Some games are great at keeping players in the sweet spot between things that are too hard and too easy. And some games can challenge kids but keep them motivated and resilient, helping them build valuable, broadly applicable perseverance skills along the way. This list collects some of our favorite perseverance games that are tough but absorbing, giving kids the confidence to take on whatever comes their way.
Bottom Line: For kids who are new to chess but want to learn how to play, this fun intro to the game provides a well-done tutorial combined with a light overarching storyline.
Spiraling sandbox of adventure and creation gets kids to dig deep
Bottom Line: An irresistible and seemingly limitless incubator for 21st century skills that, with a little guidance, can chart new courses for learning.
Accessible yet deep game creator will dazzle and challenge
Bottom Line: A deeply charming experience for teachers and students interested in pushing boundaries, making things, and participating in a healthy community focused on boundless creativity.
Refinement of strategy game formula supports historical exploration
Bottom Line: Like any consumer-oriented game, this experience will absorb and delight students far more than "educational" games, but it'll require open-minded and creative teaching.
Powerful tale of alcoholism uses puzzles and metaphor to build empathy
Bottom Line: A beautiful game that's sure to build students' empathy skills and provoke deep conversations about alcoholism and abuse as well as metaphor.
Best entry in classic strategy series might not be best for classrooms
Bottom Line: As with all games in this series, Civilization VI is a great learning experience with the right support, but older, cheaper versions may be more practical for classrooms.
Design and launch a rocket into space in realistic astrophysics sim
Bottom Line: This accurate rocket sim encourages trial-and-error learning and makes for great (and often explosive) physics and engineering experiments.
