Search Database

For Gifted Students: Games & Puzzles

• Organizations: Competitions

  The Synergy Challenge

  The Synergy Challenge provides a new task every season where gifted students will design, create, build, and perform something from their imagination. They will post projects on Synergy's Facebook page to be judged for a prize. Synergy's goal is to keep the gifted mind stimulated, where students can work on an independent project that motivates and excites them.

• Organizations: Local

  The Wayfinder Experience (Kingston, NY)

  This live-action role-playing company runs summer camps, events, school programs and workshops for teens, children and adults. The centerpiece of our programs is the Adventure Game, a transformative experience that challenges players physically, mentally and emotionally, while immersing them in an exciting world of fantasy.

• Organizations: National

  The Science Club

  The Science Club is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that uses humor and science to get children and adults to learn and play together. All of their activities, which use common household materials, promote curiousity and the excitement of experimentation.

• Printed Materials: Books

  A Puzzling Day at Castle MacPelican

  This book by author S. Anderson is for ages 4-8. Welcome to Castle MacPelican where Thomas and Esmerelda have just arrived for a visit. They are going to find the castle a very puzzling place indeed! Their uncle, Hector MacPelican, has prepared a treasure hunt for each of them, but there are many other puzzles for them to solve--they are certain there is a thief in the castle.

  Aha! Gotcha:Paradoxes to Puzzle and Delight

  This book is a collection of puzzles about paradoxes. The easy answer is often a trap. The puzzles are simple enough for all ages to understand, but they can be tricky to solve and kids may find the answers before their parents. Like the previous book, Aha! Insight, these are puzzles that leave you feeling smarter than before. A fun read that is a delight for all ages.

  Aha! Insight

  This book is a collection of puzzles that lead to a sudden rush of insight as you "get it" - the aha! phenomenon of the title. The puzzles are grouped into 6 general categories and illustrated with witty little cartoons that give just the right insight. The puzzles are simple enough for all ages to understand, but they can be tricky to solve and kids may find the answers before their parents. These are puzzles that leave you feeling smarter than before. A fun read that is a delight for all ages.

  Algebra With Pizzazz!: Practice Exercises for the First Year Algebra

  Puzzles and games present algebra as a fun and enjoyable experience. This book contains reproducible activity pages on a variety of topics.

  Anti-Boredom Book: 133 Completely Unboring Things to Do!

  This book is packed full of truly fun activities for children. It has magic, creative cooking, puzzles, great games, fascinating facts, and non-stop entertainment.

  Art Fraud Detective: Spot the Difference, Solve the Crime!

  A clever book about a museum whose displays have been replaced with forgeries. Readers will enjoy learning about some of the world's greatest artists and their works while solving this mystery story and figuring out the spot the difference puzzles.

  Books & DVDs by The Mathemagician, Dr. Arthur Benjamin

  Would you like to learn how to perform amazing feats of mind? Dr. Arthur Benjamin, the Mathemagician, will show you how in his latest book, Secrets of Mental Math: The Mathemagician's Guide to Lightning Calculation and Amazing Math Tricks.

  Dover Coloring Books

  These carefully researched books have wonderfully detailed drawings of figures in historical costumes, authentic reproductions of actual period art, or carefully rendered images of plants and animals. Most include notes or stories intertwined with the pictures, and the written information is a nice complement to the drawings. Some of the titles available include: Geometric Designs and Illusions; Butterflies, Insects, More; American History; World History; and, many more.

  Family Math

  How can parents help their children with math at home? With more than 300 pages of lively activities, this book represents one of the greatest strides taken to involve parents in the mathematics education of their children. Using easy instructions and simple objects such as beans, blocks, pennies, buttons, and string, parents and kids solve problems together.

  Five Star Mind: Games and Puzzles to Stimulate Your Creativity and Imagination

  This book contains puzzles, tips, and information on developing creativity, imagination, new ideas, and problem solving skills.

  From Crystals to Kites: Exploring Three Dimensions

  The properties of three-dimensional figures spring to life as students build straw models, investigate polyhedra, create tetrahedral kites, and find the volume of prisms and pyramids. Students are encouraged to problem solve, find patterns, and talk about their discoveries throughout. This book also includes teacher notes, blackline masters and patterns.

