TOP PICKS | 29 TOOLS
Best Homework Games for Students
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STEM Games
IXL
Immediate feedback and breadth a major plus, despite emphasis on drills
Bottom line: Students can improve targeted skills with tons of practice modules and visually appealing tasks.
Grades: Pre-K–12
Price: Free to Try, Paid Skill practice is free but limited to a small number of problems a day. After a 30-day free trial, classroom licenses start at $249 per class for 25 students and one subject. Individual, school, and district licenses are also available.
The Robot Factory by Tinybop
Improve designs, collect favorites in robot creation sandbox
Bottom line: A well-made and enjoyable STEM app that leverages what's great about play -- experimentation -- to spark engineering interest.
Grades: K–8
Price: $3.99
Simple Machines by Tinybop
Excellent elementary NGSS engineering practices embedded in fun games
Bottom line: Fun gameplay lets kids explore important physics concepts in a solid standards-aligned context.
Grades: K–5
Price: 2.99
Motion Math
Playful collection of games reinforces a diversity of skills
Bottom line: A great add-on to any classroom as a treat for students or as a way to get students to practice taught concepts to mastery.
Grades: K–7
Price: Free to Try, Paid There's a free trial. Pricing ranges from $6 per student per year (for 1,000+ students) to $14 per student per year (for 5 to 9 students).
Scratch
Jump-start future programmers with adaptive sandbox tool
Bottom line: With plenty of time and support, Scratch can help kids of all ages learn essential programming concepts.
Grades: K–12
Price: Free
Mangahigh
Phenomenal adaptive math games with a killer teacher dashboard
Bottom line: Fantastic tool for flipped or blended classrooms, formative assessment, or extra practice in any setting. It's gamification that really works.
Grades: 2–12
Price: Free, Free to Try, Paid Free 30-day trial gives 100% access. Following the trial, users can select a basic or subscription account. The free, basic version limits access to 25% of the content. The subscription models vary based on the number of students enrolled, and range from $195/yr (up to 5 students) to $2995/yr (up to 1,000 students). Request a quote for more than 1,000 students.
Contraption Maker
Solve problems, puzzles, brain teasers while creating wacky machines
Bottom line: Hands-on problem-solving leads to great fun and independent learning with the right curricular wraparound to connect what kids are doing with what they need to know.
Grades: 3–8
Price: Free, Paid The game costs $9.99. Teachers can receive free copies; see here for more information: http://contraptionmaker.com/education/.
Algodoo
Sandbox tool enables engaged, conceptual physics inquiry
Bottom line: A robust, free pedagogical tool that's like a digital workbench where kids build and apply conceptual science knowledge.
Grades: 4–12
Price: Free Free on Mac and Windows. $4.99 on iPad.
CodeCombat
Dungeon-crawling adventure where code is king
Bottom line: While not the first to blend coding with play, CodeCombat offers a stable, engaging, and accessible model.
Grades: 4–12
Price: Free, Paid Contact the developer to get set up with purchasing a group license for the classroom version.
W.E.L.D.E.R. Swap
Mashup of Boggle and Candy Crush gets kids forming new words
Bottom line: Students, especially word geeks, will dig this strategic game, but it's unclear how much it'll impact learning.
Grades: 4–12
Price: Free to Try The app is free to download with limited access. Full access to the app is $7.99. There's also a subscription available to all Touch Press games for $4.99/month or $49.99/year.
DragonBox Algebra 12+
Super fun, cutting-edge approach to learning and practicing algebra
Bottom line: Kids build a strong foundation for algebra by learning the underlying concepts for solving equations with this extremely fun and educational math tool.
Grades: 6–10
Price: Paid $7.99
Tyto Ecology
Well-developed biome sim provides cheap, endless learning
Bottom line: This affordable ecosystem balancing game teaches life science skills while keeping students engaged.
Grades: 6–12
Price: Paid $6.99 for base game (3 biomes); $3.99 for each biome expansion pack.
