themselves, with classmates online, or with other kids logging on. It adds an element of positive peer experience, knowing that other kids are also practicing. And they can have a bit of competition if they want!

Instead of constant battles about working on learning skills, introduce your kids to Turtle Diary. Then, take a step back to watch the magic of learning happen!

Award-Winning Learning Games Created by Top Educators

Put away your flashcards and workbooks and log on to see the new way to master educational skills! Top educators worked exclusively with Turtle Diary to create game after game with superior content and maximum fun for every child.

The concepts reviewed parallel those taught in the everyday classroom for grades K4 through 5th grade. Students focus on mastering the concept on their own with consistent and repetitive review. They won’t even realize they’re reviewing thanks to incredibly fun graphics, sounds, and interactive games.

These games will keep your kids coming back for more day after day. You can rest easy knowing they’re working towards their future.

With skills backed by top educators, parents know that Turtle Diary is giving their kids the best they have to offer. The games help to solidify the necessary skills needed for their specific grade levels.

Turtle Diary’s games are not only educational, but incredibly fun. They can even be a bit competitive at times when you choose a multiplayer option.

Students can also link up with kids in their classes and play games specifically recommended by their teacher. This helps them master the exact concepts they are working on in their classroom. The possibilities are endless, and the fun is never-ending.

Gamification of Education to Make Learning Fun & Exciting

Gamification isn’t just a new buzzword around education. The concept swirls in every educational endeavor that involves helping kids to master concepts by including games, rewards, and fun.

With Turtle Diary, concepts can be practiced in a variety of ways. But the kids will tell you they prefer the gamification features. They can see how well they’re doing in the games with the interactive scoring component.

Often, there is a countdown that occurs with each game. This encourages the students to beat their own best time on whatever concept they happen to be studying.

Who doesn’t love a good story or to be the hero in your own story? With Turtle Diary, students can play games where they must slay a dragon, or shoot hoops, or race a car. They answer questions that help them to practice and master important grade-level concepts.

Students will come back again and again for more competition as well. Turtle Diary’s multiplayer options allow students to pit themselves against kids from their own class. They can also play someone in the Turtle Diary platform. A bit of friendly competition often encourages students towards mastery in a way that nothing else quite can.

Worried about Grades in School? Try Our Learning Games for Kids to Find Success!

Sometimes grades in school don’t reflect a student’s true aptitude, and sometimes they do. Either way, students can benefit from time spent on Turtle Diary instead of in front of mindless video games.

Our platform takes the fun of video games and puts it into an educational context. This helps students learn more and enjoy the process while they’re playing. Students who don’t quite seem to be able to get a leg up in the classroom will love the opportunity to work on their skills by playing games. Those who excel can come and practice their processing and recall speeds, or work on something more challenging.

With a wide variety of great games in every subject, students will always find a place for them at Turtle Diary. Students will be empowered by the option to choose their own games. They can work towards the same goals established in their classroom in a fun and engaging way.

They often don’t realize that the games are actually helping them find success in a variety of subjects. They’re just having fun choosing their characters and working to get the next high score. Spend 15-20 minutes on Turtle Diary each day in problem areas and watch how quickly your child will improve!

Flexible Learning On-the-Go Boosts Kids Learning Potential on iPads & Tablets

Kids learning games that can travel with you wherever you may be are one of Turtle Diary’s most exciting features. As long as you have a stable WiFi connection, your student will always have access to Turtle Diary’s entire platform. Kids learning games are everywhere these days, so you want to have the right one at their fingertips at all times.

Turtle Diary promises to be an adventure in education that can travel with you wherever you may be. There’s nothing like learning on the go! Kids have this opportunity with the wide variety of games and materials available for parents.

No matter where you are or when you’re there, Turtle Diary will always be there. Kids can master both problem areas and areas needed to challenge kids. Wouldn’t you rather have the kids be mesmerized by the games than pull teeth as they actively protest their schoolwork?

Simply download the app on your tablet, iPad, or iPad. Your kids will be able to join in on the ultimate fun of Turtle Diary. No matter what your busy situation is, kids can always have Turtle Diary with them. They can master their current subjects with a high quotient of fun and gamification.

Build On, Gear Up, and Test for Mastery of Common Core Subjects

With Turtle Diary, we’ve done the hard work for you. Common Core Standards used in their classrooms will be reinforced with our games, lessons, and quizzes.

All of the fun we offer on our site is aligned with the newer vision of mathematics and other subjects. By sticking with Turtle Diary, you can let us handle the hard work of explaining Common Core. Sometimes this method may seem foreign to you if you’ve learned with “old math.” In fact, you might just learn along with your student!

Students have the necessary skills to be able to compete in a competitive world with an increased focus on STEM. Cognitive demand reigns higher than rote learning, and students are able to quickly visualize and manipulate numbers. They can “see” the inner workings of the problems, especially in math, and learn to mentally work the numbers.

Turtle Diary helps students to learn and practice these concepts, especially if they aren’t quite grasping it in the classroom. You’ll be amazed at how quickly your student picks up the new concepts. Just remember that they’ve never learned it the “old” way. The Common Core way is THE way for their learning journey.

Get Access to Unlimited Fun and Learning for Free

24/7 access to great games while still building a foundation for learning? Welcome to Turtle Diary, where you can have it all! Edutainment at its finest is alive and well here.

Students can access our platform from wherever they go on whatever device they have. All you need is an internet connection.

Once you enter Turtle Diary, the world is yours to explore. From learning videos to quizzes to entertaining games and multiplayer challenges, students will never be bored. Turtle Diary offers students amazing graphics, sounds, and intense gaming. This allows students a chance to breathe while learning in a stress-free environment.

With new games being added all the time, your student will never get bored with Turtle Diary. And since our games align with Common Core, the more they play, the more they’ll learn. The more they learn, the better their classroom experience will be because the information will click with repeated exposure.

Even though there may seem to be an overwhelming amount of games, the idea is to give students the choice. All of the games in a grade level reinforce the same necessary concepts, but just in a different way. Students will be practicing the same ideas over and over again as they choose from one fun game to another. We dare them to be bored!

• Baby and kid

Some of the Best Online Learning Games for Kids

To find our favorite learning apps and games for kids, we spent more than 40 hours researching and testing 50-plus apps recommended by educators, experts, and parents. If your family has a tablet and you want it to be more than a game-playing and video-watching device, or if you’re trying to find apps for your smartphone that will do more than keep your kids occupied in a pinch, we have some great suggestions.

As with our guides to STEM and learning toys, we didn’t test scores of apps to try to find the “best” ones. Rather, most of the apps here have been chosen by teachers for their students in classrooms, used by Wirecutter parents and their kids, or recommended by the experts and educators we spoke with. (For details, read more about how we selected the apps in this guide.) The apps we cover in this guide are great learning apps not because they’re designed to make kids smarter, to drill facts, or to replace in-school learning, but because they each offer something fun, unique, and interesting for kids and adults.

The research

Our favorite math apps, our favorite coding apps, our favorite science and exploration apps, our favorite social and emotional learning apps, our favorite ebook app, how we picked and tested.

These math games don’t simply drill facts or make kids memorize but rather use visuals, narratives, and storylines to help kids discover math concepts and build their skills. We like these apps because they offer games and exercises tailored to different ages and skill levels and because they encourage adults and kids to play together.

A family math app: Bedtime Math

Bedtime Math (iOS and Android)

Bringing math home.

This free app makes math a part of daily family life, like a bedtime story. A peer-reviewed study showed that it not only helps improve kids’ math performance but also makes parents feel more comfortable with math.

Buying Options

How it works: Bedtime Math ( iOS and Android ) seeks to do for math what the bedtime story does for literacy, by turning math into an enjoyable bonding routine between child and caregiver.

The free app offers a daily word problem for children to solve together with an adult during bedtime or anytime. Each exercise centers on a short narrative or interesting fact and poses questions at four difficulty levels, from pre-K through elementary school.

Why it’s great: Bedtime Math is one of the few children’s educational apps that have been evaluated in a peer-reviewed study . This particular study demonstrated that students who used the app significantly boosted their math scores; it also showed that Bedtime Math can help parents mitigate their own math anxiety , a phenomenon that can negatively affect their children’s attitudes toward math and their ability in the subject. Teacher Jennifer Auten told us she liked that the questions were written at a middle-school reading level, meaning an adult must facilitate the discussion but you have a choice of four levels of difficulty based on the child’s age and math level.

Apps for visual math: DragonBox Numbers and DragonBox Big Numbers

DragonBox Numbers (iOS, Android, and Amazon)

Visual numeracy.

Cute Nooms help kids visualize and conceptualize numbers and arithmetic operations.

DragonBox Big Numbers (iOS, Android, and Amazon)

More-complex arithmetic.

Kids follow characters called Nooms on adventures, solving long addition and subtraction equations in the process.

Ages: 4 to 8 and 6 to 9

How it works: DragonBox Numbers ( iOS , Android , and Amazon ), aimed at kids 4 through 8, introduces number sense, addition, and subtraction through cute characters called Nooms. (The characters are designed to resemble Cuisenaire rods , math learning aids that introduce kids to arithmetic operations in a hands-on way.) Kids feed, slice, and sort the Nooms, developing familiarity with addition, subtraction, fractions, and ranges. In DragonBox Big Numbers ( iOS , Android , and Amazon ), for kids 5 through 9, players follow the Nooms on more complex adventures, solving long addition and subtraction equations in order to gather and trade resources.

Why it’s great: The Nooms function as digital versions of what classroom teachers call math manipulatives , physical learning aids that help young children understand theoretical math concepts in a concrete way. For older kids, the DragonBox series continues on with algebra and Euclidean geometry.

Many great apps teach coding to kids as young as preschool and progressing through upper elementary grades. We’ve highlighted four of these apps because they’re particularly easy to get started with and don’t require reading or, for the child or the parent, a coding background. Regardless of what app they use, parents should think of coding apps as a family activity, said Pat Yongpradit of Code.org . “You will rarely have such a rich media experience as you can when coding with your kid,” he said.

Coding puzzles for beginners: Lightbot and Lightbot Jr

Lightbot (iOS and Android)

Coding puzzles.

The app’s simple puzzle challenges are easy to jump into for kids and adults with no previous coding experience.

Lightbot Jr (iOS and Android)

Coding puzzles for younger kids.

A slower-paced, easier set of puzzles for kids as young as preschool.

Ages: 9 and up (Lightbot); 4 to 8 (Lightbot Jr)

How it works: In Lightbot ( iOS and Android ), kids solve a series of simple puzzles by lining up commands that make a robot advance over obstacles and light up squares. As they master basic concepts, they add more-complex commands, such as conditionals, loops, and nested statements. Lightbot Jr ( iOS and Android ) follows a similar structure but at a slower pace and with simpler challenges that focus on reinforcing the basics. A minimal amount of reading is required, so pre-readers may need adult help at the beginning.

Why it’s great: Project Lead The Way (PLTW), a nonprofit educational organization that promotes and develops STEM curricula and resources, told us, “The best apps for young students without previous experience are those that teach and help build logic and reasoning skills [and] critical thinking skills, and provide brain teasers.” PLTW’s curriculum writers like the Lightbot and Lightbot Jr apps as ways to get kids as young as 4 started with the basic concepts and logical structures of coding.

A creative coding app: ScratchJr

ScratchJr (iOS, Android, and Amazon)

Visual programming.

Using graphical coding blocks, ScratchJr lets kids animate characters and create storylines.

Ages: 5 and up

How it works: In ScratchJr ( iOS , Android , Amazon ), kids select characters and backdrop scenes and drag graphical programming blocks, which snap together like puzzle pieces, to make animation sequences and storylines. Although the app has some written cues, the programming blocks largely use symbols (such as arrows and stop signs) to indicate what they do (such as move the character forward or make them stop). As kids become familiar with how to structure the code, they can create multi-scene stories.

Why it’s great: ScratchJr isn’t lesson-based (though you can consult a variety of curricula and tutorials for the app) but rather designed to give kids a sandbox in which to experiment, learn, and create through trial and error (the app offers sample animations as well). Pat Yongpradit of Code.org , which recommends ScratchJr among other coding apps and games, noted one particular benefit: “It’s very free-form; you’re not basically being directed down a particular path.” Younger kids will need an adult or older child to guide them as they get familiar with ScratchJr .

An app for hands-on coding: Osmo Coding Awbie

Osmo Coding (iOS)

Tangible coding.

The Osmo system uses physical game pieces in conjunction with the device’s screen, making scripting and coding tangible and accessible for pre-readers.

Ages: 5 to 12

How it works: Osmo Coding Awbie requires a base system—a stand and a mirror that attach to the device’s camera and that are compatible with other Osmo games —for the iPad , iPhone , and Amazon Fire . The system allows players to use physical pieces to interact with the screen-based game. Kids use bricks marked with commands, arrows, numbers, and loops to create scripts that direct a silly character through mazes and challenges, picking up prizes such as strawberries.

Why it’s great: Teacher Jennifer Auten, who uses Osmo Coding Awbie and other Osmo games in her classroom, said the fact that it combined an app with physical pieces made kids more patient and thoughtful as they worked through the challenges: “When something is purely on the screen, kids will sometimes end up just tapping as fast as they can, randomly guessing. With the manipulatives, it slows their thinking down.” Auten also noted that the physical pieces made it easier to play the game with multiple people, fostering discussion, collaboration, and group problem-solving. She also likes that Osmo Coding Awbie is open-ended: “Kids can explore and create their own paths.”

In this category we chose these three apps—focused on anatomy, the natural world, and space—because they offer kids unique, open-ended ways to explore science topics. Each app encourages kids to meander, linger, and dive deeper at their own pace.

An app to see what’s inside: The Human Body

The Human Body (iOS and Android)

Seeing what’s inside.

The Human Body offers a visually and aurally interesting way to wander through the body’s organs, systems, and functions.

How it works: In The Human Body ( iOS and Android ), kids explore anatomy by jumping around to different organs and systems—for example, watching a mouth chew food and swallow drink, sliding into a stomach breaking down food, and following flashing nerve signals as they race up to the brain.

Why it’s great: The Human Body focuses less on teaching kids specific anatomical lessons and more on sparking wonder and fascination toward the body and what it can do. The app’s engaging visuals are neither cartoonish nor graphic, and the thoughtful sound effects are as compelling and instructive as the animations: Gurgles, wooshes, creaks, and spurts give kids a visceral sense of what’s happening inside them. You can toggle on or off the text labels that identify the systems and organs, but no reading is required to get deep into the app, making it equally accessible to pre-readers.

An app for discovering nature: Toca Nature

Toca Nature (iOS, Android, and Amazon)

Natural-world building.

Toca Nature is an open-ended building app—similar to Minecraft—where kids can explore and shape the terrain, collect resources, and observe wildlife.

Ages: 4 and up

How it works: In Toca Nature ( iOS , Android , Amazon ), kids start with a simple plot of land where they can raise or lower mountains, create lakes, clear or plant forests, and make deserts. They can zoom in to different areas of their terrain to collect and distribute resources (like mushrooms, fish, or berries). As they change and shape the environment, different kinds of animals, plants, and fish will appear, multiply, migrate, or disappear.

Why it’s great: Similar to popular narrative-less building games like Minecraft , Toca Nature harnesses the enjoyment kids get from open-ended creating, wandering, and exploring games, with a unique focus on the natural world. Common Sense Media senior editor Christine Elgersma said that an app like Toca Nature doesn’t have explicit learning goals—it’s not trying to teach kids the names of animals or types of terrain, for example—but rather is “an exploratory app with experiences that a kid really couldn’t have off screen.” By creating and manipulating the environment, and then observing how the plant and wildlife change as a result, kids can see how animals, resources, and the environment interact.

An app for exploring space: Professor Astro Cat’s Solar System

Professor Astro Cat’s Solar System (iOS, Android, and Amazon)

Cats in space.

Explore the solar system with a jet-propelled cat.

Ages: 8 to 12, or 6 and up with an adult

How it works: Kids explore the app much as they would read a book, delving into facts, illustrations, and animations about planets, moons, stars, and space exploration. At various points, quizzes and other challenges let you earn sardine treats for Professor Astro Cat.

Why it’s great: Jana Grcevich , an astronomer, science educator, and author , told us she enjoyed the Professor Astro Cat app ( iOS , Android , and Amazon ), along with the popular book series it’s based on, with her then 6-year-old niece. The app requires reading, but the entertaining storyline and fascinating facts make it fun for adults along with younger children.

Social and emotional learning , which includes self-awareness, empathy, communication skills, and building relationships, among other capacities, has increasingly been recognized as a critical component of children’s education. These three apps let young kids explore different aspects of self-expression, emotions, and social play.

An app for self-expression: Me: A Kid’s Diary

Me: A Kid's Diary (iOS)

A digital diary.

This app lets kids explore self-expression through drawing, writing, photos, and audio and video.

Ages: 7 and up

How it works: Kids create a digital diary of their lives by answering questions about themselves; making avatars for family members, friends, and other loved ones; and designing their own media. Kids navigate all these entries on their Me Map, a sort of multimedia landscape of their lives.

Why it’s great: Me: A Kid’s Diary helps kids creatively document their feelings, experiences, and loved ones through different media and modes of expression. In some ways, the app offers an experience akin to social media—uploading photos, making videos, writing reflections, and mapping personal connections—but in an entirely closed environment (there’s no actual communication or sharing within the app). This can create a space for kids to start to explore (and for parents to discuss) digital self-expression and sharing.

An app for emotions: Daniel Tiger’s Grr-ific Feelings

Daniel Tiger's Grr-ific Feelings (iOS, Android, and Amazon)

Exploring emotions.

The beloved PBS character helps young kids identify, act out, and explore their feelings through games, songs and creative activities.