  Games of No Chance (Mathematical Sciences Research Institute Publications)

  This book deals with combinatorial games, games not involving chance or hidden information. The first part of this book is accessible to anyone, regardless of background. For those who want to delve more deeply, the book also contains combinatorial studies of chess and Go; reports of computer advances such as the solution of Nine-Men's Morris and Pentominoes; and new theoretical approaches to such problems as games with many players.
  

  Getting into Area: Hands-On Problem-Solving Activities for Grades 3-6

  Real-life topics from architecture to sewing assure these 21 "discovery activities" make sense. Students use Pattern Blocks, tessellation patterns, geoboards, and dice to explore area and perimeter and make connections to multiplication, fractions, and decimals.

  Hands-on Math: Ready-to-use games and activities for grades 4-8

  Here's a super treasury of 279 exciting math games and activities that help students learn by engaging both their minds and their bodies. Dispensing with tired "rote" learning and memorization, Hands-On Math! uses fun-filled exercises that encourage your students to think and reason mathematically.

  Learn-To-Read Treasure Hunts: 50 Skill-Building Games for Beginning Readers and Their Parents
  

  Imagine a treasure hunt that encourages your kids to start reading. From the author of Games for Reading, this book is a learning aid for beginning readers and their parents. Featuring 50 treasure hunt games, this book provides weeks of family fun, and enables busy parents to help their kids become better readers. As kids sharpen their reading skills, the treasure hunts become progressively more difficult.

  Logic on Meadow Brook Lane

  Author Bonnie Lou Risby, joined a Family and Marriage Counseling Practice for 12 years and now works in a family business. The book is a "must" for students who love the thrill of solving logic puzzles - they will enjoy more than 20 puzzles in this book.

  Making Animal Characters In Polymer Clay

  This book is a step by step guide to making clay figures from polymer clay, from simple creatures like a frog to more complicated creatures like a wolf. The animals are caricatures, with expressive characteristics and clothing. This book also introduces how to use other mediums with the polymer clay.

  Math Games (Gifted and Talented)

  Math Games takes children beyond addition and subtraction, and challenges them with an entertaining collection of logic problems, numbers riddles, and shape puzzles that expand their understanding of math.

  Math Logic Mysteries

  With this book from Marilynn Rapp Buxton, students can have fun building their math skills while trying to solve challenging puzzles. Mathematical skills covered include measurement, number operations, geometry, probably, gractions, decimals, percentages and algebra. Also included, is a detailed how-to section for teaching logic puzzles and an in-depth answer key. Grades 5-8.

  Math Puzzles and Patterns for Kids

  This book by Kristy Fulton explores the "math logic puzzles" concept in puzzle solving. Students are taught the basic premises behind each challenging puzzle: real-life patterns and puzzles such as Fibonacci's triangle, tangrams, and Sudoku. Resources for teaching math patterns are also included. For grades 2-4.

  Math Wizardry for Kids

  Kids needn't be math geniuses to enjoy this book, but they might develop into mathematicians through its more than 200 puzzles and games. Illustrations highlight details of different projects. Each project comes complete with a list of materials and specific directions that children can follow on their own. Some history of mathematics is also included, which can be expanded using additional materials. A glossary, and a section for parents and teachers help make this book ideal for use as a classroom math supplement.

  Mathematical Brain-Teasers

  This book includes 150 mathematical puzzles, including coin and change problems, relative ages, time and distance, and 40 alphametics—innovative letter substitutions.
  

  Mensa Mighty Mindbenders Number Puzzles

  Logic problems, mathematical puzzles, matrix problems and other puzzles are included in this book by Harold Gale. No special skills are required to tackle these brain-teasers beyond common-sense, logic and a basic numeracy.

  More Puzzlegrams: A Colorful, Beguiling Collection of 148 More Classic Puzzles Designed by Pentagram

  A colorful and entertaining collection of 148 puzzles tests fans at every level of expertise, and includes such brain-teasing favorites as coin, card, and matchstick tricks.

  More Sideways Arithmetic from Wayside School

  This sequel to the original collection of brain twisters and math puzzles challenges young readers with puzzlers that include "How much is PEPPERS + PIG LIPS?" and "If Jenny's shirt has sparkles on it, will Todd have egg in his hair?"
  

