Stem Resources: Games - Pioneer Valley STEM Network

STEM Games

Video & board games:

*There are some games which are more based on visual perception & fine motor skills but which have a science theme to them (e.g. Dr. Beaker, Dr. Microbe). I have not included those or the games which have a science theme without really engaging the players with STEM in a more than superficial way (e.g. Astronomy Fluxx, Chemistry Fluxx, Anatomy Fluxx, Math Fluxx, Nature Fluxx). The same applies to games which are basically memory games, e.g. Draw 4: Dig for Dinos. While these games would be entertaining & valuable for skill-building in some sense, they only have a STEM “skin”, not real STEM content. I also did not include puzzle games unless they had some real STEM content, e.g. coding.

Game companies which focus on education or working with teachers:

Genius Games

The company’s mission is to bring real STEM content into the classroom in a fun manner. They do education bundles for schools. They also offer games based on science history, as well as puzzles & children’s books focusing on women in science.

https://www.geniusgames.org/

ThinkFun

The website has resources, not just games, but focuses on gamifying education. They have downloadable games, options for ordering for classrooms, etc. They’re probably best known for their Rush Hour puzzle games or for their Math Dice. They also feature problem-solving & mystery themed games.

https://www.thinkfun.com/

https://www.thinkfun.com/teachers/

Online, downloadable, and print-and-play games:

Some of these may require you to create a Steam account (easy & free to do). Some sites have multiple games, some of which require Flash, which is no longer supported, so be aware of that.

Math Blaster

Free online math games for preK-middle school.

http://www.mathblaster.com/parents/math-games

NASA Space Place

Free Earth & space science games. K-middle school+

https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/menu/play/

National Geographic kids

Games & puzzles for K-elementary, maybe some middle school.

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/games/

PBS kids

Online STEM based games, mostly for the younger students.

https://pbskids.org/games/science

https://pbskids.org/games/math

Sheppard Software

Free online games, preK-early high school, math, science (including dinosaur themed games)

https://www.sheppardsoftware.com/math.htm

https://www.sheppardsoftware.com/science.htm

TryEngineering

Online games for ages 5 – 18, variety of topics. Also includes online resources & tools.

https://tryengineering.org/students/games/

BrainPOP STEM games

Online games for K – 8th. BrainPOP also includes ELL resources.

https://www.brainpop.com/stem/

Smithsonian Science Education Center

Free online & downloadable games, mostly K-middle school

https://ssec.si.edu/game-center

Chem4Kids

Grades 3-8, chemistry

http://www.chem4kids.com/

Cells alive!

Grades 6-12, images & videos, etc. with cells

https://www.cellsalive.com/

Wonderville

STEM games of all types. Requires an account, but apparently you can rent games.

https://wonderville.org/

Math Warehouse

There are a variety of games for different levels, mostly focusing on fractions, unit circles, distance vs. time, division, etc.

https://www.mathwarehouse.com/games2/

Bioman biology games

Free online biology games, elementary/middle/high school, scroll to the bottom to see the games.

https://www.biomanbio.com/index.html

cK-12 Exploration series

Free simulations & games based on them, physics & chemistry.

https://interactives.ck12.org/simulations/physics.html

EcoOcean

Free online game about overfishing.

https://www.ecoocean.de/play-online/

Digital Commons @ Georgia Southern U

A list of free STEM apps for the common core. Many of these, such as Crayon Physics & Celestia, are games or simulations.

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1017&context=stem

Steam:

Steam is an online store for PC games. Not all of the games would lend themselves to enhancing STEM education, and very few of them have free versions, but Steam does have sales. The games are more likely to be better family resources than classroom resources. Some examples of decent educational games include: Universe Sandbox, Sokobond, and Plague Inc. There also many simulators, e.g. Rover Mechanic Simulator and Reentry (based on NASA missions).

https://store.steampowered.com/

Kerbal Space Program (& 2)

There is a free to try version as well as a paid version. Create your own space program, with all of the challenges, etc. It can be a tough game to master, but a lot of students seem to enjoy it. The second edition should be out soon. Can be purchased via Steam.

https://www.kerbalspaceprogram.com/

https://www.kerbalspaceprogram.com/games-kerbal-space-program-2

App-based games:

Happy Little Farmer

Younger kids, showing kids challenges involved in growing plants.

https://www.giggleup.com/pages/moreinfo_app_011/

Educational App Store

Here is a list of free & paid STEM apps for kids, generally around preK-8.

https://www.educationalappstore.com/best-apps/stem-apps-for-kids

Simple Physics

Middle school, design, build, & test bridges, etc. Minimal cost

http://jundroo.com/app/simplephysics/

Oddrobo

A collection of games, ~elementary-high school, mostly math based. Free. Includes King of Math.

http://oddrobo.com/

Common sense education

STEM apps for higher-order thinking – a list of free & paid apps for ~preK-12. Some of the apps turn your phone into a measuring device for data collection.

https://www.commonsense.org/education/top-picks/stem-apps-for-higher-order-thinking

ASME – STEM apps for students

A list of free & paid apps, most of them gamifying educational concepts. ~K-12. The list also includes platforms which allow students & teachers to create their own games.

https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/content/7-stem-apps-for-students

Board games:

Math tic tac toe

Elementary & middle school, free but requires crafting

https://www.whatdowedoallday.com/math-tic-tac-toe/

Absolute Blast

Institute of Play free downloadable game for grades 6 – 8, about operations with integers & absolute values. Includes common core standards alignments. They also have Socratic Smackdown for humanities grades 6 – 12 & a how to design your own teaching game resource.

https://clalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Absolute-Blast.pdf

https://clalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Design-Pack-Games-And-Learning.pdf

Five Field Kono

Korean game, free printable board, requires objects used as counters, based on logic/spatial thinking. https://www.whatdowedoallday.com/five-field-kono/

Mū Tōrere

Maori game, free printable board, requires tokens which can be crafted, based on logic/spatial thinking. https://www.whatdowedoallday.com/mu-torere/

Teachers Pay Teachers

Some of these are digital, some are downloadable, all are developed by teachers.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Browse/Search:game/Grade-Level/Not-Grade-Specific/PreK-12-Subject-Area/Science

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Browse/Search:game/Grade-Level/Not-Grade-Specific/PreK-12-Subject-Area/Math

Addition Bingo

Free printable addition Bingo version.

https://activity-mom.com/2021/12/addition-bingo-math-game/

BoardGameGeek – general games list

Most of the games below can be found on BoardGameGeek, which is the definitive list of board games. Their search engine can be a little annoying, so it might be best to Browse by Category. They update their list & ratings all the time. They include games in multiple languages as well as out of print games, so be careful. History games can also be found under educational games.

https://boardgamegeek.com/

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamecategory/1094/educational/linkeditems/boardgamecategory

Zimbbos

Ages 3+, 1-4 players, counting/stacking/balancing game for younger kids

https://www.blueorangegames.com/index.php/games/zimbbos

Alana’s Animals

Ages 4+, 2-4 players, shorter game about addition & subtraction

https://www.geniusgames.org/products/alanas-animals

Robot Turtles

Ages 4+, 2+ players, coding

https://www.thinkfun.com/products/robot-turtles/

Absolute Zero & Absolute Zero Jr.

Ages 5+, 2-5 players, combine positive & negative numbers to create zero. Available on Amazon. The Jr. version is simplified (smaller numbers, etc).

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/332007/absolute-zero

Potato Pirates

Ages 7+, 3-6 players, coding in the if/then manner

https://www.thinkfun.com/products/potato-pirates/

Acorn Paws

Ages 7+, 2-4 players, shorter game, counting, dividing.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/313350/acorn-paws

Super Genius Addition

Ages 7+, 1-6 players, shorter card game based on building addition skills & focus

https://www.blueorangegames.com/index.php/games/super-genius-addition

Covalence

Ages 8+, 2-4+ players (co-op), shorter game, players cooperate to build molecules

https://www.geniusgames.org/products/covalence-a-molecule-building-game

Super Genius Multiplication 1 & 2

Ages 8+, 1-6 players, shorter card game based on building multiplication skills & focus. The first one uses times tables up to 5, the second goes up to times 9.

https://www.blueorangegames.com/index.php/games/super-genius-multiplication

https://www.blueorangegames.com/index.php/games/super-genius-multiplication-2

Ion

Ages 8+, 2-7 players, shorter game, card drafting game focused on building ions (or sets of noble gases)

https://www.geniusgames.org/products/ion-a-compound-building-game

Geologic

Ages 8+, 1+, build a planet’s surface using biome tiles

https://www.thinkfun.com/products/geologic/

Qwixx

Ages 8+ dice game, 2-5 players, math/probability

https://gamewright.com/product/Qwixx

Math Dice

Ages 8+, 2+ players, uses dice to do mental math/create equations/etc. Uses d6 & d12 dice.