Ages: 2 to 5

How it works: Kids explore the familiar world of the PBS Kids series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood ( iOS , Android , Amazon ) through simple games, songs, and art activities that focus on identifying and exploring feelings and emotions. It offers different ways for kids to practice, talk about, and experience emotions, such as by drawing a picture, taking a photo of themselves feeling angry or happy, or practicing a calming exercise with Daniel Tiger.

Why it’s great: The app is simple and accessible for very young kids, with frequent verbal cues and reminders to help them through the easily navigable interface. “Even without the Daniel tie-in, it could actually still be a pretty successful app for teaching a lot of social, emotional, and self-care skills,” said Harry Sawyers, Wirecutter senior editor and father of three. “But having the familiar characters and songs really helps jump-start their interest if, for example, they ‘have to go potty—stop, and go right awaaaaay!’”

An app for social play: Toca Tea Party

Toca Tea Party (iOS)

Tea for two (or more).

Toca Tea Party presents the elements of a tea party—drinks, desserts, and dishes—for unstructured imaginative play.

Ages: 2 and up

How it works: Toca Tea Party couldn’t be simpler: You set a tea table with plates, cups, drinks, and treats for three guests, and the rest is up to your imagination. There’s no objective beyond pouring drinks, munching treats, and wiping up spills, and the app has a built-in end point: Once you’ve finished the snacks and beverages, the table clears itself and the dishes drop into a sink, ending the party.

Why it’s great: Toca Tea Party isn’t so much a game as a scene for unstructured imaginative and social play for young children. Kids can play alone (perhaps by inviting dolls or stuffed animals as guests) or with one or two others—a unique feature for a tablet game to pull off well. My two daughters, now 4 and 5, haven’t tired of Toca Tea Party after two years, and their play centers on chatting, pretending, and sharing.

An app for reading: Epic! ebook subscription

Epic! e-book subscription

Endless ebooks.

This app allows young readers to choose from up to 35,000 different books for a low monthly cost.

How it works: For $8 a month, kids gain access to some 35,000 children’s books in an intuitively designed app. Epic’s library is updated regularly with new titles, including classics and the site’s original content. Many of the picture books have a “Read to me” function, where a narrator reads the text aloud and the pages turn automatically. The app also suggests books by age and based on what a child has previously read, allowing kids to easily discover new titles at their reading level. Epic! works on iOS, Android and Microsoft tablets and smartphones.

Why it’s great: While some subscription kids’ e-book apps tend to be populated with the kinds of uninteresting titles you’d find in a bookstore bargain bin, Epic! offers an impressive library of children’s books, including many of the beloved classics and award-winning authors you’d find in a well-curated children’s library. (The Wizard of Oz, with the original 1900 illustrations, was one memorable find that gave us many nights of rapt bedtime reading.) The app is simple enough to use that both of my daughters can independently browse books by the cover art and find what interests them—even though they are both pre-readers. Fairy tales abound, but I’ve also found them paging through books about geology, Ramadan, and coding.

Since we began researching learning apps in 2016, we’ve spoken with a range of experts, including a classroom teacher, a child developmental psychologist, a pediatrician, an astronomer, education researchers, app developers, and others.

These have included Kathy Hirsh-Pasek , a professor of psychology at Temple University who has written about and conducted research studies on educational apps for young children; Jennifer Auten , an award-winning teacher in Cupertino, California, who has been using tablet and smartphone apps in her first- and second-grade curricula since the iPad was released in 2010; Christine Elgersma , senior editor, parent education, for Common Sense Media, an organization focused on children’s media; and Pat Yongpradit , chief academic officer at Code.org, a nonprofit that advocates for computer science education. Last, we’ve spoken with parents on our staff for recommendations of apps they and their kids love in categories such as science, music, and coding.

We read articles and reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and child developmental psychologists and educational researchers to learn about kids’ media use and about principles for designing learning apps. Finally, we read through reviews and ratings from well-regarded children’s media sites such as Common Sense Media .

Similar to what we found when researching learning toys , we discovered that developers and app stores often label apps as “educational” with little research or evidence, and few experts, to support those claims. In 2016, the AAP released a broad report on children’s use of digital media, calling for more-rigorous evaluation of apps that claim to be educational: “Unfortunately, very few of the commercially available apps found in the educational section of app stores have evidence-based design input with demonstrated learning effectiveness.” Similarly, in a 2015 article , Hirsh-Pasek writes that educational apps “present a significant opportunity for out-of-school, informal learning when designed in educationally appropriate ways” but notes later on that “[o]nly a handful of apps are designed with an eye toward how children actually learn.”

Experts are still studying what makes learning apps successful pedagogical tools, as well as fun and interesting activities for kids. But after speaking with experts, reading research, and trying out apps ourselves, we identified a few features that seem to be common among great learning apps.

• Offer unique experiences: Several of the experts we spoke to noted that a good educational app should offer children something they couldn’t simply do, learn, or explore in a classroom or the real world. If the app is “basically a worksheet on screen, [or] an experience that could be replicated off screen, then that’s not a good use of the screen,” Elgersma said. “You want it to be an experience that kids could really only have in that screen world.”
• Be open-ended, with limits: Most of the apps in this guide are open-ended in the sense that they encourage kids to independently explore, create, and navigate within the app. But researchers say it’s important to have built-in limits, as well. The AAP has pointed out that digital games have traditionally been designed with rewards and reinforcement designed to keep kids playing as long as possible. The organization recommends that learning apps instead have “automatic ‘stops’ as the default design to encourage children and caregivers to pause the game use and turn to the 3-dimensional world.”
• Be engaging but not distracting: Apps have great potential to engage children through interactive features, but some research has shown that too many bells and whistles can distract children or reduce their comprehension. A good learning app uses interactive, animated, and responsive features to engage kids or enhance their comprehension, not simply to entertain. Hirsh-Pasek has written that parents should evaluate an app’s interactive features and ask: “Do the enhancements actually add value and increase engagement, or do they cause distraction?”
• Encourage interaction: The AAP and other organizations say that learning apps that encourage real-life interaction among multiple people—adult and child, or child and peers—can be especially strong at facilitating learning. The apps in this guide are fun and interesting for kids and adults, and many foster conversation and play outside of the app itself.

As with our guide to learning toys , we focused primarily on apps aimed at kids 3 to 9 years old, though older kids can enjoy many of our recommendations, as well. We chose this age range because, as Hirsh-Pasek has written , “there are so many apps targeted toward [children in this range] that parents and educators do not know how to navigate the marketplace of possibilities.”

All the apps we recommend in this guide adhere to the FTC’s Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act . Among other things, COPPA requires that websites and apps directed at children under age 13 obtain permission from parents before collecting or sharing personal information from children, or targeting them with behavioral advertising. None of the apps in this guide require children to enter personal information in order to use the app’s functions, and none offer social media sharing or connectivity.

Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, et al., Putting Education in “Educational” Apps: Lessons From the Science of Learning , Psychological Science in the Public Interest , April 20, 2015

Yolanda (Linda) Reid Chassiakos, et al., Children and Adolescents and Digital Media , Pediatrics , October 1, 2016

Jana Grcevich, PhD, astronomer, science educator, author , phone interview , December 1, 2016

Jennifer Auten, first- and second-grade teacher, Cupertino, California , phone interview , November 8, 2016

Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD, professor of psychology, Temple University , phone interview , January 8, 2019

Christine Elgersma, senior editor, parent education, Common Sense Media , phone interview , March 12, 2019

Pat Yongpradit, chief academic officer, Code.org , phone interview , April 18, 2019

Meet your guide

Courtney Schley

Courtney Schley, a senior editor covering sleep and appliances, has been at Wirecutter since 2014. She has held several roles at Wirecutter, including research editor, as well as supervising editor of baby and kid coverage.

Further reading

How to Set Up a Remote Learning Space for Your Kids

by Melanie Pinola

With many schools closed this fall, it’s time to set up a remote schoolwork area for kids that’ll make learning a little easier.

Kids Exercise Videos to Help Keep Your Family Moving (and Sane)

by Ingrid Skjong

Free online exercise videos can help everyone from toddlers to teenagers stay active and calm during a coronavirus self-quarantine. These are our favorites.

These Four Video Games Are Fun for the Whole Family

by Haley Perry

If you’re looking for a video game for your next family game night, these are the games we recommend for all ages and skill levels.

8 Time-Tested Sidewalk Games We Love

by Dan Koeppel

Old-school games from the sidewalks of New York are still surprisingly fun—and require not much more than chalk.

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Games for Kids 5-8 Years Old

Even young kids love video games, but sometimes the most popular games aren't appropriate for their age group. These games are not only fun but also age-appropriate for 5-year-olds up to 8-year-olds. The educational and entertaining titles here will test their teamwork and problem-solving skills. Whether kids want to score points on the field, save the world in adventure games, or even learn the basics of math, there's something for everyone to enjoy. For more fun games for this age group, check out the Best Nintendo Switch Games for Kids .

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure

Charming, relaxing adventure game with positive message.

DreamBox Learning Math

Online math games adjust in difficulty as you play.

Gigantosaurus

Charming, smile-worthy adventure for young players.

Pix the Cat

Throwback arcade puzzler with impressive scope.

A Monster's Expedition

Utterly charming (and sometimes frustrating) puzzle game.

Astro's Playroom

Cute, free game showcases the PlayStation 5's features.

BoxBoy! + BoxGirl!

Think outside the box with this charming, fun puzzler.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Cute puzzle-filled adventure for kids and kids at heart.

Charming fantasy platformer is more fun with a friend.

Crossy Road Castle

Grab coins, dodge hazards with friends in fun action game.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

The island life is idyllic in this latest adventure sim.

Danger Mouse: The Danger Games

Simple, fun endless runner has console/mobile competition.

Mario Sports Superstars

Fun, cartoony collection of portable sport games entertains.

Super Mario Maker 2

Fun, accessible editing tools expose kids to game design.

Madcap puzzle game delights as much as it challenges.

Detective Pikachu

Fresh Pokémon perspective perfect for younger fans.

Intuitive, madcap action stays fun despite repetition.

Simple, twitchy action game demands precision, attention.

Kooky, charming puzzler is a pleasant head-scratcher.

Other great lists from our editors

• Best Apps for Kids Age 5–8
• Best Games for Preschoolers
• Best Apps for Kids Ages 9-12
• Video Games You Can Say Yes to After School
• 5 Funny Apps Your Kid Will Love You for Downloading

10 Best Educational Video Games For Children

Many parents think edutainment games aren't fun for kids, but these titles will absolutely prove them wrong.

The gaming industry's prominent rise over the last few decades still isn't showing signs of slowing down, and in 2020 the form of media was bigger than sports and movies combined . Moreover, the constant rise of free-to-play games has made gaming a go-to form of entertainment for children.

RELATED: Open-World Games That Are Suitable For Children

Although gaming's main purpose is usually to simply entertain, there have been numerous releases over the years that aim to educate in effective and engaging ways. The educational video games on this list all find a great balance between being fun to play while also educating in a way that will engross most children.

Updated on July 22nd, 2023, by Jack Pursey: Gamers being concerned about how much time they're spending on the form of entertainment is certainly not uncommon. Thankfully, this guilt can be largely alleviated with the plethora of fantastic educational video games that now exist, as they give players the best of both worlds: entertaining them while also ensuring that they're learning along the way. These types of games are especially valuable for parents, who are often concerned about how much time their child is gaming. This list has been updated to include more of the best educational video games for children.

1 Big Brain Academy

Big Brain Academy originally hit stores in Japan back in 2005 before releasing in the rest of the world the following year. The game is centered around the concept of measuring the player's brain mass.

Big Brain Academy gives players a set of questions to answer and problems to solve, such as color coordination, shape matching, image identification, and more, before scoring their performance. A sequel was released on the Nintendo Wii in 2007 titled Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree, which is also worth checking out for those who still own the console.

2 World Rescue

World Rescue , as the name suggests, centers around protecting the world from a wide range of serious issues. The issues are all true-to-life, making World Rescue a great option for teaching children about real-world problems in a way that isn't too heavy-handed or scary.

The game markets itself as being inspired by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals , a series of 17 goals from the intergovernmental organization that include Zero Hunger, Climate Action, and Gender Equality.

3 Animal Jam Classic

Animal Jam Classic (formerly Animal Jam ) was developed by WildWorks (formerly Smart Bomb Interactive), a Utah-based company that is also known for its work on the Bee Movie Game and the kart-racing game Pac-Man World Rally .

RELATED: Best Real Life Simulation Games, According To Metacritic

Animal Jam Classic is a massively multiplayer online game that was made in collaboration with the National Geographic Society. The game intends to teach children about Zoology, predominantly through puzzles and mini-games.

4 Endless Alphabet

Endless Alphabet is a mobile game for young children who are learning the alphabet and trying to build their vocabulary. The game features a range of simple words with colorful characters offering animated descriptions as to what they mean. It also has puzzles for children to learn letter shapes and plenty of audio to help with how letters and words sound.

Endless Alphabet was developed by Originator and was runner-up for the 2013 App of the Year award .

5 Cities: Skylines

Cities: Skylines is one of a handful of games on this list that isn't branded as an educational game, but like the Civilization series (more on that later), it can be a fantastic learning tool nonetheless.

Cities: Skylines gives players a vacant plot of land as a blank canvas that they are tasked with building a thriving city on. The game is excellent for teaching players about city infrastructure, as they'll have to take into consideration aspects like road planning, emergency service placement, pollution, employment, and budget.

Of all the games on this list, Prodigy does arguably the best job of encouraging kids to continue playing and learning. This is accomplished by the game's use of common gaming mechanics, such as leveling up.

Prodigy puts players in a fantasy world and tasks them with embarking on adventures that will require them to solve maths questions. Maths can often be one of the toughest subjects to make interesting for children, making Prodigy an excellent option for teaching the subject.

7 Wordscapes

Wordscapes is a great choice for when children want a bit of light entertainment. The game gives players a crossword puzzle to solve, though clues aren't given via questions or abstract hints like most crosswords.

RELATED: Best PSVR Games For Children

Instead, players are given a selection of letters that they must combine to find words that will fit in the spaces. Consequently, Wordscapes is a great way to teach words and spelling, while the in-game dictionary will help expand the player's vocabulary.

8 Democracy Series

The Democracy series is ideal for older children who are starting to show an interest in politics. The games don't take much time to get started, throwing players straight into the role of President or Prime Minister of their chosen country. The player will then be tasked with solving real-world problems, such as balancing budgets, keeping crime levels down, and making law changes.

Although the games touch on heavy and complex subjects, they are presented in an accessible and easy-to-understand manner, making it a great way to help older children gain an understanding of politics.

9 Civilization 6

Civilization 6 is another game on this list that is an entertainment product first and education second. This has its benefits, though, as it teaches players in a way that never feels like heavy-handed education, making it a great game to trick children into learning. However, for those who are interested in learning more, there is plenty of detailed text for players to read up on in the game's encyclopedia, known as the Civilopedia.

Civilization 6 takes players to the Ancient Era of 4000 BC and tasks them with building an entire civilization through the ages until 2050AD at the latest. During this time, players will build cities, research topics, build wonders , and more.

10 Discovery Tour by Assassin's Creed

The Assassin's Creed series has always been keen to educate players along their journeys, with a plethora of historical information often being available to read in the games. Furthermore, the meticulously designed worlds that players are placed in often let players see fascinating recreations of historical locations.

Ubisoft took things a step further with Assassin's Creed Origins , which featured a Discovery Tour mode for the first time. The Discovery Tour mode removed combat and missions from the game and instead let players journey across the ancient Egyptian world peacefully and embark on various tours which educate players on the time period. Following the success of the mode in Assassin's Creed Origins , both Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Assassin's Creed Valhalla also offered Discovery Tour modes. The modes are well worth considering for children interested in ancient Egypt, mythological Greece, or Vikings.

MORE: RPGs Whose Historical Accuracy Would Surprise You

Screen Rant

The 10 best educational video games (updated 2023).

Are you ready to play the smart way? Get the best educational video games to make the most of screen time.

• Publisher Mojang
• Genre Sandbox
• Platform Cross-platform
• Publisher Ubisoft
• Genre Music
• Mode Single-player, multiplayer
• Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Genre Puzzle-platform
• Publisher VTech
• Genre Educational
• Mode Single-player
• Publisher Nintendo
• 9.99 /10 1. Editors choice: Minecraft
• 9.44 /10 2. Premium pick: Rocksmith 2014-Remastered
• 8.99 /10 3. Best value: Little Big Planet 3
• 9.50 /10 4. LeapFrog LeapLand Adventures
• 9.50 /10 5. Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training (Brain Age)
• 9.99 /10 6. Kerbal Space Program
• 8.50 /10 7. Big Brain Academy: Brain vs Brain
• 9.00 /10 8. Game Builder Garage
• 8.20 /10 9. Colors Live for Nintendo Switch
• 8.75 /10 10. Discovery Tour Viking Age

Parents brag about their kids’ grades. They cheer louder than anyone else when their child makes a goal, touchdown, or homerun. They might even boast about having a kid who stays up reading a book under the covers with a flashlight after lights-out. But no one hears a mom bragging about her child or teenager’s many hours spent in front of a screen with a controller in their hands. But is video gaming always a bad thing, or can it also be something that’s sometimes brag-worthy? According to professionals, some of the best educational video games have much to offer in brain-boosting power and many consider them a new way for people of all ages to learn through lively, compelling gameplay .

When learning feels more like fun it’s much easier to find the motivation to explore new concepts, take on challenging tasks, and stretch your mental muscles . While there’s always a chance of too much of a good thing, and no one should spend so much time gaming that they don’t get enough exercise or time spent socializing with friends and family — the right video games effectively increase the brain’s processing speed and improve visual skills to amplify learning ability out in the real world. Maybe this explains why some of the smartest people are also gaming nerds?