Universe Sandbox
Superb sandbox for astrophysics experimentation
Bottom line: An impressive -- and complex -- tool that encourages a playful, systems thinking-oriented exploration of the universe and astrophysics.
Grades: 6–12
Price: Free
GameMaker Studio 2
One of the best creation tools available for aspiring game developers
Bottom line: Provides teachers with the best choice for a full unit or class on game design, and gives students a tool to help them realize their game-making dreams.
Grades: 7–12
Price: Free to Try, Paid A free version has limited features. Educational licenses range from $30 per seat per year for desktop creation to $130 per seat per year for UWP and mobile.
Niche - a genetics survival game
Immersive genetics sim puts evolution in students' hands
Bottom line: This hands-on genetics game allows students to experiment, explore traits, and come away with a sophisticated understanding of the subject.
Grades: 7–12
Price: Paid $17.99
Kerbal Space Program
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.
Grades: 9–12
Price: Free to Try, Paid $39.99, free demo
ELA and Social Studies Games
HangArt: Play Hangman, Draw Pictures, Tell Stories
Games, creative activities give 360-degree view of common sight words
Bottom line: Combination of guided games and open-ended activities give kids a great opportunity for digging deep into words.
Grades: Pre-K–3
Price: $1.99
Ink Blott Underground
Strategic vocab game gets students digging into roots and affixes
Bottom line: This is a win for building vocabulary and word attack skills, but teachers need to provide context and additional instruction to make learning last.
Grades: 5–8
Price: Free to Try Full app is $7.99, or available through a $4.99/month subscription bundled with their other apps
Never Alone: Ki Edition
Illuminating native Alaskan folktale supports SEL skills
Bottom line: A beautiful achievement developed in cooperation with indigenous folk that offers players valuable SEL skill building and a respectful window into Inupiat culture, ways of life, traditions, and stories.
Grades: 5–12
Price: 4.99
iCivics
Exceptionally well-designed games, lesson plans demystify government
Bottom line: This excellent addition to a civics classroom simplifies complex topics.
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: $29.99
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: $14.99
SAT Vocab by MindSnacks
Variety is key in charmingly effective SAT vocab app
Bottom line: Upgrading to the full version gets you great games and a thorough word list for SAT vocab prep.
Grades: 8–12
Price: Free, Paid The free version includes one lesson with only 20 SAT prep words. Once unlocked for $4.99, it includes 500 words. The All Language Pass costs $17.99.
Walden, a game
Thoughtfully designed game illuminates Thoreau's writing, philosophy
Bottom line: It's rare to be so moved and permanently transformed by a work of art; that this game manages to (re)create these experiences is a triumph.
Grades: 8–12
Price: Free, Paid Teachers can request a complimentary copy of the game.
Miscellaneous Games
Wizard School
Curated videos and creative challenges ignite active learning
Bottom line: There's plenty of material to inspire kids to embark on learning adventures that get them to explore, create, and share safely on the screen and off.
Grades: 2–8
Price: Free
Nitro Type
Customizable multiplayer auto races rev up basic typing practice
Bottom line: Nitro Type is pretty darn engaging, but teachers need to prep students' typing skills first.
Grades: 3–8
Price: Free, Paid The base experience is free. There's a $9.99 optional lifetime Gold Membership that removes ads, increases race winnings, and adds an exclusive car and badging.
Zoombinis
Classic logic puzzler gets a beautiful new look
Bottom line: Promote powerful thinking skills, resilience, and decision making through purely fun gameplay that will keep students begging for more.
Grades: 3–8
Price: $4.99
Minecraft
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.
Grades: 3–12
Price: Paid $26.95 for desktop, $19.99 for consoles (except Wii U at $29.99)
Epistory - Typing Chronicles
Practice typing by exploring and defending a world made of paper
Bottom line: Great for practicing touch-typing skills, this adventure game draws players in with a slowly revealed backstory.
Grades: 6–12
Price: Paid $14.99
