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Games for younger and older students can provide a means to keep the mind engaged and learning
So many kids these days really love technology. It’s easy to hand them the iPad and let them be entertained by YouTube videos and racing games for hours — but what about doing a bit more? These games are both fun and educational, maximizing the benefits of time spent on the iPad.
- Fight Write — $2.99
Made for elementary school children, this app makes learning how to write fun. They battle their way throughout the game and collect various monsters. In order to do that, they have to write words. In addition to the base words the app provides, you can add your own to correspond with what they’re learning in school or what you think they should know.
There are options for both cursive and print writing, as well as two difficulty settings depending on skill level. There are also settings for both right- and left-handed users so your kiddo can use the hand they’re most comfortable with.
- Tommy the Turtle — Free
Computer skills are essential in this day and age, so you might as well get kids started with coding early. Elementary-age kids learn the basics of coding by making Tommy the Turtle and his friends move, sing and dance on the screen. Free play mode is great for practice, while challenge mode helps them test their abilities with Tommy and his friends.
One of the best features of this one is that there are absolutely no in-app purchases or advertisements. This means you don’t have to worry about kids accidentally hitting a button and racking up charges.
- Trigger Of The Day — Free
For high school or college students who want to learn more about finance and the stock market, this app is perfect. Each day the app produces a trigger of the day, and one has to guess whether the stock is going to go up or down. You get or lose points based on that choice and how the stock does the following day.
If there’s a full classroom utilizing iPads, this would be a great app for a class competition. It takes research and knowing the ins and outs of the stocks that are announced as triggers to make a decent decision, as opposed to just guesswork.
- SMART lab — Free
Recommended for ages 9 and up, SMART lab is an app to connect students in classrooms. They can compete against each other with Monster Quiz, join in on classroom discussions with Shout It Out and do tests and practice activities with other features.
Teachers create the activities and can also display them in front of the class on a SMART board. A unique ID is shared with the class so they can all join in on their own devices. Students are restricted to the activity in use by the teacher, and as he or she moves forward, they can join in for the new activities.
It’s also a great idea for shyer kids to get involved, due to its app-based features. They can compete with other classmates and join in without a ton of attention being brought to them that might make them flustered.
- AtStake — Free
This game creates a unique way to explore real-world issues. It helps students understand multiple viewpoints so they can empathize with others. It also boosts creativity, as students have to come up with proposals on the spot based on the prompts that they’re given.
It’s played with three to five people who are all given different roles. Players have to brainstorm solutions to the issues that are presented, while staying in character with their roles. They then debate until they reach a solution that suits all parties involved. Whoever the decider chooses as having the best ideas wins!
This can be used for almost any class to encourage thoughtful debate about the subjects they’re learning about. It can also be used at home to facilitate understanding and empathy for views that are different than their own.
These apps are fun and teach lessons at the same time. Technology is a great asset for learning, and these games are a fabulous start.