While it’s always fun to play your favorite video games in a variety of genres from racing games to role-playing action adventures, adding some of today’s best educational video games to the roster on your favorite gaming platform can help your brain — or your child’s — to benefit from time spent behind the controller.

1. Minecraft

One of the best educational video games of all time is the critically acclaimed, teacher-approved STEM game, Minecraft. Players of all ages enjoy mining their own creative resources as they also mine fascinating biomes for resource blocks to craft tools and build complex structures, landscapes, and villages. Minecraft’s infinite world randomly self-generates as players move through the game so they can explore and design at will, creating literally anything they dream up.

Minecraft not only taps into a player’s creativity, but it’s also an educational tool for problem-solving. As players enter each unique biome, they must swiftly mine local resources to build shelter, find food, and craft tools. It’s also a unique platform for creativity, with no need to “win.” Instead, players set their own goals and play the game the way they like. Minecraft gamers can choose to enjoy free-range exploration and crafting in creative mode or add some spice and adventure into their gaming with survival mode. Survival mode includes a variety of nefarious creatures known as “mobs” so players must craft not only fortresses and tools but also weapons to defeat attackers. Players problem-solve and strategize while trying to keep their character alive through each Minecraft day — which lasts about 10 minutes in real-time.

Besides the STEM activities of designing and creating, Minecraft is one of the best educational video games to reinforce other learning skills such as reading, math, science, writing, and even history.

The blocky, purposely pixilated world of Minecraft offers single-player or multiplayer collaborative fun for all ages.

• Classic sandbox-style game with unlimited blocky resources for mining, crafting, and creating
• Let creativity run wild while designing and building structures, villages, boats, and vehicles
• Choose free-range building and open-world exploration in creative mode or enjoy the adventure of building while escaping attacks from a variety of mob-creatures
• Teacher-approved STEM activities and critical thinking skills throughout gaming content
• Publisher: Mojang
• Genre: Sandbox
• Platform: Cross-platform
• Available across all major gaming platforms
• Unlimited, randomly generated worlds
• Fantastic source of STEM learning as well as incorporated elements of reading, writing, math, science, and history
• Blocky, purposefully pixelated graphics take getting used to if you're accustomed to today's advanced visuals

2. Rocksmith 2014-Remastered

If you thought video game platforms like the PS4 were just for gaming you might be surprised to know they’re also a great way to learn specific skills — like playing the guitar. One of the best educational video games for learning a musical skill is Rocksmith 2014-Remastered Edition. Learn at your own pace through a fun, interactive video game right from your PS4 without having to pay for professional lessons. Most users learn to play serious riffs and full songs within 60 days.

Rocksmith requires only the newly remastered PS4 game and a Real Tone cable to plug into the output jack of an electric guitar. With Rocksmith, players progress along a career path as a goal within the game as they learn, opening up more songs and challenges while working through the levels of the game, taking on more difficult lessons as they progress. With real-time feedback, the game tracks each note played, just like having your own professional teacher right from your PS4 device.

While learning to play the electric guitar through Rocksmith 2014-Remastered, players earn Rocksmith points to unlock additional features, including new venues, and new game modes. Players practice specific techniques to meet in-game challenges. With 50 included popular songs plus 6 new bonus tracks in the remastered edition, players can plug in and learn to play their favorite songs or access additional songs from the for-purchase library.

This is one of the best educational games for anyone to quickly learn to play the guitar right from the comfort of their own home.

• Earn Rocksmith points as you progress in proficiency on the guitar
• Fastest way to learn guitar and have fun while you learn
• Proven method studies with overwhelming success rates, typically in only 60 days
• Fun guitar-teaching method with in-game career path goals as you progress
• Publisher: Ubisoft
• Genre: Music
• Mode: Single-player, multiplayer
• Remastered and updated with 6 bonus songs
• Learn at your own rate
• Learning game tracks every note you play for immediate feedback
• Learn to play favorite songs from a library of hundreds of hits
• Requires a Real Tone USB cable for guitar connection
• Game includes only 30 songs, and additional songs cost $3.00 each

3. Little Big Planet 3

One of the best educational video games for nearly unlimited options for creativity is Little Big Planet 3. Children and adults enjoy visiting Little Big Planet’s “Imagisphere” to experience many fun surprises while they solve puzzles and expand their creativity with the game’s unique customization tools. Players bring their imaginations to colorful life through user-created levels with now up to 16 layers of depth. New levels and new friends combined with backward compatibility with downloadable content from previous Little Big Planet games keep this game loaded with fun and learning through many hours of gaming.

Little Big Planet 3 offers nearly endless options for engagement with an expansive level creator to stretch young imaginations. Players enjoy creating mini-games within the game while visiting levels created by other users and customizing their own through intuitive designing tools. Gamers of all ages enjoy learning about creation and design as they explore a friendly, hand-stitched world of homemade heroes and adventures.

In Little Big Planet 3, fan-favorite hero, Sackboy, returns with new abilities, bringing 3 new friends along. Oddsock, Toggle, and Swoop have engaging personalities and add new skills to the game, plus some fun new costumes to collect for customization. Use the PS4’s SHARE button to instantly broadcast creations and favorite gameplay clips.

Described as a world where gaming meets math, creation, and critical thinking, Little Big Planet 3 is teacher-approved and beloved by kids and parents as family-friendly fun with an element of learning that makes screen time beneficial.

• Family-favorite Sackboy returns with old and new friends
• Learn about creating, designing, and community-building by creating new levels
• Create your own levels with 16 layers of depth
• Enjoy hand-crafted adventures in a puzzle-platform game full of fun and adventures and relatable heroes
• Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Genre: Puzzle-platform
• Platform: PS5
• Game has backward compatibility with downloadable content from older versions
• Now with 16 layers of depth for user-created levels compared to only 3 in older versions
• Includes 3 new playable heroes
• PS-Plus subscription required for online play

4. LeapFrog LeapLand Adventures

LeapFrog is a trusted name in early education and learning through technology. One of today’s best educational video games for early learners is LeapFrog LeapLand Adventures. For those with young children who always grab the gaming controllers, this is the perfect first video game to introduce them to gaming with screen time parents feel good about.

LeapFrog LeapLand Adventures takes kids ages 3 to 8 years old on a kid-friendly quest for the keys to unlock the mysterious Clever Castle while exploring early education concepts along the way.

LeapLand Adventures offers over 150 learning concepts, including letters, numbers, colors, and shapes with replayable game levels. Kids can choose between 2 colorful, quirky characters and play at their own pace with fun replayable game levels. They’ll enjoy exploring LetterLand, Numberville, Shapetown, and color springs, all filled with new friends who teach counting, letter names and sounds, and the shapes and colors found in the world around them — all presented in a platform that feels more like fun than learning. With engaging content and exciting kid-friendly quests, this is one of the very best educational video games to introduce children to technology. It’s also a teacher-approved supplement for homeschooling. The game saves up to 5 profiles so it’s perfect for families with multiple children who want to play.

Best of all, this game requires no gaming platform but instead offers a user-friendly plug-and-play setup through any television. Just insert the HDMI game stick and USB cable into your television’s USB port and it’s ready to play with no downloads required and no worries about privacy. Kids love having their own controller and a video game that’s all their own!

• Plug-and-Play game for learning about letters, numbers, shapes, and colors for children ages 2-8 years old
• Game includes a controller and an HDMI cable to plug into any television
• Fun, educational game for early learners with no gaming device required
• Kids enjoy adventurous quests while learning important early education concepts
• Publisher: VTech
• Genre: Educational
• Mode: Single-player
• Platform: Leap Frog
• Plays right on the TV with included controller
• No downloads required
• Makes screen time educational for kids ages 3-8 years old
• Controller batteries are not included
• HDMI cable is a little short

5. Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training (Brain Age)

One of the best educational video games for serious exercises to strengthen, test, and try out the human brain is Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training for Nintendo Switch. Not only does the game come with a stylus for use on the Switch’s touchscreen, but it challenges the brain through a series of concepts taught by famed neuroscientist, Dr. Ryuta Kawashima. This is the fifth installment of the Brain Age video game puzzle series with new additions and gameplay methods added for the Nintendo Switch using the platform’s specific features such as the touchscreen, gyroscope, and IR sensors to improve and expand gameplay.

With Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training game, players find their brain’s “age” based on abilities rather than chronological age. With three exercises designed to focus on the self-control, short-term memory, and processing speed areas of the brain, players find their own personal brain age score. They then go on to enjoy a variety of features including the brain-power-improving Daily Training section filled with mini-games to keep the brain active. The challenging puzzles and games include favorites like Soduku as well as the piano-based game, Masterpiece Recital. There are also Photographic Memory, and Dual-Task challenges. Players use the Switch’s IR camera for rousing games of Rock, Paper, Scissors as well as hand-gesture memorization games.

This is one of the best educational video games for fans of the original Nintendo DS Brain Age Series, as well as for new users from the Nintendo Switch generation to enjoy testing their mental metal and keeping it sharply honed.

• Challenge your brain in multiple ways through assorted puzzles, tests, and exercises
• Marketed as Brain Age in some regions, this game tests the human brain by focusing on different elements of the brain
• Improve self-control, short-term memory, and processing speed to reveal your brain's "age"
• Keep your brain active with the Daily Training section
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Platform: Switch
• Stylus included with game
• Includes fun brain games like
• Includes brain exercise games like Masterpiece Recital, Germ Buster, and Sudoku
• Full features don't unlock until you progress through earning success stamps

6. Kerbal Space Program

The very best educational video games are those that offer such laugh-out-loud humor and entertainment that gamers might not even notice how much they are learning along the way. Kerbal Space Program is exactly that game. While a crew of tiny green men with funny hairstyles and googly eyes keep players chuckling throughout the gameplay, they might forget that this rocket science-professor-approved video game was used by NASA and Elon Musk to boost understanding of the SpaceX program.

Kerbal Space Program is a space flight simulation game where players lead a new fictional space program staffed by humanoid space aliens from the planet Kerbin. With the help of the Kerbin crew, players man the Kerbal Space Center to create rockets, spaceplanes, land rovers, and other space-related craft and then enjoy the thrill of launching and controlling their spacecraft, including determining thrust, trajectory, orbit, and other critical factors for success or failure and then accomplishing challenges and missions. While not a perfect simulation of the reality of space, scientists praise Kerbal Space Program for its adherence to true orbital mechanics and Newtonian dynamics.

Kerbal Space Program includes three game mode choices so players can explore and create at will in Sandbox Mode, advance science through experimentation in Science Mode, or focus on the business aspects of completing contracts and earning funds in Career Mode.

This simulation game is one of the best educational video games for gamers and space buffs of all ages and now includes two exciting expansion packs with new missions and parts. Plus, fans of Kerbal Space Program eagerly await the launch of the much anticipated Kerbal Space Program 2.

• Challenging space-flight simulation video game
• Direct a space program with a green humanoid alien crew
• Learn about real rocket science while creating and managing a space program
• Learn the rules of physics while venturing to far-away planets with an entertaining crew of green aliens
• Publisher: Private Division
• Platform: Xbox
• Named a high-level educational tool by Edge
• Seamlessly blends humor with science
• Enhanced Edition includes Breaking Ground and History Expansion packs
• Complex gameplay can be challenging to learn
• Some users experience stuttering late in the game

7. Big Brain Academy: Brain vs Brain

One of the best educational video games for family-friendly competition is the new release for Nintendo Switch from Big Brain Academy. Brain vs Brain lets children as young as 4 years old compete against adults with an even playing field. By choosing one of four difficulty levels, each player competes within their own level to be the first to complete brain-bending puzzles, challenging memorization activities, and animal identification games. Plus, players can unlock dozens of fun outfits for their avatars to customize their in-game characters.

Find your own brain brawn score with a brain-teasing test and then go brain vs brain in 4-player matches to compete for the highest score even at multiple skill levels. Compete with friends or family in real-time or choose to play against compiled data from family members in your household or from people on your friend list. If that challenge isn’t enough, players can also compete in Ghost Clash mode to try to outscore the data of other players worldwide to see how they match up. Players can check their rankings for comparison against some of the smartest brainiacs in the Big Brain Academy system.

The best part of Big Brain Academy: Brain vs Brain is competing against yourself by practicing specific skills until you beat your own scores. The addictive gameplay keeps players of all ages coming back for more. This is one of the best educational video games for the whole family, with no worries about limiting screen time since every hour spent in Big Brain Academy improves brain power and critical thinking skills!

• Brain-bending educational video game with puzzles, numbers, memory games, and more
• Face-off with up to four friends to test your brain power against competition
• Fun tests to find your own brain brawn
• Compete against family, friends, your own past scores, or against brainiacs from around the globe
• Adjust game settings to varying difficulty levels so anyone can play fairly against anyone else
• Fun puzzles and mini-games
• Use touchscreen features in Nintendo Switch or enjoy
• Winner of the Double-Platinum sales award
• Content is a little limited on the Switch version compared to the Wii game
• Gameplay style lacks variety

8. Game Builder Garage

Video gaming is a wildly popular medium with a future full of limitless possibilities. That’s why one of the best educational video games today is the one that teaches people of all ages to design, create, and share their very own games. If you or your child dreams of becoming a programmer or game designer, Game Builder Garage is a great first step along the journey.

This is a teaching game that’s lively, fast-paced, and engaging enough for all users to learn from and enjoy, including children. Players learn to program by building their own games within the game, through step-by-step lessons and challenges.

Nintendo Switch’s touchscreen makes programming easy with colorful creatures known as Nodon representing the many facets of game creation, such as input, output, buttons, control sticks, timers, and much more. Players make connections between Nodons easily by following step-by-step directions. For example, connecting a control stick Nodon, to the Person Nodon ties the Person’s movement in the game to the control stick.

Game Builder Garage supports up to eight different Joy-Con, so as many as eight players can join local multiplayer games. Players can also share the access code for their game to invite other gamers to play.

By using the free-creation feature, once a player is proficient at game creation, they can experiment and create games at will with nearly limitless potential.

While Nintendo doesn’t feature a game browser, a fan-based platform called MyGarage Games allows users to share their own codes and access those of other creators.

• Fun Nintendo Switch game for learing programming while having fun
• Build your own game through step-by-step tutorials using fun, colorful creatures called Nodons representing various facets of game development
• Have fun experimenting with free-style programming
• Share your game creations online and play games by other creators
• Lessons are lively, fast-paced, and fun
• Build up to 8 local multiplayer games to enjoy with friends
• Easy enough for kids to use as well as teens and adults
• Move through lessons at your own pace
• Players must pay for a membership and share an access code for people to access the created games
• No built-in browser to find Game Builder Garage-created games online, but instead the ten-digit code is required for each game

9. Colors Live for Nintendo Switch

If you’re looking for one of the best educational video games for budding artists or for proficient artists looking for a portable option to exercise their creativity anywhere, anytime, without messy paint and brushes, Colors Live for Nintendo Switch is the perfect medium for creating beautiful, colorful artwork anywhere. Create masterpieces from the comfort of your couch or while on the go during travel — all with the Nintendo Switch’s convenient touchscreen portable platform and an included pressure-sensitive sonar pen for a more natural painting experience.

Colors Live for Nintendo Switch lets users adjust stroke thickness and opacity levels as well as use their choice in colors and brush types to produce beautiful, original works of art. A painting playback video option beautifully displays completed masterpieces and highlights their step-by-step creation. You can also choose to share your art with the massive online community at the Colors Live Gallery or learn by watching the process other artists used to create their own masterpieces.

Besides the free-painting standard mode for artwork, users can also enjoy mastering the fun challenges in the Color Quest game mode by painting within set themes and various rules for each quest, such as using a limited color palette, or a limited toolset. These challenges increase skill and bolster artistic ability as well as foster creativity.

This is one of the best educational video games for any artist, or for anyone wishing to find their own inner artist.

• Pressure-sensitive painting app with included sonar pen and dual modes
• Choose standard mode for free creation or Color Quest for accomplishing challenges
• Supports ten layers for complex paintings with detail, nuance, and shading
• Includes undo, redo, zoom, and opacity sliders for each layer
• Publisher: Nighthawk Interactive
• Genre: Educational, art
• Share your creations with fellow artists in the Colorslive gallery
• Beautiful painting playback video feature
• Choose to paint with sonar pen, stylus, or your fingers
• Choose right or left-handed orientation
• Lacks a bucket tool for large fill-ins
• No in-app sound

10. Discovery Tour Viking Age

Immerse yourself in history with Discovery Tour Viking Age. This gem of a game from Ubisoft lets you experience history first-hand as you traverse the real realms of Norway and England, and roam freely through Asgard and Jotunheim. You'll love exploring the rich and detailed histories of these lands, and you may just learn a few things along the way.

Designed to be an open-world exploration experience, Discover Age lets you move through the game at your own pace, taking all the time you want with the events and figures from history. The game takes its inspiration from Assassin's Creed, and the historical significance that is such a deep part of the gameplay. Discovery Age lets you wander freely, interacting with the environment on your terms.

Accept the narrative-driven quests, and you'll get an inside glimpse into the events that shaped our modern world. The developer's goal with this game was to give the player insight into not only the terrain, conflict, and politics of the former era, but also the humanity and people that lived through the times. Overall, this is a unique game, and one that almost tricks you into learning with its richly designed world. Pick up Discovery Tour Viking Age, and you'll see what we mean.

• Historical gameplay
• Immersive graphics
• Meet historical figures
• Platforms: Cross-platform
• Publishers: Ubisoft
• High-quality design and gameplay
• Interactive gameplay
• Meet and interact with historical figures and events
• Shorter than expected gameplay
• Minimal replay value

If learning isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of video gaming, you’re not alone. The platforms that bring us popular games focus on the most compelling, addictive gameplay experiences filled with thrills, chills, spills, and splatter — blood splatter, that is. But if you think video gaming only offers the bedlam of boss battles and the chaos of car theft, you haven’t checked out some of the best educational video games offered by some of the most popular platforms, including Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, and PC gaming.

