TOP PICKS | 24 TOOLS

Great Games That Teach Life Skills

So much of what students have to navigate in school takes skills that aren't always taught in the classroom. Technology can teach them about their health and wellness and help them develop skills such as conflict resolution, safe social networking, and getting along with others. With the tools on this list, students will be reading stories, playing interactive games, creating digital media, and analyzing their own personality profiles.

Looking for more resources to help students navigate life's digital dilemmas? Check out our guide to Digital Citizenship & Social and Emotional Learning.

Top Picks

Print | Save as PDF

Social and Emotional Learning

Four little corners

Simple story about shapes showcases problem-solving and inclusion

Bottom line: This cute little story could be a nice launching pad for big discussions about friendship, tolerance, and acceptance.

Grades: Pre-K–1 Price: Paid $2.99

See full review

Kid in Story Book Maker

Easy-to-make personalized stories can help boost social skills

Bottom line: A must-have story creation tool for teachers in special-needs settings.

Grades: Pre-K–1 Price: $6.99

See full review

Toca Tea Party

Pretend play meets social skills at this cute interactive gathering

Bottom line: Beautiful, imagination-provoking app is so easy to use, kids will likely want to return for many more parties.

Grades: Pre-K–1 Price: Paid $2.99

See full review

Big Kid Life Vet

Gentle feedback helps kids learn empathy and some ABCs

Bottom line: This engaging and simple veterinarian game helps preschoolers build pre-reading skills.

Grades: K–1 Price: Free

See full review

Wisdom - Kingdom of Anger

Quirky game helps kids recognize and regulate anger in self and others

Bottom line: If they can get through the confusing bits, students will be able to identify, label, and perhaps manage strong feelings of anger or frustration.

Grades: K–3 Price: Free to try, Paid There's a free trial. Contact the developer for pricing.

See full review

Mindful Powers

Care for a cute creature to practice mindfulness and self-control

Bottom line: Meditation lessons and visual timers act as decent supplemental activities for introducing SEL skills.

Grades: K–5 Price: Free to try, Paid Free to try; $4.99 for the full app.

See full review

Peekapak

Complete SEL units in a neat and tidy package

Bottom line: Detailed social and emotional learning lessons provide teachers with almost everything they'll need to spark positive character development and reflection in their students.

Grades: Pre-K–5 Price: Free, Free to try, Paid Free for a basic account. An individual Teacher Pro plan includes the entire curriculum for $149 per year for up to 20 students ($299 per year if adding the game). For schools, the curriculum price is $7.50 per student ($15 per student if adding the game and analytics).

See full review

Zoo U

Research-based social game has terrific assessment potential

Bottom line: A powerful and focused social problem-solving game designed to reach kids who need direct instruction.

Grades: K–5 Price: Free to try There's a free trial for one student. Licenses are $10 per student (six student minimum); classroom, school, and district licenses are also available.

See full review

7 Mindsets

Thought-provoking structured program simplifies SEL skills

Bottom line: If teachers take advantage of the extension activities, students can get great in-depth instruction and practice in SEL skills needed for life.

Grades: K–12 Price: Paid A single-use (one-classroom/one-school counselor) license is $1,000 per year. It offers the full curriculum, professional development, the parent zone, an educator support community, an implementation guide, and tech support.

See full review

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 Free trial for up to three students. There is a one-time license fee of $7 per student.

See full review

Middle School Confidential 1: Be Confident in Who You Are

Appealing graphic novel teaches relatable tween lessons

Bottom line: A compelling read for tweens and teens looking for guidance and understanding of common social situations.

Grades: 5–8 Price: Paid $2.99

See full review

Community in Crisis

Game shows real-world uses for literacy and decision-making skills

Bottom line: A clever, real-world, and civic-minded context to learn and practice ELA skills.

Grades: 5–9 Price: Free

See full review

The Carnegie Cyber Academy

Safe internet practices wrapped up in fun, illuminating games

Bottom line: A unique project helps kids learn about serious Internet safety while playing in a lighthearted virtual world.

Grades: 5–12 Price: Free

See full review

Vital Signs

ELA game set in a medical clinic shows the value of literacy skills

Bottom line: Great ELA lessons that realistically integrate literacy skills into the simulated day-to-day of a medical clinic.

Grades: 6–8 Price: Free

See full review

inspirED

Uplifting one-stop shop for social and emotional learning resources

Bottom line: inspirED delivers exactly what it claims: empowering, easy-to-search content for social and emotional learning.

Grades: 8–12 Price: Free

See full review

Florence

Incredibly relatable story about navigating adult love and life

Bottom line: This heartwarming game helps kids empathize with the highs and lows of romantic relationships.

Grades: 10–12 Price: Paid $2.99

See full review

Wellness and Self-Improvement

Mindprint Learning

Expert feedback and tools designed for individual learner profiles

Bottom line: This impressive tool uses normed digital assessments to create a specific learning profile and provide authentic tools for individual learners.

Grades: 2–12 Price: Free, Paid There's select free content. Starts at $10 per student for assessments; contact for details.

See full review

I Got This: An Interactive Story

Interactive story explores diabetes health issues, lacks depth

Bottom line: A kid-friendly way to teach an important message about healthy living, but a missed opportunity to fully engage kids with assessment or gameplay.

Grades: 3–5 Price: Free

See full review

LearnStorm

Guided lessons focus on the brain, encourage a growth mindset

Bottom line: Wonderful, easy-to-use lessons spur self-reflection and a growth mindset in students.

Grades: 3–12 Price: Free

See full review

AMAZE

Quirky, funny videos give thoughtful answers to kids' sex-ed questions

Bottom line: An appealingly down-to-earth way to help kids face tough questions about navigating the challenges of puberty.

Grades: 5–8 Price: Free

See full review

Roadtrip Nation

Outstanding site motivates kids to follow dreams, work hard

Bottom line: Incredibly inspirational, fun, and helpful guide for kids trying to figure out a sustainable, happy future.

Grades: 6–12 Price: $20-$25 per student $25 per student for the high school "Experience" curriculum, including workbook; $20 per student for the middle school "Exploration"

See full review

Pairin

Robust personality survey for students results in real-world insights

Bottom line: For educators who have the time, drive, and buy-in, this program is a great data-analysis and character-development tool.

Grades: 8–12 Price: Free to try, Paid Pairin offers discounts to educational organizations, and a more robust program is included in the subscription price. The educational subscription includes discounts for multiple users, training for staff, student and teacher tips, a curriculum focused on 55 social skills, teacher professional development, and at-risk analysis.

See full review