18 TOOLS

Games for Building Decision-Making Skills

These are some of the best classroom-friendly games for improving students' decision-making and problem-solving skills. Decision-making is at the foundation of social and emotional learning and is key to success in school and life. These games build students' decision-making skills by placing them in a variety of interesting and difficult scenarios that get them thinking through choices, seeing the consequences, and learning management and responsibility. They'll be navigating political dilemmas, selecting between various ethical arguments, even making strategic city- and world-building choices. Best of all: The games on this list are so absorbing, students won't even realize they're brain boosters!

Quandary

Slick ethics game teaches students to make tough decisions

Bottom Line: This versatile game that can teach ethics, argumentation, and civics is light on interactivity but will come alive through discussion.

Grades: 5–8
Price:
Free

Hall of Heroes

Responsive game helps students prepare for transition to middle school

Bottom Line: Wonderful and fun social-interaction game designed to teach cooperation and friendship skills needed for middle school and beyond.

Grades: 5–8
Price:
Free to try, Paid

Beats Empire

Music producing game balances fun with critical thinking and planning

Bottom Line: Students will have a blast with the music production and band-managing theme that carries with it some useful lessons in 21st century skills.

Grades: 6–12
Price:
Free

Convene the Council

Foreign policy game teaches well but doesn't dazzle

Bottom Line: A good if not impressive springboard for understanding a bit more about how foreign policy decisions are made.

Grades: 6–12
Price:
Free

Humankind

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.

Grades: 6–12
Price:
Paid

iCivics

Well-designed games, lessons can spice up your civics curriculum

Bottom Line: This game-based curriculum would be an excellent addition to any secondary social studies.

Grades: 6–12
Price:
Free

NewsFeed Defenders

Social media simulation builds news literacy skills

Bottom Line: This is a great tool to kick off critical discussions about news and social media.

Grades: 6–12
Price:
Free

Sid Meier's Civilization V

Legendary strategy game is a hit with history buffs in school and out

Bottom Line: For flexible classrooms, creative teachers, and sharp students, Civilization V is the perfect platform for making rather than memorizing history.

Grades: 6–12
Price:
Paid

SimCity

Exciting city simulator great for online play

Bottom Line: SimCity does a great job teaching kids about cities by putting them in control of designing them, but this game needs a constant Internet connection.

Grades: 6–12
Price:
Paid

Think Like Churchill

Stunning visuals, thoughtful feedback bring critical decision points to life

Bottom Line: An excellent tool for studying the events and ethics that guide pivotal moments in history.

Grades: 6–12
Price:
Paid

BBC iReporter

Spot real stories, dodge fake news in cheeky media literacy sim

Bottom Line: A refreshingly modern way for students to explore how to filter and interpret info and media during breaking news events.

Grades: 7–12
Price:
Free

Radio General

WWII game has layers of learning, novel voice-based controls

Bottom Line: This is a refreshingly new approach to a WWII game that offers students a more accurate simulation of battlefield chaos.

Grades: 7–12
Price:
Paid

Spent

Provocative, first-person look at poverty builds empathy

Bottom Line: It'll need some scaffolding, but for students ready for the subject matter it's a great -- if sobering -- way to illustrate to students the daily realities and struggles of poverty in America.

Grades: 7–12
Price:
Free

Political Animals

Charming political campaign sim mixes data analysis and civics

Bottom Line: It's a highly entertaining and surprisingly deep way to help students see the strategy -- as well as ethical choices -- involved in elections.

Grades: 8–12
Price:
Paid

Democracy 3

Nuanced political sim about the balancing act of government

Bottom Line: This is a grown-up civics sim, full of tough choices, compelling cause and effect relationships, and controversial issues that will work best for older government students.

Grades: 9–12
Price:
Paid

Papers, Please

Mature immigration game forces tough ethical choices

Bottom Line: It's a provocative simulation about ethics and immigration that could spark debate but might be tough to implement.

Grades: 9–12
Price:
Paid

Please Knock on My Door

Effective and affecting game about dealing with depression

Bottom Line: A slow-paced SEL game for helping students understand the nuances of managing mental health.

Grades: 9–12
Price:
Paid

This War of Mine

Strategy game offers superb, mature take on war and civilian survival

Bottom Line: A stark portrayal of civilian life in a war-torn city that requires strategic thinking and invites repeated plays.

Grades: 9–12
Price:
Paid

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