If you’re looking for video games to add some brain-boosting benefits to your family’s screen time, it helps to know what to look for while you’re browsing. Some games are clearly meant for learning and exercising your brain brawn, but some of today’s best-selling video games in a variety of genres happen to also have helpful — and sometimes hidden — educational elements so you might not even notice that you’re learning while you play.

Mine Your Own Mental Metal

Some of the best educational video games offer unlimited access to resources for creating, crafting, and building. Sandbox-style video games let players mine for resources, forage for food, and develop complex structures, vehicles, and devices — all within the game. From the blocky, purposely pixelated world of Minecraft, where gamers explore self-generating biomes full of boundless resources for building, to the alien world of the Kerbal Space Program, where users learn literal rocket science while launching little green men into the stratosphere, today’s gamers have access to new layers of learning and all they have to do is mine their own mental metal.

These games offer teacher-approved STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) learning in a method that feels more like fun but boosts critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a way that transfers into real-world activities.

Boss Fights … and the Basics?

While choosing to crack open a book might feel like a chore to some learners, the colorful, fast-paced fun of a video game feels more like an addictive adventure. But that doesn’t mean these games don’t reinforce the basic skills of reading, writing, math, and science. Some of the best educational video games for kids, teens, and adults of all ages offer learning as a savory side dish to the main course. Whether it’s a game that allows players to become the animal of their choice to explore natural environments while decorating a “den,” or following a kid-friendly hand-stitched hero through a world of exciting adventures, reading, mental math, and learning science and history are often beneficial bonuses to the main gameplay.

Get Schooled in New Skills

Many of today’s best educational video games not only reinforce basic reading, writing, and math skills but also offer teacher-approved experiences in elements of design, music, and art. From games that teach users how to design, program, and launch a game within a game, to video games that offer a new medium for art masterpieces on the go with greater portability than wet paints and brushes, video games are the new great outlet for creativity.

Besides programming, designing, and artwork, you can also find great games for teaching musical skills that are the next best thing to being there at lessons with a professional musician, but at a fraction of the cost and right from your own living room.

While it might take a little digging to uncover hidden gems of education in today’s gaming world, these brain-boosting games help make screen time also time for learning valuable lessons to take back into the real world.

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10 Educational Video Games Your Kids Will Love

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If I told you that kids really like playing video games, you'd probably roll your eyes and tell me I'm stating the obvious. But if I explained to you just how much kids like games -- that a study by the Pew Research Center found that a staggering 97 percent of kids ages 12 to 17 play video games -- would that get your attention?

Sure, kids spend a lot of time in front of computers , TVs and handheld devices, and as a parent you probably worry that they're just scrambling their brains with all that gameplay. But it turns out that time spent playing video games can actually be pretty educational -- those word games and problem solving tasks they have to complete to get to the next level can really teach valuable skills. It's all part of a growing field of activities known as "edutainment," or education while entertaining. And while kids are having fun they're picking up problem solving, critical thinking, math, language and even science skills. Many games also help kids be more creative and develop social and collaborative skills through interaction with other players. In other words, video games can be educational in addition to being fun.

In this list we'll take a look at 10 video games that will not only teach your kids a thing or two, they'll love playing them!

• Scribblenauts
• Civilization
• Magic School Bus
• Endless Ocean
• LeapFrog Leapster
• Professor Layton Series
• Dora the Explorer
• Big Brain Academy
• LittleBigPlanet
• Reader Rabbit

10: Scribblenauts

Help the game's hero, Maxwell, complete his quest and collect little yellow stars called Starites in this word-based adventure game. Kids can flex their creative muscles as they solve each level using the powers of logic, language and problem solving. They pick the tools needed to complete the puzzle, and there's virtually no limit to what they can use.

In Scribblenauts, each level is an open-ended puzzle. The task can be as simple as collecting a Starite from a tree, or as challenging as traversing crocodile-infested waters and slipping past werewolves. If a rope would be helpful, just write the word "rope" and it will appear for Maxwell to use. How about a lamp or a bicycle? You can use those too. But you're not limited to simple objects like ropes or lamps. The Scribblenauts dictionary contains over 22,000 words, so if you think a lawn gnome, a stegosaurus, a blob or even a Swede will help Maxwell accomplish his task, then you can write those too and they will appear. You can even combine objects to achieve your goal -- whatever you can imagine comes to life on screen.

The original Scribblenauts game won a Parents' Choice Silver Honors award in 2010 from the Parents' Choice Foundation, and its sequel, Super Scribblenauts, won a Gold Honors award in 2011. Scribblenauts and Super Scribblenauts are for kids ages 8 and up, and are available for the Nintendo DS. Scribblenauts Remix can be played on an iPhone or iPad.

Scribblenauts is a great example of emergent game play, which is a lot like "choose your own adventure" to the extreme. In other words, the game's complexity changes based on the player's decisions, leading to an infinite number of gaming experiences that are limited only by your imagination.

9: Civilization

Kids can engage in decision-making, planning, diplomacy, strategy and exploration with this in-depth civilization-building simulation game.

Accumulate resources in order to grow and develop your civilization, and if those resources aren't in your territory you'll have to negotiate and trade with other civilizations. Each thing you build -- granaries, factories, markets, banks, universities -- opens up new opportunities for development and advancement. Make important decisions about the focus of your civilization: Do you want to build up your military and be a nation of conquerors, or invest in scientific research and win the game through technological development? There are several ways to win the game -- military victory, scientific victory, economic victory or cultural victory -- and you decide the focus and results through the decisions you make and how you choose to allocate your resources. But don't forget to balance the needs of a growing society with your goal of winning the game!

Civilization is available for the PC or Xbox and is appropriate for kids ages 10 and up.

8: Magic School Bus

Who says school's not fun? Certainly not Ms. Frizzle's students.

Join the eccentric Ms. Frizzle and her class as they take a trip on the Magic School Bus, engaging in a little bit of mischief and a whole lot of science learning. There's nowhere this bus can't take you -- explore the depths of the ocean, the surface of Mars, the diverse rainforest and even the complex human body in this entertaining and educational game series based on the popular television show and book series. Each game takes you on a learning field trip where you'll discover interesting facts, play science games and even conduct experiments to learn all about the place you're visiting.

The Magic School Bus games are available for your PC, and you can even play some games for free online through the Scholastic Web site. Take a quiz to test your science smarts, learn about how volcanoes work and even conduct your own science experiments online. Magic School Bus games are great for kids ages 6 to 10.

7: Endless Ocean

Explore the world's oceans and waterways, learning about aquatic habitats and sea life. Your kids can become divers on an adventure with the L&L Diving Service that allows them to interact with -- and learn about -- all kinds of marine plant and animal life. Traverse the seas with unique and interesting characters, including a salty expedition leader, a brilliant scientist and a young, headstrong diver who's sure to lead you into mischief. Hunt for sunken treasure in the Manaurai Sea; explore underwater caves, trenches and even shipwrecks; discover lost civilizations; identify and learn about 300 aquatic animal species and collect sea creatures for your own virtual aquarium.

Endless Ocean and its sequel Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep are available for the Nintendo Wii. The games are targeted for kids ages 10 and up, and feature a two-player game mode so you can explore the deep blue sea right along with your kids.

6: LeapFrog Leapster

What if kids could choose to play with their favorite animated characters, and they were guaranteed to be doing something educational, too? That's what the Leapster system is all about. The Leapster program isn't just a single game; it's an entire learning game system. It starts with the Leapster handheld game device, which is about the size of a Nintendo DS or a Sony PSP. With Leapster, kids can choose from a number of games featuring their favorite characters, like SpongeBob, Batman and Cinderella. All of the games are designed to be educational, helping kids ages 3 to 8 to develop math, reading and language skills. Math activities include learning about addition, subtraction and shapes. Reading games teach phonetic skills as well as sight words, vowels and consonants. The games even offer varying skills levels that adapt to your child's own learning pace.

Another interesting feature of the Leapster system is that you can connect it to a computer to download games, including starter games that teach shapes, numbers, colors, letters and memory skills. You can also monitor you kids' progress online through the LeapFrog Learning Path, which gives you progress updates on your child's learning development.

The Leapster system won a Parents' Choice Silver Honors award in 2008 as well as a Greatest Products Award from iParent Media.

Handheld video game devices allow you (or your child) to take your games anywhere you go, like car trips, restaurants and any place where you have to kill time. Some handheld devices available today include the Leapster, the Nintendo DS, 3DS and Game Boy Advance and the PlayStation Vita and PSP. And let's not forget those smart phones and tablets!

5: Professor Layton Series

Complete puzzles that teach problem solving, math, spatial orientation, logic and more to help Professor Layton and his apprentice Luke Triton solve exciting mysteries. Clicking on the characters you meet along the way reveals new puzzles and games, including logic problems, math challenges and even riddles. This game has a strong storyline that keeps you and your kids entertained and engaged while you collect clues and unravel the mystery along the way.

The Professor Layton games are available for the Nintendo DS and are aimed at kids ages 10 and older. The third installment of the series, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, won a Parents' Choice Silver Honors award in 2011 from the Parents' Choice Foundation.

4: Dora the Explorer

Even if you're not a parent, there's a good chance you've at least heard of Dora the Explorer. With a popular TV show, toy line, book series, video games and even a traveling show, Dora and her group of goofy animal pals are everywhere, taking fun and learning wherever they go.

In the video games, just like the TV show, kids are invited to follow Dora and her friends on an adventure with an ultimate goal in mind. Follow maps, solve problems, learn new words and facts and have lots of silly fun along the way. Help Dora complete activities and adventures while learning about shapes, colors, numbers and words (both Spanish and English). But the game takes the show one step further by allowing kids to interact directly with the characters.

Simple, easy-to-follow instructions make this an easy game for kids ages 3 to 6 to pick up and play. The best part is that the Dora games aren't limited to a single gaming system. You can get Dora the Explorer games for the Nintendo Wii, DS and Gameboy Advance, the Sony PlayStation and even your PC.

Dora's Big Birthday Adventure and Dora Saves the Snow Princess both won Parents' Choice Approved Awards from the Parents' Choice Foundation.

3: Big Brain Academy

While lots of games can mask their educational content behind fun story lines and silly characters, Big Brain Academy turns learning itself into a fun challenge. Logic, math, analysis and memory skills are all developed with activities and games to train your brain every day. The more you play, the better you get; and the better you get the heavier your brain becomes!

Big Brain's games are grouped into five categories based on the skills you're building: think, memorize, analyze, compute and identify. You can practice, practice, practice, but the ultimate challenge comes when you take the test to determine your brain weight. Not satisfied with your score? Then keep practicing and try again! You can compete against your own best scores or even challenge friends and family to see who has the heaviest brain.

Big Brain Academy is available for the Nintendo DS and is suitable for ages 3 and up, but can be just as fun for grown-ups as it is for the young 'uns.

2: LittleBigPlanet

With LittleBigPlanet for Sony PlayStation 3, kids can build their own worlds and manipulate everything in them, developing logic, problem solving and spatial orientation skills in the process. It all starts with Sackboy, the game's playful main character who looks like a crocheted hacky sack with arms, legs and shiny black button eyes. You can customize him to look like whatever you want, adding goofy clothes or hairstyles to suit your taste.

Playing the game's levels teaches you how to build in, and manipulate, the LittleBigPlanet environment through a series of problem-solving activities and challenges. When you've completed the training activities, you can let your imagination run wild -- building and creating anything you want on your very own "patch" of virtual land. Then, when you've created the perfect location, you can share your creations with the LittleBigPlanet community online so others can explore and enjoy it too.

The PS3 version of LittleBigPlanet is designed for kids ages 7 and older.

LittleBigPlanet was part of the Educate to Innovate campaign introduced by the White House in 2009 to teach kids science, technology, engineering and math skills outside the classroom. The Digital Media and Learning Competition, funded by the MacArthur Foundation, challenged participants to create game levels to teach those skills.

1: Reader Rabbit

With Reader Rabbit and his friends your kids can develop language arts, science, problem solving and math skills by playing fun, engaging mini games suitable for a variety of skill levels. Learn counting and money skills with Silly Sandwich Shop; hone your addition skills with Raingear Forest Math; develop spelling skills with Cheese Brick Spelling; recognize shapes with Sparkle Shape Mining and much more in this educational game series.

Reader Rabbit games are available both for different age groups and for focusing on different skills. Toddler, Pre-School, Kindergarten, 1st Grade and 2nd Grade versions introduce a broad range of learning activities designed for your child's skill level. Other games like Reader Rabbit Learn to Read with Phonics, Reader Rabbit Math and Reader Rabbit Playtime for Baby and Toddler focus on specific skills. Three Reader Rabbit games won a Parents' Choice Approved award in 2011.

For more about games, kids and learning, take a peek at the links on the next page.

Lots More Information

Related articles.

• Understanding Video Game Ratings
• How to Bond With Kids Over Video Games
• How to Stimulate a Child's Mind
• Is the use of Internet in classrooms helping kids?
• 5 Great Tablet Computers for Kids
• Alexander, Scott. "Best Educational Video Games." Family Circle. (Feb. 14, 2012) http://www.familycircle.com/family-fun/video-games/smart-video-game-picks/
• Big Brain Academy. "How to Play." (Feb. 20, 2012) http://bigbrainacademy.com/ds/how/index.html
• Chang, Kenneth. "White House Pushes Science and Math Education" New York Times, Nov. 22, 2009. (Feb. 20, 2012) http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/23/science/23educ.html?_r=1&hpw
• Endless Ocean. "Story." (Feb. 25, 2012) http://www.endlessocean.com/#/story/
• Entertainment Software Association. "Games: Improving Education." (Feb. 19, 2012) http://www.theesa.com/games-improving-what-matters/education.asp
• Heuscher, Sharon. "Reader Rabbit - 1st Grade." Parents' Choice, 2011. (Feb. 25, 2012) http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=29793&StepNum=1&award=aw
• Heuscher, Sharon. "Reader Rabbit - 2nd Grade." Parents' Choice, 2011. (Feb. 25, 2012) http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=29794&StepNum=1&award=aw
• Heuscher, Sharon. "Reader Rabbit - 1st Grade." Parents' Choice, 2011. (Feb. 25, 2012) http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=29791&StepNum=1&award=aw
• Jackson, Mike. "LittleBigPlanet 2 getting 'Teacher Pack' for school lessons." Computer and Video Games, March 15, 2011. (Feb. 23, 2012) http://www.computerandvideogames.com/293705/littlebigplanet-2-getting-teacher-pack-for-school-lessons/
• Kraft, Amy. "Scribblenauts." Parents' Choice, 2010. (Feb. 19, 2012) http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=27602&award=xx&from=Search%20Results
• Kraft, Amy. "Super Scribblenauts." Parents' Choice, 2011. (Feb. 19, 2012) http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=28939&award=xx&from=Search%20Results
• LeapFrog. "Leapster®2 Learning System." (Feb. 24, 2012). http://shop.leapfrog.com/leapfrog/jump/Leapster%AE2-Learning-System/productDetail/Leapster-Handhelds/lfprod21155/cat90006
• Lenhart, Amanda, Joseph Kahne, Ellen Middaugh, Alexandra Rankin Macgill, Chris Evans, and Jessica Vitak. "Teens, Video Games, and Civics: Teens' gaming experiences are diverse and include significant social interaction and civic engagement." Pew Internet and American Life Project, Sept. 16, 2008. (Feb. 24, 2011) http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/PIP_Teens_Games_and_Civics_Report_FINAL.pdf
• Oldenburg, Don. "Professor Layton and the Unwound Future." Parents' Choice, 2011. (Feb. 19, 2012) http://www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=29003&award=xx&from=Search%20Results
• Olsen, Stefanie. "Educational Video Games Mix Cool With Purpose." New York Time, Nov. 1, 2009. (Feb.0, 2012) http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/02/technology/02games.html
• Scholastic. "Magic School Bus Games and Activities." (Feb. 20, 2012) http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/
• Techopedia. "Emergent Gameplay." (Feb. 25, 2012) http://www.techopedia.com/definition/27043/emergent-gameplay
• Totilo, Stephen. "Obama and LittleBigPlanet Team Up, For Kids." Kotaku, Nov. 23, 2009. (Feb. 20, 2012) http://kotaku.com/5410944/obama-and-littlebigplanet-team-up-for-kids
• Video Games Blogger. "Scribblenauts Dictionary List of All 22, 802 Words." Sept 12, 2009. (Feb. 25, 2012) http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2009/09/12/scribblenauts-dictionary-list-of-all-22802-words.htm

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• Game Portal

27 Best Educational Games for Kids to Play Sorted by Subject

Written by Jordan Nisbet

Educators & Parents

Help kids discover their passion for math with our engaging, online math game!

• Parent Resources
• Mathematics
• Language arts
• Health and physical education
• Social studies

Educational games make a great alternative for children who don't learn best through pencil and paper instruction.

According to educational nonprofit EDUCAUSE , a growing body of research shows game-based learning platforms “can create an engaging dynamic that inspires students to develop competencies and skills as they focus on the activities of the game.”

Regardless of the subject, educational games for kids can help you instill a love of learning in your own child. This applies whether they're learning through homeschooling, online learning or traditional classroom setting.

Below, we’ve organized some of the best educational games for kids by subject! Interested in games for a certain subject? Click one below and jump right to it:

Mathematics games

Available : Apple App Store , Google Play , Amazon Appstore , Web

Age : 6 to 14

Cost : All in-game educational content is free, Memberships  available

Prodigy Math is the engaging, fantasy-based math game used by over 100 million students, teachers and parents around the world. 

