STEM Games for Young Learners

STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) games are educational games that aim to teach these subjects in a fun and interactive way. These games are designed to engage and help young learners develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

At Acton Academy Columbus, we have a large number of games, including STEM educational games that learners grab and play before and after school and, even, during lunch and free time. These board games are educational and aim to teach STEM subjects in a fun and interactive way.

Here is a list of some popular STEM board games:

  1. "Robo Rally" is a game in which players program robots to navigate through a factory, competing against each other to complete tasks and reach the finish line first. It teaches players about programming, strategy, and logic.

  2. "Ticket to Ride" is a game in which players collect and play matching train cards to claim railway routes connecting cities throughout North America. It teaches players about strategy, planning, and probability.

  3. "Pandemic" is a cooperative game in which players work together to stop the spread of four deadly diseases before they wipe out the world's population. It teaches players about teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

  4. "Catan" is a game in which players collect and trade resources to build settlements, cities, and roads on the island of Catan. It teaches players about resource management, negotiation, and economics.

  5. "Boom Blast Stix" is a game in which players use logic and strategy to create a chain reaction of falling sticks. It teaches players about logic, problem-solving, and pattern recognition.

  6. "Zoologic" is a game in which players compete to build the best zoo. It teaches players about strategy, planning and biology.

  7. "Quadropolis" is a game in which players compete to build the most prosperous city. It teaches players about architecture, urban planning, and resource management.

Here is a list of online coding games that have been previously mentioned:

  1. "ScratchJr" is a visual programming language for children ages five to seven, that allows them to create interactive stories, animations, and games.

  2. "CodeMonkey" is an online coding game that teaches children ages eight and up the basics of programming using a visual coding language based on JavaScript.

  3. "Kodable" is a game that teaches children as young as four the basics of programming concepts such as loops, conditions, and functions using a visual, drag-and-drop interface.

  4. "Osmo Coding Awbie" is an interactive game that teaches children ages five and up the basics of coding through a series of fun, hands-on activities.

  5. "CodeCombat" is an online game that teaches players how to code in Python and JavaScript by controlling a character through a fantasy world, solving coding puzzles to progress through the game.

  6. "Code Wars" is an online platform that offers a variety of coding challenges and competitions in multiple programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, Ruby and more.

  7. "Code Quest" is a game that teaches children about coding through different levels, it uses a drag and drop interface that helps young learners understand the basic concepts of coding.

These games provide a fun and interactive way for players to learn about coding and programming concepts, while also encouraging creativity and critical thinking.

Here is a list of STEM board games that are focused on science:

  1. "DNA Lab" is a game in which players race to build a complete DNA strand by collecting and matching nucleotides. It teaches players about genetics and molecular biology.

  2. "Periodic Quest" is a game in which players race to collect all the elements in the periodic table. It teaches players about chemistry and the elements.

  3. "Solarquest" is a game in which players race to colonize planets in the solar system, while learning about the characteristics of each planet and challenges of space exploration.

  4. "Lab Wars" is a game in which players compete to develop the most advanced technologies by researching and experimenting with different elements. It teaches players about the scientific method and scientific research.

  5. "Micro-Macro" is a game that teaches players about the different scales in the natural world, from the atomic to the cosmic and everything in between.

These STEM board games provide a fun and interactive way for players to learn about scientific concepts and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They also allow for hands-on experimentation and learning about the natural world.

Here is a list of STEM board games that are focused on math:

  1. "Fraction Formula" is a game in which players race to complete math problems involving fractions. It teaches players about fractions, ratios and proportion.

  2. "24 Game" is a game in which players race to create the number 24 by using arithmetic operations on four numbers. It teaches players about mathematical operations and problem-solving.

  3. "Math Dice" is a game in which players roll special dice and use them to create mathematical equations with the goal of getting the highest score. It teaches players about mathematical operations and problem-solving.

  4. "Math Fluxx" is a card game in which players use mathematical operations to try and get the highest score. It teaches players about mathematical operations and problem-solving.

  5. "Prime Climb" is a game that teaches players about prime numbers and mathematical operations. Players race to the top of the board by using prime numbers.

  6. "Khet 2.0" is a game that teaches players about geometry, angles, and spatial reasoning. Players move laser beams around a board with the goal of destroying the opponent's pieces.

These STEM board games provide a fun and interactive way for players to learn math concepts, improve their mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills. They also allow for hands-on experimentation and learning of mathematical concepts.

Note: This post was written with the assistance of ChatGPT, a large language model trained by OpenAI.

At our school, we are finding ways to harness the potential of ChatGPT for our learners. Instead of fearing innovation, we want to use it for the benefit of our students, by providing them with accurate information, helping them to develop critical thinking skills and providing them with more personalized learning.

Varun Bhatia