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10 Great Free Games for Middle School Students

Whether they're built for the classroom or more focused on entertainment, there's learning to be found in any game. These 10 free games for middle school weren't all designed for learning, and yet they make history, math, science, language, and coding come alive. They all also make use of what's great about games, by giving students agency and interesting problems to tackle. Use them to pique students' interest in a new topic, help them acquire new skills, or provide real-world context.

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Sanford Harmony Game Room

Low- to no-prep activities for community-building SEL

Bottom line: Simple SEL integration with conversation starters and team building.

Grades: K–8 Price: Free

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Spaceteam ESL

Chaotic game offers silly yet novel way to practice English vocab

Bottom line: An irresistibly fun way for ELLs to practice high-frequency English vocabulary, but as an app it's a bit rough around the edges.

Grades: 2–12 Price: Free

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GooseChase EDU

Digital scavenger hunts provide dynamic, fresh learning experiences

Bottom line: Students and teachers will enjoy the powerful learning of a modern scavenger hunt.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free, Paid

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GameUp by BrainPop

Grab bag of game goodies creatively explores a variety of subjects

Bottom line: A really nice variety of subject matter and a unique approach get kids actively involved in the learning process.

Grades: 4–8 Price: Free

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Geoguessr

"Just one more turn" gameplay jazzes up geography

Bottom line: It's not a typical educational game, but Geoguessr inspires students to explore the world and encourages them to think critically about what defines a place, including culture and geography.

Grades: 4–12 Price: Free, Free to try, Paid

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Terminal Two

Engaging games teach programming concepts from blocks to code

Bottom line: These varied games are great for introducing the fundamentals and practicing but aren't sufficient as a complete curriculum.

Grades: 4–12 Price: Free

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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

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Read to Lead

Realistic games provide career-based practice for ELA and SEL skills

Bottom line: A great middle school choice for integrating literacy skills with real-life scenarios and careers.

Grades: 5–9 Price: Free

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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

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Little Alchemy 2

Flex alchemical muscles in amusing, discovery-based puzzler

Bottom line: This amusing puzzle game encourages creativity, perseverance, and systems thinking, and with creative integration it can build interest in math, science, history, and literature.

Grades: 6–12 Price: Free

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