It’s curriculum-aligned and helps kids master math skills in every major topic from 1st grade to 8th grade, including fractions, geometry and more.

After creating their own personalized math wizard, your child will compete in math battles against in-game characters , just like how role-playing games like Pokémon work. To win, they must answer sets of math questions.

The game also adapts in difficulty to suit your child’s learning style and grade level, helping them build key math skills. In one school district, research showed that students who used Prodigy Math mastered 68% more math skills on average when they used Prodigy Math!

Create your free parent account  to follow your child's progress as they have fun learning math. You can also get a Membership to level up your Prodigy experience — packed with plenty of extra benefits for you and your child!

Are you an educator? 👩‍🏫

Get full access to Prodigy's teaching tools at no cost to you or your school!

Available : Web

Age : 8 to 14

Cost : $20 per month, $40 per quarter, $60 per year

This is a middle school math game aligned with the common core and TEKS curricula. Your child will be tasked with helping Alfred, an inventor, save Mathlantis —  a chaotic and disordered world — by restoring the population’s math knowledge.

On this adventure, they’ll time-travel and meet famous mathematicians, help them regain their lost knowledge, and transform Mathlantis back to its original state.

Twelve a Dozen

Available : Apple App Store

Cost : Free, in-app purchases

Developed by Touch Press Games, this educational math game helps children understand the beginning thought process of algebra and explore longer, more complex algebraic equations.

In Twelve a Dozen, your child will join the numeric hero, Twelve, on a journey through a universe of numbers. She’s on a mission to rescue her family and the crumbling world of Dozenopolis from the destructive Ultimate Prime. And they’ll use their skills and understanding of core math concepts to solve puzzles.

Looking for more amazing math games for kids? Check our list of the  13 best math apps for kids in elementary school!

Start with Art!

Available : Apple App Store, Google Play, Amazon Appstore

Embark on a journey into the world of art, creativity, and visual learning with your personal Art Guides: Tickles, Furnace, and Ruby!

Start with Art! will walk your child through four foundational art lessons:

• Art as language
• Message in art

It also has engaging “Creativity Builders” art projects designed to foster creativity, encourage problem solving, and enhance critical thinking skills.

Each lesson is aligned to Creativity Express, a multi-award winning visual arts curriculum that professional educators and former Disney animators created!

Cost : Free

Tate is a family of four art galleries in London, Liverpool, and Cornwall. Its children-focused project, Tate Kids, lets children play free art-related games and quizzes, get help on art homework, and share their creations!

In addition to completing fun quizzes, kids can help robots save famous art in “Art Parts,” create their own landscapes in “My Imaginary City,” and more! 

No matter what area of art your child is into, they’ll find something engaging, educational, and creative!

Colorfy: Coloring Art Game

Available : Apple App Store, Google Play

No crayons? Run out of sketchbook pages? No worries! 

Colorfy is a digital coloring book for kids of all ages, filled with high-quality images. With over 1000 pictures to paint, your child will have the choice of florals, animals, patterns, gardens, mandalas, famous paintings, and other creative images.

This coloring game also includes a new AR virtual gallery that lets your child see what their art would look like in the real world!

Language arts games

Available: Web

Cost: Free to play, with optional Memberships for extra rewards

Prodigy English is a free educational game for kids that uses creative, sandbox gameplay to engage kids in English language skills. The game takes place on the player's very own village, where they'll collect resources and use them to build objects that can play in their own world.

Just like Prodigy Math, Prodigy English uses an adaptive algorithm that adjusts the questions students get based on their grade and ability. This can help them grow their reading and vocabulary skills – all while having fun!

Prodigy English covers Common Core reading and language skills from 1st grade to 6th grade, with more skills and game content coming!

Available : Apple App Store, Google Play, Amazon Appstore, Web

Age : 4 to 18

Cost : 30-day free trial, then $9.99 per month

As outlined on HOMER’s website, their “mission is to provide the best educational start possible by offering personalized, fun, and proven learning products for children.” 

This early learning program has two products: Reading and Stories .

HOMER Reading combines a child’s current reading level and their passions, in order to create a personalized learn-to-read plan. Using that child’s same interests, HOMER Stories curates stories they’ll love — from classic to contemporary.

Vocabulary Spelling City

Available : Apple App Store, Google Play, Web

Cost : Free, $34.95 per year (family annual membership up to five students)

This program is a K-12 supplemental literacy tool designed to help children at every learning level learn spelling and hone grammar skills.

Plus, it helps them build vocabulary retention and reading comprehension.

You can try out 40+ free online spelling games which come with pre-populated word lists. They also offer a premium membership that gives your child access to all of Vocabulary Spelling City’s games with customized lists, homework practice, and more.

Wallykazam! Letter and Word Magic

Available : Apple App Store, Amazon Appstore

Cost : $1.99

Based on the children’s animated television series on Nickelodeon, Wallykazam! helps preschoolers learn early reading skills.

Kids will join Wally Trollman, his pet dragon Norville, the mischievous Bobgoblin, Gina Giant, and Libby Light Sprite in magical and hilarious adventures! They’ll play games and learn letter recognition, letter tracing, and phonics.

Room Recess

Room Recess provides a wide variety of educational games for kids to play during recess. This includes ELA topics, like nouns, sight words and phonics. Each topic has a mini-game made for it, with easy gameplay designed to encourage engagement in the subject. The platform also includes games for skills like math and typing, from pre-k to 6th grade.

If you're a teacher, you may find Room Recess extra helpful for its worksheets, ideal if you're looking to reinforce some of the content seen in the platform's mini-games.

Health and physical education games

Age : 5 to 12

Cost : Free, premium version available

The purpose of GoNoodle is to help parents and teachers get kids moving, with the help of engaging video content. As their app description states: “make screen time active with 300+ videos that feature kids songs, dance, yoga, mindfulness, stretching, and more!”

Whether you want to throw your children a dance party to get them moving or make cleaning up around the house fun, GoNoodle has the perfect video.

Learning Games for Kids: Health

Age : 4 to 13

When it comes to health, it’s important that children learn about their bodies early to stay healthy. Although this website is outdated, there are 36 health-related games across four categories that will help children love to care about their health.From allergies and body parts to dental hygiene and staying fit, playing these games can introduce them to new concepts and help reinforce what they learn in school.

Disaster Master

Disaster Master is an educational game for kids designed to teach them about staying safe from environmental disasters. Players progress through different 8 levels, each centered on a particular disaster challenge, like hurricanes and wildfires.

Use this game to teach both younger and older kids about the importance of staying safe and what they can do to protect themselves in an environmental disaster.

Science games

Available : Apple App Store, Google Play, Microsoft

Cost : $2.99 per app, discounted bundles available

Tinybop can be summed up in three words: play, create, and learn. 

Using educational apps and digital games created for curious and creative minds, children can explore the awesome and invisible wonders of the world!

Children will develop foundational science literacy while engaging with educational games about the human body, plants, homes, weather, space, animals, states of matter, and other exciting topics.

Cost : Free with in-game purchases

Flowing from a belief that the power of play jumpstarts imagination, its games are open-ended, so children are encouraged to experiment and make new connections. The educational game developer Toca Boca creates digital toys from the kid perspective. 

Among Toca Boca’s products, science-related ones include Toca Lab: Elements and Toca Lab: Plants.

In Elements, children will explore the exciting world of science and meet all 118 elements from the periodic table, as they experiment with lab equipment!

And in Plants, they’ll have the opportunity to see how plants evolve, while collecting up to 35 different plant characters!

Camp Wonderopolis

Science for kids is a website packed with fun games for kids to channel their inner scientist. From learning about food chains to mastering melting points, each topic includes mini-games to help engage kids in biology, chemistry and physics.

The website also includes other educational activities for parents and teachers to try with kids, like experiment ideas, quizzes and more.

Technology games

Cost : Individual and Family Plans available, starting at $9 per month

Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Facebook, said: “In fifteen years, we’ll be teaching programming just like reading and writing… and wondering why we didn’t do it sooner.” 

Recognizing its importance, Tynker has created award-winning coding courses that are fun and offer self-paced learning for all experience levels.

With over 3,700 fun modules, Tynker designed its lessons to motivate children to further advance their skills, while earning cool new badges! They’ll also have help along the way thanks to interactive explanations, how-to videos, mini-game previews, and more.

CodeSpark Academy

Cost : $9.99 USD/month, with discounts available for longer subscriptions.

This coding game for kids covers many different skills needed for programming, including creativity, logical thinking and problem-solving. It includes characters called the Foos, who guide players through puzzle games where they'll encounter and learn coding topics like sequencing.

Like many of the educational games listed in this article, you can access it via web or through a device running iOS or Android.

Gamestar Mechanic

Available : Web (App access required)

In partnership with E-Line Media and the Institute of Play, Gamestar Mechanic is an online game and community with the sole aim of helping children learn the guiding principles of game design in a highly engaging environment.

There are three components to Gamestar Mechanic: Play, Design , and Share .

Here’s a quick overview of how it works:

• Your child will start by going on an exciting single-player quest to learn about the principles of game design, while earning “sprites.”
• After exhibiting a certain level of mastery, they can use their sprites to design their own original games!
• Then, if your child wishes, they may publish their game in Game Alley as well as review and collaborate on other players’ games.

Have you thought about a STEM program?

If your child loves technology games, they might benefit from a STEM program. STEM programs help kids build key STEM skills – all while they have fun!

Social studies games

Pbs kids games.

Available : Web, Apple App Store, Google Play

Age : 2 to 11

Starring some of children’s favorite television characters, the social studies games on PBS Kids explore culture, different environments, identity, governance, science, and more.

Not sure there’s something for your child? PBS Kids offers a variety of styles of games — from Jet’s Planet Pinball to learn about our solar system to Fidgits to the Rescue! where they build structures to help victims of environmental disasters. There’s something for every type of learner.

In 2009, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor founded iCivics to reimagine civic education. Since its inception, her vision has been “to cultivate a new generation of students for thoughtful and active citizenship. Civic knowledge is a prerequisite for civic participation. Yet for decades, civic education had largely disappeared from school curricula and the repercussions are undeniable.”

Taking a game-based approach, iCivics transforms abstract concepts into problems that every child will face in real life. 

If it’s used in your child’s class, they’ll have a class code to sign in. If it isn’t, they can still make their own account to play engaging and educational games that will help make them better citizens!

One Globe Kids - Friends

Available : Apple App Store, Web

This social studies game allows children to “meet” other kids around the world through photo- and audio-based stories called “A Day in My Life.” Choose from places like Haiti, New York City, the Netherlands, or Indonesia to hear each storyteller’s language as well as learn geographic, cultural, and political facts about each country.

Depending how your child would like to explore each friend’s story, they can choose from three different approaches: Adventure, Start to Finish , and Conversations .

History games

Civilisations ar.

Age : All ages (However, children under 16 are advised to have an adult present.)

With this engaging app, Civilisations AR puts puts history in your hand with the BBC’s first ever Augmented Reality app. You and your child will discover things like ancient Egyptian secrets and reveal hidden layers beneath Renaissance masterpieces.

Whether at home or on a walk in the park, you can use Civilisations AR to bring realistic, to-scale artifacts to life. Become the explorer as you move, scale, and rotate the collection. And, if interested, use features like the “Spotlight” to reveal audio guides and special features, or the “X-Ray” to discover some of history’s greatest secrets.

History for Kids: All Civilizations Learning Games

Cost : Free, in-app purchases ($2.79 to $13.99)

Children will have fun discovering the ancient world and exploring through games and adventures. With vibrant colors and high-quality images, they’ll find themselves engaged with the history of 14 different civilizations.

Kids also get to create their own avatar! And when they do, playing the game will allow them to level it up so they can unlock some awesome prizes.

Geography games

National geographic kids.

Parents may remember the National Geographic Kids magazine. Now, children can engage with the same fun aspects of the magazine online.

To learn more about geography, head over to their website for some fact-filled, fast-paced fun! There are many educational quizzes, funny fill-ins, and action-adventure games to play.

Carmen Sandiego

Where on Google Earth is Carmen Sandiego?

Your child will just have to hop on the internet to find out. In collaboration with education publishing company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Google Earth created a series of Carmen Sandiego games: The Crown Jewels Caper, Tutankhamun's Mask Caper, and The Keys to the Kremlin Caper.

Your child will help Carmen Sandiego track down burglars working for a global criminal organization called VILE. Flying from continent to continent, players interview characters to gain clues that help track down the burglars while testing their geography knowledge. 

Ready to see the impact educational video games for kids can have?

Gamification in education need not be limited to the classroom. Encouraging your child to spend their screen time playing educational video games for kids not only strengthens their skills in various subjects but can also help transform them into lifelong learners!

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Scott Gilbertson

11 Great Games to Educate and Entertain Your Kids at Home

If you're stuck inside and your kids are climbing the walls, but you aren't yet ready to let them watch Netflix from dawn to dusk, well, I don't blame you. Here are some games that are sometimes called "edutaining." Think of them as fun games that also teach something, but in a way your kids probably won't notice.

I do suggest setting some screen time limits before handing your children a device, but with these options you can at least rest assured that your kids are learning something.

If you buy something using the links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Here’s how this works . You can also support our reporting and reviewing by purchasing a 1-year print + digital WIRED subscription for $5 (Discounted) .

Ages 6-12 ( Computer , iOS , Android )

Animal Jam is an online virtual world originally created in collaboration with the National Geographic Society. It teaches kids about zoology and ecology with games, adventures, and parties and online social elements. With 160 million registered users, this is one of the largest virtual worlds for kids. If the online play gives you pause, know that the parental controls are pretty good, allowing you to lock down the game if you desire.

Ages 5 and up on Nintendo Switch ( GameStop , Amazon )

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This is a great game that encourages spacial thinking and unique puzzle solving. Kids can pilot Toad through courses based on the Super Mario Odyssey game while hunting down treasures and solving puzzles.

This math-based role-playing game is free to play. Kids proceed through the game by answering skill-building math questions to earn rewards. There's an interactive element, too; they can go on quests with friends. The difficulty levels increase as your kids make progress in the game.

Ages 3-8 ( iOS , Android )

This physics puzzle game features rolling aliens that teach your kids about acceleration, buoyancy, gravity, and more. Like games of yesteryear, there are no ads, no in-app purchases, and it doesn't need an internet connection.

Ages 4 and Up ( Computer , iOS , Android )

Tinybop has dozens of learning-oriented apps and we've been fans for years . You can purchase them in bundles for iPhone or iPad (Android users there is one Tinybop bundle in the Play Store which has six games.) My kids love the Curiosity Kit ($16) , which includes apps about the human body, animal anatomy, and space. Tinybop is currently offering its Tinybop Schools subscription , which features ten science apps and classroom support, for free through the summer to help out parents and kids while schools are closed (no credit card required).

Ages 4 and Up ( iOS , Android )

Dragonbox games are primarily math-related, though they also partnered with chess champ Magnus Carlsen to create Magnus' Kingdom , a chess-learning game that's been very popular in my house. It uses an adventure-style approach to teach kids about different chess pieces and how to play. I strongly suggest picking up a real-world chess board (I like this no-stress chess board for beginners $18 ) as well. Your kids will ask for it. Trust me.

Ages 3 and Up ( Computer , iOS , Android )

It's time you let delightful animated monsters teach your kids everything from basic ABCs to complex sentences. It has puzzle games with talking letters and well-illustrated definitions to help your child learn to read. Originator, the publisher of Endless Alphabet , has many other games as well , including Endless Reader , which helps kids learn sight words, and Endless Spanish which helped my kids significantly improve their Spanish vocabulary.

Ages 4-6 ( Computer )

This language, arts, and music learning site has dozens of games and activities to help your kids learn to read, add, subtract, and identify shapes.

Ages 4-8 ( iOS , Android )

PBS Kids has dozens of apps, many of them related to the shows on PBS Kids. If your kids like a particular show, they'll probably really engage with its related game, as well.

Ages 4 and Up ( iOS )

Stop-motion animation is a fun form of art that teaches patience. This animation app will help your kids start creating their own little animated masterpieces. The interface is reasonably simple, but it might require the help of an adult the first time through.

All ages ( Apple Podcasts for iOS , Google Podcasts for Android )

Check out our guide to kids' podcasts for some ideas on great podcasts that will keep your kids entertained. If you're a podcast fan yourself, you should try using Pocket Casts (great app). I suggest getting a separate podcast app for your kids, so there's no way they'll accidentally end up listening to any adult content you don't want them to hear.

March 25, 9 am: This story was updated to add links to the Tinybop Android app bundle.

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• Recognizing letter names and sounds
• Recognizing lowercase and uppercase letters
• Identifying vowels and consonants
• Tracing letters and numbers
• Understanding that written words are separated by spaces
• Putting the letters of the alphabet in order
• Matching letter sounds to beginning word sounds
• Counting syllables
• Reading common high-frequency sight words
• Recognizing rhyming words
• Recognizing consonant digraphs and blends
• Spelling common words
• Engaging in wordplay
• Understanding and contributing to a short narrative
• Identifying the basic parts of a storybook (front cover, title page, title, author, illustrator, back cover)
• Identifying the main character and basic plot of a story
• Answering questions about the key details of a story
• Talking about likes, dislikes, and favorites
• Creating and illustrating a story
• Counting to 10
• Counting to 100
• Adding up to 10
• Subtracting up to 10
• Counting by base-10 blocks
• Skip-counting by 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, 7s, 8s, 9s, and 10s up to 100
• Recognizing written numbers from one to ten
• Answering the question "How many?"
• Sorting by number
• Ordering by number
• Tracing numbers
• Sorting and organizing coins and bills
• Recognizing shapes and patterns
• Recognizing number bonds
• Solving "more" and "less" word problems
• Comparing numbers using greater than, less than, and equal to symbols
• Comparing the length of two objects
• Comparing the size of two objects
• Completing a pattern
• Estimating numbers
• Completing a number grid
• Recognizing the numbers on a set of dice
• Recognizing shapes
• Identifying shapes
• Counting the number of sides and corners a shape hass
• Painting and coloring
• Illustrating a story
• Identifying musical instruments
• Expressing themselves through art and design
• Recognizing and naming colors
• Identifying the five senses
• Naming and ordering the seasons
• Naming and ordering the months of the year
• Identifying food groups
• Sorting money
• Picking the right clothes for the weather
• Identifying technological tools
• Using a mouse, trackpad, or touchscreen
• Using a keyboard

For a full list of aligned Common Core standards, visit our Common Core page:

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Video Games Can Help Kids Learn to Read

Children can naturally develop reading skills while having fun..

