Educational Brain Games by the Dozen

By Katie

With our um… well… somewhat extensive gaming knowledge, we have put together a list of a dozen educational brain games. Educational games are a bit different than educational apps since apps tend to be more utilitarian, while brain games have to be fun. The games must engage the player and keep their interest for the educational elements to have any effect.

In order for a game to have educational value, it does not need to have an immediately recognizable element of learning such math or science. Sometimes we need to think outside of the box. That doesn’t mean we’ll be recommending Grand Theft Auto on this list. But when it comes to card games, for example, they’re not usually thought of as educational per se; yet they do provide practice in critical thinking and logical reasoning.

All of the brain games presented here are suitable for older kids, teens, and even adults. Each game on this list was highly reviewed and recommended, not only for educational value, but fun gameplay as well. The list has been separated into three categories:

Browser / Web games that can be played on the computer
Android games for Android phones / tablets
iOS games for iPads / iPhones.

Browser / Web Games

1. Monopoly

This classic board game is an excellent means of learning about spending and saving money, budgeting, and adapting to random elements, such as paying unexpected bills or going directly to jail and not collecting $200. This means it’s an excellent game for learning cognitive abilities for handling the challenges of life itself.

2. Spelling Gaps

Spelling Gaps is both a memory and spelling trainer. Words will display briefly on the screen, then disappear, and you must spell the word correctly from memory. The score will be based on how quickly you submit the words, so it’s excellent for training your speed-thinking abilities as well.

3. Hackers vs Robots

This is an action-packed typing game, which will certainly improve your typing speed. In Hackers vs Robots, enemy robots will approach the screen, and you must type words as quickly as possible. Completing words will launch missiles at the robots, which is quite satisfying, especially as the 3D graphics are quite good for a browser game.

4. Make Me 10

This is a fun but challenging mathematical puzzle game. A number is displayed on the screen, and you must pair together other numbers from an available pool, in order to add up to the number that was originally displayed. There’s a bit of strategy involved, as you can save numbers from the pool for later use, but in a limited way.

5. Uno Online

If you’re not familiar with Uno, it’s a classic 4-player card game. Each player starts with a random assortment of cards, and must take turns adding to the pile, until one player has gotten rid of all their cards. There are surprise elements, such as cards that will skip the person next to you, force another player to draw cards from the pile, or reverse the order of players.

Android Games

6. Roblox

Roblox is a combination social platform and game launcher. Basically, users can design their own games using the available tools, and submit them to the Roblox portal, where other users can play those creations. With over 15 million games created by users, Roblox is the #1 gaming site for kids and teens.

7. Dropwords 2

This fun word-finding puzzle game is a bit of a cross between Scrabble and Bejeweled. The screen will be filled with letter tiles, and you must chain the tiles together to create words. It’s great for young children and adults alike, with several modes of gameplay – Normal, Hard, Lightning, Blocker, Relax, and Untimed – which all effect scoring and times. The game includes two dictionaries, the Scrabble dictionary and Webster’s.

8. Spaceflight Simulator

Spaceflight Simulator is a game about building your own rocket from parts and launching it to explore space! This sim game has realistic orbital mechanics, real planets, realistically scaled distances, and an open universe with no limits.

9. Escape Room: Mystery Word

Locked up in a strange room, you need to constantly observe, think, guess, and inference until you escape. This game is suitable for both kids and adults to train logic skills. All levels are free and you can play offline, no Wi-Fi required, 240+ levels without repeat.

iOS Games

10. Study Package Chemistry

An interactive study course that will cover a good variety of science subjects such as matter, particle theory, solutions and mixtures, atoms and molecules, and the periodic table. There’s a good number of experiments and questions for you to answer along the way, and it’s all presented in an easily digestible way.

11. Stephen Hawkings Snapshots of the Universe

This app is jam-packed with information about subjects such as gravity, black holes, Einstein’s theory of relativity, and other topics relevant to the universe around us. The cartoon-drawn images, animations, and interactive experiments will appeal to both younger and older players alike.

12. Zen Bound 2

A visually beautiful game with 3D graphics, Zen Bound 2 lets you solve 3D puzzles by manipulating a rope around the objects presented. It’s a difficult concept to explain, but basically, you must wrap a rope around the 3D objects, and your score is based on how much surface area the rope covers. It’s a great game for developing spatial awareness, and it’s certainly relaxing.

Playing these games will make you a master of training your brain! What are your favorite educational games? Leave a comment!