Also comes in Math Dice Jr (6+), My First Math Dice (3+), Math Dice Chase (8+)

https://www.thinkfun.com/products/math-dice/

Prime Climb

Ages 8+/10+, prime numbers

https://mathforlove.com/games/prime-climb/

Photosynthesis

Ages 8+, 2 – 4 players, longish game, about trees & photosynthesis, also has an Under the Moonlight expansion

https://www.blueorangegames.com/index.php/games/photosynthesis

https://www.blueorangegames.com/index.php/games/photosynthesis-under-the-moonlight

Virulence

Ages 8+, 2-5 player bidding/collection game focusing on components etc. of viruses

https://www.geniusgames.org/products/virulence-an-infectious-card-game

Planet

Ages 8+, 2-4 players, each player builds their own planet with different biomes & can win animal cards

https://www.blueorangegames.com/index.php/games/planet

Laser Maze

Ages 8+ logic game, mostly solo, also comes in Jr. (5+) & Laser Chess (2 player)

https://www.thinkfun.com/products/laser-maze/

https://www.thinkfun.com/products/laser-chess/

Math Rush (1, 2, & 3)

1: Addition & Subtraction, ages 8+, 1-5 players, shorter

2: Multiplication & Exponents, ages 8+, 1-5 players, shorter

3: Fractions, decimals, percentages, ages 8+, 1-5 players, shorter

https://www.geniusgames.org/products/math-rush-bundle-addition-subtraction-multiplication-exponents-fractions-decimals-and-percentages

Constellations

Ages 8+, 2-4 players, build constellations while learning about the spectral sequence of stars (note: final positions of constellations usually do not reflect that of the actual night sky)

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/218200/constellations

Outnumbered

Ages 8+, 1-6 players, shorter game, co-op superhero math game

https://www.geniusgames.org/products/outnumbered-improbable-heroes

Ecosystem

Ages 14+ (honestly 8+), 2-6 players, fairly fast card-drafting game, about building an ecosystem

https://www.geniusgames.org/products/ecosystem-family-card-game-animals-ecology-habitats-biodiversity

Periodic

Ages 10+, 2-5 players, longer game, strategy game based on the periodic table

https://www.geniusgames.org/products/periodic-a-game-of-the-elements

Aeon: The Emergence of Life

Ages 10+, 2-6 players, longer game. Focuses on what’s necessary for life to evolve on Earth.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/342888/aeon-emergence-life

On the Origin of Species

Ages 10+, 2-4 players, longer game, science history

https://www.geniusgames.org/products/on-the-origin-of-species

Planetarium

Ages 10+, 1-4 players, build planets from materials around a newborn star

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/200454/planetarium

Cytosis

Ages 10+, 2-5 players, longer worker placement/resource management game about cell biology, has a virus expansion

https://www.geniusgames.org/products/cytosis-a-cell-biology-game

Hacker

Ages 10+, 1+ players, coding

https://www.thinkfun.com/products/hacker/

Peptide

Ages 10+, 2-5 players, fairly quick card drafting/resource management game about building proteins

https://www.geniusgames.org/products/peptide-a-protein-building-game

Wingspan

Ages 10+, engine building game focused on birds & their habitats, longer game, 1-5 players, multiple expansions

https://stonemaiergames.com/games/wingspan/

Terraforming Mars

Ages 12+, easily 2+ hours, will appeal more to people who like Sid Meyer’s Civilization games & other long strategy games, does a good job of showing how much work & what types of work would be involved in terraforming a planet, multiple expansions

https://www.fryxgames.se/games/terraforming-mars/

Evolution

Ages 12+, 2-6 players, longish game, but it’s really good at showing how evolution can make or break a species. This is highly competitive so it’s not really fun for only two players.

https://www.northstargames.com/products/evolution