Posted March 24, 2024 | Reviewed by Abigail Fagan

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• Some video games are designed to teach reading skills.
• Children must read to understand and play many other mainstream games.
• Young people are intrinsically motivated to read and write about their interests.

Learning to read fluently requires hundreds of hours of practice. Some children happily sit and read for hours, but others (especially those with ADHD or dyslexia) cannot. Parents and teachers often wonder how to get those children to practice. Some video games explicitly teach reading skills, but mainstream games are also useful.

Video games are ideal places for these children to practice reading. This is primarily because they’re both interesting and safe . Reading aloud in class can be frightening for young readers. Despite teachers’ best efforts, struggling readers are often judged or mocked by peers when they mispronounce or stumble over words other kids know. Many adults vividly recall counting the number of children ahead of them in line to read to determine which paragraph they would be called on to read. “I would ignore the rest of the lesson to covertly rehearse my paragraph over and over. It was terrifying.”

I worked with many of these children in a therapeutic middle school. After years of humiliation , many children started to act out during English class to save face. They could not read as well as other students and it felt emotionally safer to pretend to be uninterested and write off the class entirely. Arms folded, they sat in the back of the classroom rolling their eyes or glaring at the teacher and stomping out of the classroom when called upon. It was easier to insist they “hate reading” than admit they were afraid of it.

Luckily, I worked alongside fantastic teachers, who recognized the meaning behind this behavior and responded appropriately. They gave the students individual attention away from the rest of the class and provided individualized assignments catered to the students’ interests. For many, this involved video games. “Write three paragraphs about why you like Minecraft .” “Read and annotate this article about Pokémon .” “Write a one-page persuasive essay about why Call of Duty is better than Fortnite .” Unsurprisingly, interesting assignments and private space to make mistakes helped them feel comfortable as they learned critical reading and writing skills.

Many students who say they don’t like reading simply lack motivation . One researcher found that the average tenth-grade student spends over an hour every day happily reading about video games. In another study, 60% of 8- to 18-year-olds reported writing online about video games every month. In short, video games are a proven way to motivate children to practice reading and writing outside of the classroom.

Most video games require players to read. For example, Pokémon games have no voiced dialogue; every in-game character communicates through text. The same is true for Animal Crossing , Fire Emblem , Super Mario Bros. , and many others.

Some young people skip on-screen text whenever possible. I have met several who press the “advance text” button as rapidly as possible to return to the action. For those children, I advise that their parents sit with them and help guide them. The child might read the protagonist’s dialogue and the parent can role play the other characters.

Some evidence suggests that reading text on a screen is inferior to reading from a book. One study found that children recalled more details when reading from a book than they do from the same text with interactive elements on a screen. Many teachers fear that screens are too distracting and don’t promote “reading stamina” – the ability to sit with and analyze a challenging text. This seems particularly true for very young children, whose brains are still developing patience and focus.

Therefore, I recommend that children be given as little screen time as possible before age 8-9. Talking to distant family members on Zoom and educational programs like Sesame Street are great in moderation. However, children may not learn from screens as well as they do from a live instructor. Some evidence suggests that children under three years old cannot learn anything from prerecorded videos , even ones explicitly designed to teach them. This means that the best way for you to help your children succeed in school is to spend time with them. Read them books and help them sound out words. Make reading a game. Help them figure out what the stop sign on the corner says. Occasionally make silly mistakes and encourage them to correct you. Have fun.

When they’re old enough and grasp the fundamentals, video games can help young people practice reading while having fun.

Compton-Lilly, C. (2007). What can video games teach us about teaching reading? The Reading Teacher, 60 (8). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/238445863_What_Can_Video_Games…

Huebeck, E. (2024, January 15). Is too much screen time, too early, hindering reading comprehension? Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/is-too-much-screen-time-too-ea…

Picton, I .& Clark, C. (2021). Children and young people's video game playing and literacy in 2021. National Literacy Trust. https://literacytrust.org.uk/research-services/research-reports/childre…

Roseberry, S., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Golinkoff, R.M. (2015). Skype me! Socially contingent interactions help toddlers learn language. Society for Research in Child Development, 85 (3). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3962808/

Schwartz, S. (2023, March 15). Kids understand more from books than screens, but that's not always the case. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/kids-understand-more-from-book…

Thompson, C. (2014, October 9). How videogames like Minecraft actually help kids learn to read. Wired. https://www.wired.com/2014/10/video-game-literacy/

Andrew Fishman is a licensed social worker in Chicago, Illinois. He is also a lifelong gamer who works with clients to understand the impact video games have had on their mental health.

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Fun and Educational Games for 5-Year-Olds: A Smart Choice

Children at the age of 5 are vibrant, curious, and ready to absorb knowledge like sponges. As they embark on their educational journey, integrating fun into learning becomes pivotal. The concept of play-based learning takes center stage, harnessing the power of games to foster development. Acknowledging the significance of this developmental phase, educators and parents alike recognize the critical role of interactive and engaging activities in shaping a child’s foundational learning experiences.

Play is not merely a pastime but a potent tool for education. It seamlessly combines enjoyment with learning, providing a holistic approach to childhood development. Educational games tailored for 5-year-olds are instrumental in cultivating essential skills while keeping the learning process enjoyable. The immersive nature of play-based learning ensures that children are not just memorizing facts but actively engaging with the material, fostering a deeper understanding of concepts.

Table of contents

Enhancing cognitive skills, boosting creativity and imagination, fostering social and emotional development, digital vs. traditional games, board games, puzzles, and card games, educational apps and software, selecting the right educational games, educational games for literacy, math and logic games, art and creativity games, social and emotional learning, technology in educational games, family engagement, gamification in education, the future of educational games, frequently asked questions (faq’s), benefits of educational games.

Educational games for kids stimulate problem-solving, decision-making abilities and critical thinking skills for kids in young minds. They encourage exploration, improving memory retention and enhancing cognitive development. Moreover, these games create an environment where children can experiment, make mistakes, and learn from them, fostering resilience and adaptability.

Through games, children explore their creativity and imagination. Indoor activities for kids like drawing, storytelling, and crafts for kids in these games inspire innovation and artistic expression. These games act as a canvas for self-expression, enabling children to communicate their thoughts and emotions in imaginative ways.

Games instill valuable social skills such as cooperation, teamwork, and communication. Moreover, they aid in emotional development by teaching empathy, patience, and conflict resolution in a safe, playful environment. The collaborative nature of many educational games helps children understand the importance of working together towards a common goal, laying the groundwork for healthy social interactions.

Types of Educational Games

While digital games offer interactive experiences, traditional board games, puzzles, and card games promote tactile learning and family bonding. Both digital and traditional games hold unique benefits; digital games often cater to a tech-savvy generation, while traditional games offer a tangible, hands-on learning experience that fosters face-to-face interaction among peers and family members.

These classics enhance problem-solving skills, strategic thinking, and patience, making them ideal for developing young minds. Additionally, board games often have multiple layers of learning, teaching children not just the rules but also sportsmanship, turn-taking, and the joy of both winning and losing graciously.

Technology-integrated games offer diverse learning opportunities, catering to different learning strategies and preferences. These apps and software often adapt to a child’s learning pace, providing personalized challenges that encourage growth and skill development .

Age-Appropriate Options

Choosing games aligned with a 5-year-old’s developmental stage ensures engagement and relevance. It’s crucial to consider not just the complexity of the game but also its themes, ensuring they are suitable and stimulating for the child’s age group.

Learning Objectives and Skills

Look for games that target specific skills like literacy, numeracy, creativity, and social interaction. By aligning these objectives with the child’s interests, parents and educators can ensure that learning feels less like a chore and more like an exciting exploration.

Safety and Quality Standards

Prioritize games that adhere to safety standards, providing a secure and enriching experience for young players. Ensuring that the content is age-appropriate and free from harmful elements is essential in creating a safe and conducive learning environment for children.

Reading Adventures and Story Games

Engaging story-driven games introduce children to narratives and develop their love for reading. These games not only focus on the text but also integrate visuals and sound, captivating young readers’ attention and fostering a deeper connection with storytelling.

Phonics and Spelling Fun

Games focusing on phonetics and spelling lay a strong foundation for language skills. By incorporating interactive elements like rhymes and word puzzles, these games make learning phonics enjoyable and memorable.

Writing and Journaling Games

Encourage creativity and language expression through writing-based games. These games provide prompts and exercises that stimulate imagination, empowering children to express themselves through words and illustrations.

Number Challenges and Counting Games

Games involving numbers and counting enhance mathematical proficiency. Through engaging activities like counting objects, solving number puzzles, and recognizing patterns, children develop a strong numerical foundation while having fun.

Problem-Solving and Puzzle Adventures

Logical puzzles stimulate problem-solving abilities and critical thinking skills for kids . These games present challenges that require strategic planning and analytical reasoning, encouraging children to approach problems methodically and creatively.

Building a Foundation in Mathematics

Games that introduce mathematical concepts in an enjoyable manner pave the way for a strong mathematical base. By integrating math into games seamlessly, children can grasp abstract concepts such as addition, subtraction, and shapes more intuitively.

Drawing and Painting Adventures

Games involving art nurture creativity and self-expression. They provide a virtual canvas for children to experiment with colors, shapes, and textures, fostering an appreciation for artistic expression.

Encourage innovative thinking and craftsmanship through creative design and crafting games. These activities promote hands-on learning and spatial awareness, allowing children to transform their ideas into tangible creations.

Unleashing the Inner Artist

Activities promoting artistic exploration allow children to express themselves freely. By providing tools and challenges that encourage experimentation, these games empower children to discover and develop their unique artistic styles.

Cooperative Games

Games emphasizing teamwork and collaboration develop social skills. By working towards shared goals and navigating challenges together, children learn to communicate effectively and respect diverse perspectives.

Emotional Intelligence and Empathy Building

Games that address emotions and empathy aid in emotional intelligence development. They teach children to recognize and manage their emotions while understanding the feelings of others, fostering empathy and compassion.

Conflict Resolution in Play

Interactive scenarios in games teach children how to resolve conflicts peacefully. By simulating real-life situations, these games equip children with problem-solving skills and strategies to handle conflicts constructively.

The Role of Tablets and Computers

Modern education system in a transition phase. Technology offers interactive learning experiences but should be balanced with other activities. While digital platforms provide access to a vast array of educational content, it’s crucial to ensure a healthy balance between screen time and offline activities to support a child’s overall development.

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

Innovative technologies provide immersive educational experiences for enhanced learning. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) games create captivating learning environments, allowing children to explore concepts in a more tangible and engaging manner.

Balancing Screen Time

Maintaining a healthy balance between screen time and other activities is crucial for a child’s overall development. Parents and educators should monitor and manage screen time to ensure that children engage in a diverse range of activities, promoting physical, social, and cognitive development.

Playing Together as a Family

Involving the whole family in educational games strengthens bonds and creates memorable experiences. Family game nights not only encourage learning but also create opportunities for laughter, shared achievements, and valuable bonding time.

Involving Parents in Educational Play

Parents’ involvement fosters a supportive learning environment and encourages continuous engagement. By participating in educational games with their children, parents can actively contribute to their child’s learning journey and strengthen the parent-child relationship.

Building Strong Bonds

Shared experiences through gaming create lasting family connections and joyful memories. These moments not only enhance familial relationships but also create a positive association with learning, making education an enjoyable and integral part of family life.

Learning through Game Mechanics

Incorporating game elements in education makes learning more engaging and enjoyable. By integrating features like challenges, rewards, and progression systems, educational content becomes more interactive and motivates children to actively participate in their learning process.

Gamified Classrooms and Curriculum

Educators leverage gamification to enhance classroom engagement and learning outcomes. By gamifying lesson plans and educational activities, teachers create a dynamic learning environment that captivates students’ attention and encourages active participation.

Measuring Educational Outcomes

Assessing progress through gamified methods helps track learning achievements effectively. By using metrics and feedback loops embedded in educational games, educators can tailor learning experiences to address individual needs and monitor overall progress.

Technological Advancements and Trends

Advancements like AI, immersive technologies, and adaptive learning are shaping the future of educational games. Artificial intelligence enables personalized learning experiences, while immersive technologies like augmented reality and virtual reality revolutionize how children interact and learn from digital content.

Global Perspectives on Educational Gaming

Different cultures and regions embrace unique approaches to educational gaming, contributing to diverse perspectives. By incorporating cultural elements and diverse content, educational games can cater to a wider audience, fostering inclusivity and global awareness among young learners.

Innovations on the Horizon

Continual innovations promise more interactive, tailored, and effective educational gaming experiences. From AI-driven adaptive learning systems to collaborative online platforms, ongoing developments aim to make learning more accessible, engaging, and impactful for children worldwide.

Educational games for 5-year-olds seamlessly blend fun with learning, offering a myriad of benefits crucial for their holistic development. By choosing age-appropriate, engaging, and purposeful games, we can empower young minds to learn, grow, and thrive in an enjoyable learning environment. Embrace the power of educational games — it’s a smart choice for nurturing the bright minds of tomorrow. As technology advances and educational methodologies evolve, integrating innovative approaches to educational gaming will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the educational landscape for young learners.

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A1. There are several excellent educational games suitable for 5-year-olds that promote learning while being engaging and fun. Some popular choices include “ABCmouse,” “Toca Boca” series, “Endless Alphabet,” “Sago Mini,” and “PBS Kids Games.” These games focus on various skills such as literacy, numeracy, problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking, tailored specifically to the developmental stage of a 5-year-old.

A2. For young children, including 5-year-olds, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting screen time to about 1 hour per day of high-quality programming. This includes educational content that is interactive, engaging, and appropriate for their age. However, it’s essential to balance screen time with other activities like physical play, social interactions, reading, and creative pursuits to support overall development.

A3. Educational games can be valuable supplements to traditional schooling by reinforcing learning concepts in a more interactive and engaging manner. However, they generally cannot entirely replace the holistic approach of traditional schooling. Traditional schooling encompasses various elements like social interaction, hands-on activities, teacher-guided learning, and diverse educational experiences, which are crucial for a child’s overall growth and development.

A4. Yes, there are educational games specifically designed to promote multilingualism among children. Apps like “Duolingo for Kids,” “Gus on the Go,” “MindSnacks,” and “Little Pim” offer games and activities tailored to help kids learn different languages in a playful and interactive way. These games often use visuals, repetition, and gamification techniques to make language learning enjoyable and effective.

A5. Parents can monitor and limit screen time effectively by setting clear rules and guidelines. Some strategies include: Establishing designated screen time hours. Using parental control features available on devices to set time limits and content restrictions. Actively engaging with children during screen time, discussing what they are learning or playing. Encouraging a variety of activities beyond screens, such as outdoor play, reading, hobbies, and family interactions. Being good role models by managing their screen time and demonstrating a healthy balance between digital and non-digital activities.

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We Reviewed the Best Video Games for Kids—Here Are Our Favorites

Age-appropriate options for everyone in the family

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Verywell Family / Chloe Jeong

Video games are a fun activity for family and friends to play together , physically or virtually. Some video games are compatible with a wide variety of video game systems, while others will only work with one specific system. The best video games for kids are age-appropriate and fun without sacrificing your family’s budget (or kiddo’s allowance). 

Check reviews and the required ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) ratings to make informed choices about what games are right for your family. Think of these ratings like movie ratings; they tell parents and caregivers the best age for the game and what to expect in the content, such as language, violence, and more. 

To select the best video games for kids, we researched dozens of games on the market with ratings ranging from E to E10+. Moreover, we reviewed guidance on media use in kids from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Lastly, we considered age recommendations, material, ease of use, ratings, system type, value, and editor recommendations when reviewing products.

• Digital Consumption: What to Know

According to the AAP, it’s important to achieve a “balance between digital consumption and healthier activities,” and there are some key factors to look out for that may indicate problems with video gaming, including:

• Sleep deprivation
• Attention issues after gaming
• What virtual violence is conveying
• Lack of time management skills

Each video game includes a rating system that ranges from EC (Early Childhood), which means it’s suitable for ages 3 and up all the way up to Adults Only. Check the ratings prior to purchasing any games to ensure your child is playing an age-appropriate video game.

• How We Selected
• Understanding Age Ratings
• What to Look For

Why Trust Verywell Family

Best overall, nintendo mario kart 8 deluxe.

Fun for a group

Beginner mode makes it easier for kids

Four players can play with one Switch

Limited system compatibility

Why We Recommend It

The Nintendo Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is our top pick because everyone in the family can enjoy this classic character and his friends. Parents will appreciate the joy of playing with all their Mario Kart fan-favorite characters, while kids will love the excitement of the game. With the ability to support up to four players split-screen on the TV or Switch, it’s a fun option for a group.

The “E” rating ensures there’s nothing violent or inappropriate for younger players. Fans of the Switch will love this game; the only drawback is it can’t be played on other systems.

• Game System Compatibility: Nintendo Switch 
• ESRB Rating: E
• Multiplayer vs. Single Player: Multiplayer; up to 4 players

Best for Preschoolers

Leapfrog leapland adventures learning video game.

