TOP PICKS | 8 TOOLS

Cool Math Games for High School

As high school students diligently prepare for the stress of college and career, teachers sometimes need to reignite the concept of play. From factorization to graphing equations, games can help students apply the skills they've learned and let them have fun at the same time. Check out our list for game-based learning tools that will get students manipulating 3D shapes, solving quadratic equations, and enhancing their problem-solving prowess.

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ChessKid

The right combo of learning and play for chess fans at any level

Bottom line: Whether learning, playing, or coaching, ChessKid has it all covered.

Grades: K–12 Price: Free, Free to try, Paid Free account holders have access to free play, beginner lessons, and a limited number of puzzles per day. A Gold membership unlocks unlimited access to all lessons, games, and puzzles (price options include $10 per month, $50 per year, or $105 for 3 years).

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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.

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Polyup

Super-cute gamified calculator may confuse more than calculate

Bottom line: Possibly a great tool for advanced students, but can be very confusing for teaching new concepts.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free

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FAKTR - all access

Electro-futuristic prime-factorization game is a total blast

Bottom line: The process of factoring becomes completely intuitive after one playthrough, and that makes it a huge learning success. Plus, it's just plain fun.

Grades: 4–12 Price: Free, Paid In-app purchase of $3.99 for complete game.

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Crafty Cut - all access

Gorgeous 2-D and 3-D shapes game offers intellectual play at its best

Bottom line: One of the best ways to explore the relationships between 2-D and 3-D shapes and promote spatial reasoning in a way worksheets can't touch.

Grades: 5–10 Price: Free to try, Paid with $3.99 in-app purchase for the complete game

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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