HDMI stick and USB power cable (no system type)

Wireless controller

Explore shapes, letters, numbers, and more

Controller is a learning curve for little kids

Preschoolers will love going on a quest with the LeapFrog LeapLand Adventures Learning Video Game. Kids search for keys to unlock Clever Castle as they explore shapes, colors, numbers, letters, and more. The brand sent one of our writers a sample of the game, and she loves the game's age-appropriateness for her preschooler. Simply insert the HDMI game stick and USB power cable into your TV to start playing immediately with the wireless controller .

• Game System Compatibility: N/A (TV)
• ESRB Rating: N/A (ages 3 years and up)
• Multiplayer vs. Single Player: Multiplayer; up to 5 players

Best for Elementary Aged

Nintendo switch pokémon snap.

Easy to play

Laid back game play

Single player

Only available on Nintendo Switch

Younger fans will enjoy this addition to the Pokémon gaming family. A single-player game , players will meet a new teacher, Professor Mirror, to help lead the way. As you journey through new locales like jungles and beaches, players search for Pokémon and are challenged to snap photos of what they find.

The unique game can only be played on the Nintendo Switch . Fun and laid back, it’s especially good for those already familiar with Pokémon. 

• Game System Compatibility: Nintendo Switch
• Multiplayer vs. Single Player: Single player

Best for Preteens

Microsoft minecraft.

Two modes of play

Build or battle

Available on several system types

Sometimes lags

Building, battles, befriending, and blocks—Minecraft is a game that lets kids build their own world while battling creatures, mobs, and other players (if they want to). While rated E10+, the game isn’t violent (no blood), and players can actually report other players for not following community guidelines. Play in two modes —creative or survival—on various system types, including Xbox , PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch , Windows , and more. 

• Game System Compatibility: Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation, Windows, and more
• ESRB Rating: E10+
• Multiplayer vs. Single Player: Single player or multiplayer

Best for Online Play

Innersloth among us.

Can play on wifi on nearly any device

Up to 15 players

Quick game play

Ability to interact with players

Among Us is a popular online game, meaning it can be played from nearly any device with Wi-Fi , including a phone or tablet. Taking place on a space station, in order to win the round, each player must complete tasks, with the twist that there’s an imposter on the ship that can sabotage or kill players.

A game of deduction, teamwork, and betrayal, it’s easy to play with a group and simple to generate a private code, so you only play with those you know. Each round is pretty quick , and while there is the opportunity to play with strangers, there is very limited play-to-player interaction.

• Game System Compatibility: Google Play, Apple App Store, Nintendo, PS 4, PS 5, Xbox, Online
• ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
• Multiplayer vs. Single Player: Multiplayer; up to 15 players online

Nintendo Super Mario Odyssey

Courtesy of Amazon

3D kingdoms

One or two players

Unlock new figures

Main story is short

You can’t go wrong with Mario, especially when it involves 3D kingdoms full of surprises and secrets. Super Mario Odyssey lets kids visit new places , such as the skyscraper city New Donk City, with Mario and his friend Cappy as they try to save Princess Peach . 

• Multiplayer vs. Single Player: Multiplayer; up to 2 players

Best Sports

Ea sports fifa 23.

Amazing visuals

Single or multiplayer modes

Limited differences from previous versions

Soccer only game

Soccer fans will love this popular sports game that gets better and better each year. Amazing visuals make the games look like a real soccer match, and lots of playing options make it easy to play alone or with others . The game is available on almost all systems , so all soccer fans can get in on the action.

• Game System Compatibility: Nintendo Switch, XBox, Playstation
• ESRB Rating: Everyone

Best Multiplayer

Team 17 overcooked 2 (xbox one).

Up to four players

Compatible on major system types

Slightly challenging

Up to 4 players can panic together in this chaotic cooking game . Chefs prepare meals, serve, and clean up dishes within a short time limit. Players will “knead” to work together and communicate with each other; once you get used to the kitchen, you may find new challenges to shake it up. 

• Game System Compatibility: Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Playstation, Windows

Best Interactive

Ubisoft just dance 2023.

Up to six players

Family friendly

Smartphone can double as controller

Yearly version isn’t much different

Subscription required for access to additional songs

Get ready to move and groove with the latest version of the popular Just Dance game. Perfect for a crowd, up to six players will be challenged to keep the beat and move to the music with this fun, interactive game. It’s easy to play with a large group, simply use your smartphone as the controller . Master the moves, and you’ll look like TikTok stars!

• Game System Compatibility: Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
• ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
• Multiplayer vs. Single Player: Multiplayer

Best for the Family

Sega tokyo olympic games 2020.

Both single or multiplayer

Customizable avatar

Everyone 10+ rating

Some games require taking turns instead of dual playing

Fun for the whole family, celebrate the spirit of the Olympics as players choose from 18 different competitive events . A versatile game, it can be played alone, with friends, or online with players (or friends and family) around the world. Families will also enjoy dressing their Olympian avatar and can choose from over 50 costumes.

• Game System Compatibility: Nintendo Switch, Playstation, Xbox
• Multiplayer vs. Single Player: Single or multiplayer

How We Selected Video Games for Kids

To select the best video games for kids, we reviewed guidance from the AAP on media use in kids, such as how much screen time kids can have, and rating information from the ESRB. We also researched dozens of top-rated video games for kids on the market, analyzing their material, age recommendations, system type, ratings, and value. Our selection includes only video games for kids that are age-appropriate and fun and available at a variety of price points. 

How to Know If Games Are Age-Appropriate

One of the most important factors to consider when buying video games for your child is the age-appropriateness of the game. Video games are rated by the ESRB, which gives parents and caregivers an idea of a game’s appropriate age level usage. The ESRB has six main categories when it comes to ratings.

• E: This level rating means “Everyone,” so the content is typically suitable for all ages. There may be mild language or mild violence depending on the game. 
• E 10+: Meant for “Everyone 10+,” children from 10 years old and up can play the content in video games with this rating. It’s once again possible there will be fantasy, cartoon, mild language or violence, or suggestive themes. 
• T: Standing for “Teen,” this content is usually OK for children ages 13 years old and up. However, language is typically stronger, and there may be more crude humor, gambling, or violence depending on the video game. 
• M: “Mature 17+” is for those 17 years old and older due to content possibly containing blood/gore, sexual content, strong language, and intense violence. 
• A: This rating is for “Adults 18+” because the content is not suitable for children at all. Video games with this rating may contain gambling with real money, graphic sexual content, or long moments with intense violence. 
• RP: RP stands for “Rating Pending,” meaning video games with this rating have not yet been assigned a final ESRB rating. 

What to Look for When Buying Video Games for Kids 

• System Type: Because video games aren’t a “one-game-fits-all” when it comes to systems, you want to ensure the video games you’re looking at are compatible with your child’s system. Some of the more popular ones you’ve probably heard of include PlayStation, Xbox, PC games, or mobile games. Typically, you will see a description of which system the video game is compatible with on the packaging. Other cues to look for: XBOX is known for their green cases while PlayStation will show a “PS4” with the number being the console it matches to. 
• Cost: Many parents and caregivers may be shocked to see some of the most popular video games will cost more than $50, but this will depend on what type of system your child has. Consider the cost of the video game your child has had their eye on or what you think they may like. Some games may be on the cheaper end, but require extra costs once playing for additional features. Do your research on a video game to see exactly where your money (or your child’s!) money is exactly going. 

Frequently Asked Questions

When it comes to playing video games, the AAP recommends no more than two hours per day for older children. For some children, even this may be too much screen time, and there are warning signs to look out for if your child has been playing too often.

Sleep deprivation and attention problems after playing are signs your child may need to put the controller down for a much-needed break. Also be on the lookout for a lack of time management skills and what video game violence is conveying. Finding a balance with video games will ensure your child is staying healthy not only physically, but mentally, too. 

While video games have a bad reputation when it comes to children playing them, there are some benefits to the screen time . However, the benefits will depend on the type of video games your child is playing. 

Depending on the game, some will help your child enhance their problem-solving skills or hand-eye coordination. If your child likes Virtual Reality games, these help them with physical activity. But, it’s important to remember, video games should not replace playing outside or engaging in sports and moderation is key.

Maya Polton is a former marketing manager and current freelance writer who covers food, home, and parenting. She’s also the mom of a 10-year-old son, 7-year-old son, and 3-year-old daughter. While she does not consider herself a gamer (does Tetris count?), her two sons are big video game fans and sometimes consider the Nintendo Switch an appendage to their body. 

Additional reporting by:

Katrina Cossey is a commerce writer, enthusiastic shopper, and devoted mom. She spent several years in broadcast journalism but found her true passion in writing about the best products for families, pregnant people, and kids of all ages. She’s researched thousands of baby products, toys, gifts, and more and personally tested many of them. In her spare time, you’ll likely find her in the beautiful outdoors of Oklahoma with her husband and 3-year-old son. Katrina's preschooler loves LeapFrog LeapLand Adventures , which teaches him letters, numbers, shapes, and more.

Entertainment Software Rating Board. Ratings guides, categories, content descriptors .

American Academy of Pediatrics. Media and children .

McGrath M. Parents’ duty to make call on video games for kids . AAP News . 2015;36(2):28-28.

Nemours Kidshealth. Can playing video games be good for kids? (For parents) .

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"I've been able to reinforce key concepts in a fun and engaging way thanks to these educational games. "Count Your Chickens" has become a favorite in my classroom." Gerald F.

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NEW! ONLINE MUSIC CLASSES

Kiki’s music time - live, get one class free.

Now your child can join Kiki in a virtual music class – for FREE! That’s right – Kiki – from our Kiki’s Music Time videos, will meet your child virtually in these engaging music classes. Each class is designed to encourage and support your child’s love of music and to get them to sing, move, and play!

Sign up for two classes and the get one for FREE!

New Game - Play Music!

Birds on the wires.

Best for 1-5 year olds. On desktop requires basic mouse movements. On mobile devices simply tap the screen.

Free Online Games For Toddlers That Are Educational And Surprisingly Fun

Screen time you’ll both love.

“is your kid musical do they love to dance around and sing kneebouncers is filled with catchy and memorable songs that will even get stuck in your head. this program offers educational games for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. so, you can stick with the same program even after your little one ages out of their terrible twos and threes., play with purpose.

For kids, play is their job – and their job is to play. This natural instinct is how they learn. Our games and videos reinforce what your children are already learning. So let them play and know that they’re building their confidence, while learning foundational skills.

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The importance of play

KneeBouncers is play with purpose. Our interactive online games and videos are designed to engage, encourage, entertain and educate babies, toddlers and preschoolers. We keep our content age-appropriate, and l earning fun.

KneeBouncers employs a play-based developmental learning strategy to create our games. Specifically, we focus on games that spark kids’ curiosity and creativity , exploration of the world , social understanding , communication skills and movement . Our play-based developmental strategies support concrete learning objectives, including: mathematical concepts , science , language and literacy , social and emotional development , arts and music and social studies .

We strive to create age-appropriate engaging games that promote playing with purpose. Games increase in complexity as a child grows, allowing us to provide learning fun for babies through preschool students.

“Life is more fun if you play games.”

A whole lotta fun for the itty bitty ones.

KneeBouncers.com , a website full of engaging toddler games  and  baby games online. Featuring a collection of fun, interactive online games designed specifically for babies ,  toddlers , and  preschool kids.  

KneeBouncers’ gang of characters will delight your child as they explore the interactive online games that  parents, daycare and preschool teachers have embraced for their fun, simplicity, and age appropriateness. These toddler games are easy to play and your preschool kids can enjoy playing on their own. The goal with all of our interactive games is to make learning more enjoyable for your baby, toddler, and preschooler.  

Download the coloring sheets and continue the fun and learning offline. They’re a great way to learn new skills, or reinforce skills that your little one is learning. 

Check out every episode of “The KneeBouncers’ Show” – ad free! And sing-along with Kiki and her KneeBouncer friends in all the “Kiki’s Music Time” episodes! From classic children songs to our original songs – you’ll kids will be singing and dancing!

“Play gives children the chance to practice what they are learning.”

Fred rogers, learn. practice. repeat..

You learn by doing and repeating. Once your child is introduced to a new concept, it’s important for them to practice and repeat the new skill. And we make the process fun for them!

Cause and effect games are designed as tapping games that respond to the touch of the keyboard or screen. These simple baby games build confidence and encourage further exploration. 

Matching games are designed to challenge your little ones memory skills. Zoo and farm animals to shapes , colors, letters , and numbers matching games will keep your child’s memory sharp. (Yours too!)

KneeBouncers was created to instill a love of learning in babies, toddlers, preschoolers and everyone in your family. We’ve created lots of original baby games , online games for toddlers , preschool games , coloring pages , memory games , keypress games , tap games , point and click games , original animated videos , sing-along songs , nursery rhyme videos , original children songs , and so much more! 

Extend the play and learning

Get the refrigerator cleared and ready download coloring sheets from your favorite games and reinforce the lesson, more love to share..., love love love.

KneeBouncers has become a go-to for us when we need a quick and easy educational activity for our toddler.

Making Learning Enjoyable

This site has become an essential resource for our homeschooling journey. Thank you for making learning enjoyable!

Supplementing Lesson Plans

This website has been an invaluable resource in supplementing my preschool lesson plans. The games and activities are a hit with my students!

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FROM KNEEBOUNCERS’ CREATOR

To my fellow parents and educators,

From one parent to another, and as the creator of KneeBouncers.com, I want you to know that our platform is more than just another website – it’s a labor of love dedicated to early learning and fun.

It started from a personal need – to create a space where little ones could play games without the fuss of a mouse. Our small haven has now grown to include over 100 ad-free, engaging games, videos, and worksheets. We believe that children learn best when they’re having fun, and that’s exactly what we’re here to provide.

By choosing us, you’re not just opting for a safe, educational journey for your child, you’re also supporting a family-owned small business. We’re still a small, passionate team at KneeBouncers, and your trust in us means more than you can imagine. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your child’s formative years.

Thanks – and keep on KneeBouncin’!

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The 12 Best Kids Games on Steam

Kids’ games are usually simple, educational , whimsical, but more importantly, PG-friendly. There are a ton of games that meet these criteria, and we have listed all the best kids games on Steam in no particular order.

These games range from all types of genres like tower defense games , casual games , simulation games, and a whole lot more.

Almost every game will be different and you will surely find a game that your kid will enjoy without worrying if it is unsafe for a kid or too complicated.

Bloons TD 6

Bloons TD 6 is a great way to teach their children the wonderful experience of playing tower defense.

Developed and published by Ninja Kiwi, the game was released in December 2018 and received overwhelmingly positive reviews on the Steam store.

Kids can play it solo or with up to three of their friends through an online co-op. Bloons TD 6’s art is cartoonish but sharp and full of fun details that can cater to both young and old.

Flashy and colorful effects from various skills and explosions will flood the screen as you do your best to defend your realm from every balloon.

Bloons TD 6’s tower defense gameplay is very deep and well-executed. It features twenty-two different (monkey) tower types, thirteen unique heroes, and fifty-six handmade maps that will generate endless combinations and playing time.

Beneath the game’s kiddie appeal is a content-filled tower defense experience that makes popping balloons fun and addicting. Bloons TD 6 is one of the best children’s games on Steam that is enjoyable to both the parent and their kids.

Fall Guys is a ridiculous and masterfully-executed multiplayer platform game that exceeds childish yet timeless fun. Developed by Mediatonic, the game was released in August 2020 and was met with very positive reviews.

It is a family-friendly online game that pits you with countless other goofy cartoon avatars in a silly race of survival from obstacles and challenges that become more and more chaotic every round.

Only one player will survive among up to sixty different gamers, and the winner is rewarded with the pride of overcoming some of the most challenging and ridiculous obstacles ever played by humans.

Fall Guys can be overwhelming for younger kids below nine years old due to mild cartoon violence and semi-scary drops to the abyss.

The game is also a great way for youngsters to appreciate and experience gravity and physics as they play and see their characters tossed and flying through the air.

Fall Guys is an instant classic and will be forever recognized as a game that brings out the kid in all of us through pure fun.

LEGO® Star Wars™: The Skywalker Saga

LEGO® Star Wars™: The Skywalker Saga is an iconic Star Wars LEGO game that features the whole nine-episode movie series. Developed by Traveller’s Tales, the game was released in April 2022 and received very positive reviews from the steam store.

It is a single-player 3D adventure game that is filled with so much content and Star Wars lore that it is a great way to introduce this legendary story to your children.

Adding to this mix is the timeless LEGO universe that has both young and old addicted to its unique and classic charm.

LEGO® Star Wars™: The Skywalker Saga is an almost faithful representation of the entire main Star Wars story with a dash of LEGO fun and silliness.

Despite the childish look, the game is beautiful and full of exhilarating action and character build customization.

You get to play as over three hundred different characters and travel across twenty-three different planets using over a hundred unique vehicles.

Swing and slash your lightsaber or engage in epic space dogfights; the game is an immersive Star Wars LEGO experience that kids will surely enjoy.

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure is a beautiful experience, a game that teaches about nature through the lens of an adventurous young girl visiting her grandparents on a majestic island.

Developed and published by ustwo games, the game was released in December 2020 and has garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews in the team store.

It is a single-player story-filled family-friendly game that creates an immersive world that is visually impressive and memorable, especially for kids.

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure succeeds in combining cuteness with quality story-telling, and the game paints a sobering yet inspiring reality of nature and how we, as humans, affect it in our everyday lives.

The island is a joy to explore as the lush sceneries contrast well against areas littered with unsightly trash.

Along the way, countless opportunities to help the island and its animal inhabitants pop up as part of the adventure.

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure is a family-friendly game that is full of heart and memorable lessons that make it a must-buy for parents who wish to teach their kids on how to love our world.

Wobbledogs is a fun and quirky 3D virtual pet simulation that can both engage and relax players of all ages. Developed by Animal Uprising, the game was released in March 2022 and has been met with overwhelmingly positive reviews from the steam store.

It is a single-player kid-friendly life simulation game that allows you to create your own pet while loosely using a dog as its base.

As you progress in the game, your “dog” changes or evolves into unique and silly forms, and the change will depend on what they eat or how their environment is set up.

Wobbledogs is a refreshing and unique experience as the player interacts with their own genetically fascinating pet using an interesting in-game mechanic where the animal’s gut can be filled with different food, thus determining their specific mutations.

You are also encouraged to build the perfect habitat to encourage their unique growth, and you can find various items to decorate their home with.

Wobbledogs is a gem of a game filled with charm and opportunities for children to experiment and vaguely learn about the concept of mutation while having mindless fun.

Webbed is a charming 2D indie game that follows the life of a small spider with a big appetite for adventure.

Developed and published by Sbug Games, it was released in September 2021 and was reviewed with an overwhelmingly positive rating on the Steam website.

The art is full of cel-shaded charm that is appealing to both young and old. Webbed follows the story of an energetic spider and her mission to save her love from being eaten by a bird.

Webbed builds an immersive world through insectoid eyes, and one of the most fun features of the game is how you can swing and web-spin your way across the entire screen to the next area.

The web-swinging mechanic is simple, effective, and quite fun as you fling yourself all over the forest and encounter different friends or foes.

The game looks simple, but the gameplay is superb despite having a relatively short story. Cute and unforgettable, Webbed is something parents should check out for their kids.

Machinarium

Machinarium is a point-and-click adventure game set in a distinct and unique cyberpunk world. Developed and published by Amanita Design, it was released in October 2009 and has fared with overwhelmingly positive reviews from the Steam store.

Family-friendly and light, the game sets you on the capable feet of Josef, a robot whose current mission is to save his girlfriend from a group of robot thugs.

You play by pointing your mouse cursor over specific items or areas in the beautifully drawn world of Machinarium in the hopes of triggering certain events or actions to solve the puzzle.

Rustic, dusty, and a bit gloomy, the world of Machinarium is filled with other robots, yet it still feels very human and has a lot of heart.

The short yet satisfying plot is communicated not through walls of text dialogue but rather through symbols and images.

The game is a great learning tool for kids to hone their focus, planning, and overall critical thinking as they find ways to solve every unique puzzle Machinarium throws at them. This game is a highly-satisfying experience that will stretch any player’s imagination and creativity.

Island Saver

Island Saver is one of the most colorful, family-friendly games available right now. Developed by Stormcloud Games Limited, it was released in May 2020 and was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews from the steam store.

The game sets you on a wild and action-filled adventure to save a group of islands from one of the most real problems our world faces today, human litter and waste.

You are given an amazing weapon, the Trashblaster, to defeat monster globs or clean up trash along the beach, effectively making cleaning up fun.

Island Saver’s world is full of colors and cartoon relief, and it will definitely appeal to a younger audience. They are given the opportunity to play around and learn about different ecosystems; jungles, deserts, and beaches.

There are over forty-two local animals to save and then eventually ride on. Island Saver is a game full of fun and life and is very appropriate for the younger gamers to build their appreciation of nature and our role in protecting it.

Unravel Two

Unravel Two is a beautiful and refreshing take on simple platform gaming but introduces a lot of heart and humanity in its immersive story. Developed by Coldwood Interactive, the game was released in June 2018 and has garnered very positive reviews from Steam.

The game follows a thread-like creature called Yarny and its adventure in scaling through various obstacles and puzzles while uncovering deep game lore that can be appreciated by both young and old.

Being a sequel, Unravel Two doubles down on this experience and opens up the option of creating your own Yarny and playing with another person in a local co-op.

Unravel Two is a game of friendship, and the story and gameplay encourage teamwork and playing with other people.

Enjoying this experience with a partner or your kids is highly recommended to unlock the full potential of the well-designed gameplay of the game.

It’s always better to share the awe of traversing through the game’s lush and immersive world based on Scandinavian landscapes.

Unravel Two sounds as good as it looks while also being masterful in spinning a heartwarming story full of symbolism and personifications that may fly over the younger gamers.

Despite this, it’s still a great platform for kids to develop courage and sharp thinking while enjoying.

Brick Rigs is an interesting take on open-world building games where you are given the freedom to craft your own vehicle using LEGO-like bricks and then proceed to do whatever you want with your creation.

Developed and published by Lukas Rustemeyer, the game was released in November 2016 and received very positive reviews from the steam store.

The two main mechanics of the game is both vehicle creation and destruction as you experience the convincing in-game destruction physics as you crash your colorful car into a not-so-colorful lamp post.

Brick Rigs is very kid-friendly and is a great way for them to develop their creativity and building skills as they make their own car.

The other half of the fun is doing whatever they want with their car as they drive across a vast and open world filled with fun opportunities to destroy their creation.

Like real-life LEGOs, there are people who enjoy dismantling their works rather than building them, and Brick Rigs offers other modes online to play with your car or plane with other people on the server.

This game is a must-buy just for being able to offer the unique experience of breaking your block creations in a comically realistic fashion.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated

SpongeBob%20SquarePants:%20Battle%20for%20Bikini%20Bottom%20–%20Rehydrated%20is%20a%20great%20visual%20remake%20of%20the%20classic%20SpongeBob%20game%20that%20was%20released%20way%20back%20in%202003.%20

Developed%20by%20Purple%20Lamp,%20the%20game%20was%20released%20in%20June%202020%20and%20has%20met%20overwhelmingly%20positive%20reviews%20on%20Steam.%20

The%20game%20once%20again%20puts%20you%20in%20the%20clunk%20and%20goofy%20shoes%20of%20SpongeBob%20Squarepants%20or%20his%20other%20two%20friends,%20Patrick%20and%20Sandy.%20Primarily%20a%20platform%20game,%20Battle%20for%20Bikini%20Bottom%20is%20a%20fun%20and%20wholesome%20experience%20that%20kids%20will%20definitely%20enjoy.

SpongeBob%20SquarePants:%20Battle%20for%20Bikini%20Bottom%20succeeds%20not%20just%20because%20of%20the%20heavy%20name%20the%20game%20carries%20but%20rather%20it%20is%20also%20with%20how%20it%20executes%20and%20simulates%20the%20fun%20and%20goofy%20experience%20of%20being%20a%20Bikini%20Bottom%20character.%20

Full%20of%20color%20and%20iconic%20SpongeBob%20humor,%20the%20game%20offers%20refined%20platforming%20action%20mixed%20with%20inevitable%20nostalgia%20for%20the%20popular%20tv%20show.%20

SpongeBob%20SquarePants:%20Battle%20for%20Bikini%20Bottom%20is%20a%20great%20entry%20for%20your%20kids%20to%20know%20more%20about%20this%20beloved%20franchise,%20and%20you%20will%20miss%20out%20on%20a%20lot%20by%20not%20getting%20this.

The%20Jackbox%20Party%20Pack%207

The Jackbox Party Pack 7 is a fun-filled package of a game that is definitely a great bang for your buck. Developed and published by Jackbox Games Inc., the game was released in October 2020 and enjoyed overwhelmingly positive reviews from Steam users.

It is intended as a multiplayer game that would fit with any fun party occasion. Playing with other players can either be through local split-screen or through online multiplayer modes.

The Jackbox Party Pack 7 consists of five unique and silly games that will test both your knowledge and patience as you battle it out with your friends and family.

The games are called Quiplash, The Devil and the details, Champ’d, Talking Points, and Blather Round. Each game has its own quirky mechanic and min-max number of players per round.

From word vomit-type games to self-drawn figures fighting to the end, The Jackbox Party Pack 7 is an all-around entertainment platform that is best shared with family and friends of all ages.

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Top 5 Best Board Games for 4-Year-Olds in 2024: Where Fun Meets Learning

A re you on the hunt for the perfect board game for your 4-year-old, but feel overwhelmed by the sea of options? You're not alone. Selecting a game that's both engaging and educational can seem like finding a needle in a haystack. The right board game can transform playtime into an enriching experience, fostering essential cognitive and social skills. However, not all games are created equal . That's where we step in. Let's navigate this vibrant world of board games together, ensuring your next pick is nothing short of perfect.

TL;DR: Key Takeaways

• Board games enhance cognitive and social skills in 4-year-olds.
• Look for games that balance fun with educational value.
• Consider durability and ease of understanding when choosing a game.
• Popular brands offer a variety of options tailored for young children.
• Evaluate games based on child development expert recommendations and real-world testing.

JH5 My First Treasure Hunt!: A Perfect Family Game Night Adventure

In the world of board games for the young adventurers, "JH5 My First Treasure Hunt!" emerges as a shining jewel. This product by Jumping High Five isn't just any board game; it's a gateway to fostering creativity, strategic thinking, and teamwork among children aged 4 and up. Crafted with vibrant colors and engaging illustrations, this game is designed to captivate and educate, making it an ideal pick for family game nights.

The game's premise is simple yet thrilling: players work together to uncover hidden treasures on an island before a looming storm washes them away. This cooperative approach ensures that every player is engaged and contributes to the game's outcome, making victory a shared achievement. The game is applauded for its balance of fun and educational value, as it subtly enhances skills like basic counting, turn-taking, and strategic planning.

ThinkFun Zingo Bingo: Sparking Joy and Learning in Preschoolers

"ThinkFun Zingo Bingo Award Winning Preschool Game" has quickly become a household name, enchanting families worldwide with its engaging blend of fun and educational gameplay. As a top choice among both teachers and parents, Zingo stands out for its ability to develop critical language and matching skills in preschoolers through fast-paced play. This Amazon exclusive version allows up to 7 players to join in, thanks to an additional Zingo card, making it even more accessible for family game nights and classroom fun.

Equipped with a unique Zinger device that adds an element of surprise and delight, Zingo ensures everyone, from young to old, is engaged and entertained. Its ease of understanding, underscored by a high-quality instruction manual, means play can commence immediately out of the box—no lengthy setup required. Moreover, Zingo's recognition in the form of multiple awards, including an Oppenheim Gold and a Parents' Choice Award, speaks volumes of its value as a gift for children aged 4 and up.

Hasbro Gaming Candy Land Kingdom Of Sweet Adventures: A Colorful Journey for Preschoolers

"Hasbro Gaming Candy Land Kingdom Of Sweet Adventures Board Game" remains a cherished introduction into the magical world of board games for children. This classic game, adored across generations, invites little ones to embark on a sweet adventure towards the castle, racing through a realm filled with delicious surprises, without the need for reading skills. Suited for players aged 3 and up, it stands as an exemplary first board game that teaches color recognition, simple strategy, and turn-taking in an enchanting setting.

The game's allure is enhanced by its vibrant board and whimsical illustrations, capturing the imagination of its young audience. Hasbro Gaming has updated Candy Land with brighter, more engaging graphics while retaining the game's straightforward gameplay. It's a game where every card drawn propels the cute gingerbread man pawn closer to the castle, making it an exciting race to the finish.

Hasbro Gaming Don't Break The Ice: A Frosty Adventure for Preschoolers

"Hasbro Gaming Don't Break The Ice Preschool Game" brings a refreshing chill to family game nights, offering a perfect blend of suspense and laughter. This game sets the stage for an arctic adventure, where players take turns chipping away at a block of ice, hoping not to let Phillip the Penguin fall through. Aimed at children ages 3 and up, it's a wonderful way to introduce young minds to the world of board games without the need for reading.

The excitement of Don't Break The Ice lies in its simplicity and the immediate fun it offers. It's not just a game; it's a race against the melt, with each tap bringing either relief or a hilarious splashdown for Phillip. Families can gather to share in the thrill, making it an ideal choice for bringing everyone together, from the youngest members to the oldest.

Swing into Action with Hasbro Gaming Chutes and Ladders: Marvel Spider-Man Edition

Dive into the thrilling world of superheroes with "Hasbro Gaming Chutes and Ladders: Marvel Spider-Man Edition Board Game," a captivating adventure that combines the timeless fun of the classic Chutes and Ladders with the exciting universe of Marvel. This edition invites players to ascend with heroes and slide down with villains in a race to the finish line, featuring a vibrant game board adorned with your favorite characters.

This preschool-friendly game, suitable for kids as young as 3 years old, offers an engaging way to practice numeracy without the need for reading. The inclusion of eight Spider-Man character movers, such as Venom, Iron Spider, and Green Goblin, adds a personalized touch to the gameplay, allowing children to embark on the adventure as their favorite superhero or villain.

What Are Board Games for 4-Year-Olds?

Board games for this age group are designed to engage young players in activities that develop their cognitive abilities, motor skills, and social interactions. These games often include simple rules , appealing characters, and tactile elements that cater to their developmental stage.

Exploring Varieties

From cooperative board games that encourage teamwork to competitive ones that spark a healthy desire to win, the variety is endless. Subcategories include educational games focusing on numbers and letters, strategy games to enhance problem-solving skills, and games that improve memory and concentration.

Spotlight on Brands and Their Offerings

• Hasbro : Known for classics like "Candy Land," which teaches color recognition and simple counting.
• Melissa & Doug : Offers "Suspend," a balancing game that enhances fine motor skills.
• Peaceable Kingdom : Specializes in cooperative games like "Hoot Owl Hoot!" that encourage teamwork.
• ThinkFun : Introduces basic logic with games like "Zingo."
• Ravensburger : Their "My First Orchard" game is excellent for developing color recognition and dexterity.
• Educational Insights : "The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game" improves hand-eye coordination.
• LeapFrog : Offers technology-driven learning games.
• HABA : Known for high-quality, wooden games that last.

7 Must-Know Buying Criteria

• Educational Value : Look for games that promote learning through play.
• Age Appropriateness : Ensure the game matches your child's cognitive and motor skill level.
• Durability : Kids can be tough on toys; durability is key.
• Ease of Play : Simple rules and quick setup times are preferable.
• Replay Value : Games that grow with your child or offer varied gameplay are ideal.
• Social Interaction : Encourage games that foster interaction either through cooperative play or family involvement.
• Safety : Non-toxic materials and choke-free pieces are essential.

Statistic & Fact

According to Grand View Research, the board games market was valued at USD 13.1 billion in 2020, with a forecasted growth rate of 9.3% from 2021 to 2028. This growth underscores the enduring appeal and importance of board games in child development.

Expert Insight

"Board games for young children are more than just playthings. They're tools that stimulate brain development while fostering important social skills like taking turns." - Dr. Carla Marie Manly, Clinical Psychologist.

Potential Weaknesses and Solutions

• Complexity : Avoid games that are too complex. Look for simplicity in rules and objectives.
• Fragile Components : Seek out games made with durable materials.
• Limited Age Range : Choose games with flexible rules or expansions to grow with your child.

Evaluating Board Games: 5 Tests

• The Durability Test : Inspect the game components for sturdiness.
• The Engagement Test : Observe if the game holds your child's attention.
• The Learning Curve Test : Ensure the game introduces new concepts at a comfortable pace.
• The Social Interaction Test : Watch how the game affects interactions with peers and adults.
• The Fun Factor Test : Ultimately, the game should deliver joy and excitement to your child.

Buyer Avatars

• The Educational Enthusiast : Focuses on games that offer a clear learning benefit.
• The Social Butterfly : Looks for games that encourage interaction and teamwork.
• The Durability Seeker : Prioritizes high-quality, long-lasting game components.

Choosing the best board game for your 4-year-old is about striking a balance between fun and educational value. With the right game, you can turn playtime into a golden opportunity for growth and learning.

What skills can my child learn from board games?

Board games can enhance cognitive skills, motor skills, social skills, and emotional development.

How often should we play board games?

As often as you can! Regular play enhances the benefits.

Are digital board games as beneficial as physical ones?

While digital games offer convenience, physical games are better for developing fine motor skills and real-world social interactions.

Can board games help with preschool readiness?

Absolutely. They can introduce basic math, reading, and social skills necessary for preschool.

What if my child gets frustrated with a game?

Choose games with adjustable difficulty levels and encourage a growth mindset, emphasizing effort and learning over winning.

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STEM Board Games Brain Teaser Puzzles for Kids, Educational Smart Logical Toy Road Builder Puzzle Racer Car Track Set, 118 Challenges & 4 Difficulty Levels Uzzle Game for 3 4 5 6-Year-Old Boys Girls

Purchase options and add-ons.

• 【High-Quality Materials】 The STEM puzzle game board for 3+ year old boys and girls is made of high-quality, non-toxic materials with no burrs or sharp edges, ensuring safety for kids.
• 【Kids Road Builder Game】 The road builder game combines puzzles, mazes and track cars. Children can experiment with different shapes and designs to create a track for the wind-up car to transport the ball to the finish line. This activity will help develop their imagination as they create multiple routes.
• 【100+ Puzzle Levels 】 The road building game includes 100+ puzzle levels with 4 different difficulty levels suitable for children of different ages. The product also comes with a detailed instruction manual containing 118 problems and solutions, guiding children from beginners to masters.
• 【Develop Logic & Creativity】 The brain teaser puzzle game is ideal for enhancing children's logical thinking, concentration, observation, creativity, innovative thinking and understanding of cause and effect. It's a fun toy that promotes problem-solving and hands-on skills for kids aged 3-5.
• 【Ideal Gift for Kids】 This smart logical toy is a fun and educational gift for 3 to 7 years old boy girl. It is suitable for various occasions such as birthdays, parties, and holidays, and can be played indoors or outdoors. It is perfect for families, kindergartens, amusement parks, and preschool learning activities. Children will love this gift and enjoy playing with their parents or friends for hours.

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• STEM Board Games Brain Teaser Puzzles

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