  Mystery on Main Street (Usborne Puzzle Adventures, Advanced Level)

  For ages 12 and older, this is a mystery-adventure story, interwoven with puzzles to solve that require different types of thinking. Hints and answers are in the back.

  Playing Smart: The Family Guide to Enriching, Offbeat Learning Activities for Ages 4 to 14

  Do you ever wonder what you can do with your child while you are running errands, waiting in line or have the whole day to spend together? How do you make every moment together fun and interesting? Susan K. Perry has some ideas, and she includes over five hundred of them in this book. Her suggested activities range from brain teasers to outdoor adventures; and are all for children ages 4-14. This book gives parents, educators, mentors or anyone who spends time with a child, ways to turn ordinary daily experiences into engaging and memorable experiences that involve fun and learning.

  Puzzlegrams

  This book is a collection of 178 classic puzzles compiled by Pentagram, covering many ability and grade levels, allowing for use over years. The puzzles are visually stimulating and logically challenging. The designer's eye is fascinated by visual wit and conundrum. As in design, intuition as much as intellect solves the problems.

  Quotation Quizzlers: Puzzling Your Way Through Famous Quotations
  

  For ages 9-12, this book will make you feel like you've stepped into the mind of someone famous (and have fun) while using deductive reasoning to solve unique and challenging puzzles. Fifty Quizzlers pit right brain against left brain in a struggle to decipher famous (and not so famous) quotations. In addition to the 50 Quizzlers, this book contains biographies of all the figures quoted. Explore the motivating thoughts of some of the world’s most inspired minds.
  

  Secrets of the Maze

  This book introduces you to the magic of the maze, explains some of its mysteries, and recounts its history. It also offers many mazes to puzzle your way through. To increase the fun, especially in some of the simpler mazes, you are sometimes given additional problems to solve or trophies to collect.

  Sideways Arithmetic from Wayside School

  By Louis Sachar, this book is a collection of 50 hilarious stories, each filled with brainteasers, designed to painlessly teach math skills. The stories are from the Wayside School, where students laugh as much as they learn.

  Spatial Reasoning Puzzles That Make Kids Think!

  Designed to engage even the most reluctant math learner, in this fun and challenging book, students must conquer four types of logical and spatial reasoning puzzles (Slitherlink, Hashiwokakero, Masyu, and Yajilin). The rules for each type of puzzle are very different, but easy to understand. The challenge is for students to apply their critical thinking skills to new situations and develop new strategies for solving each puzzle. Teacher support is provided for solving the puzzles and also for helping students to create puzzles of their own.

  The All-New Book of Lists for Kids

  For ages 9-12, this book is an information sandwich with everything on it with tons of fun facts about your favorite movies, music, books, and sports and games, along with kid survival tips and techniques. Find out how to defend yourself against vampires, what to do if you're afraid of the dark, and how to look great in your school picture. You'll also find hundreds of addresses for kid-friendly Web sites (as well as information on how to visit them safely).

  The Klutz Book of Animation: How to Make Your Own Stop Motion Movies

  This book is a complete how-to treatment of stop-motion magic, from practical instruction to ready-to-shoot scripts. The software you’ll need is available as a free download, ready to use on any computer (PC or Mac). All you need to provide is a video camera, a computer, and a way to connect the two. Attached to the book is a piece of low-tech, non-toxic clay, ready to be molded into a million different heroes starring in your very own fantastic animated films.

  The Moscow Puzzles: 359 Mathematical Recreations

  The classic Russian book by Boris A. Kordemsky is marvelously varied with puzzles ranging from simple "catch" riddles to difficult problems. Grades 9-12

  The World of Origami

  The World of Origami is a comprehensive origami book containing patterns for simple origami such as the cup to more complex patterns such as the mother crane attached to several smaller cranes. It contains classic origami shapes such as animal creatures as well as traditional Japanese shapes such as kimonos. The instructions are easy to understand and follow.

  Unit Origami: Multidimensional Transformations

  Hours of fascinating fun await the origami devotee who follows the author along the path to creating original multidimensional forms that are practically architectural in nature. Ranging from technically simple folds to more demanding ones, the many delightful and varied works in this book are highly stimulating and make wonderful presents for family and friends.

• Printed Materials: Periodicals/Reports & Studies

  Disney Family

  This family magazine is designed to provide ideas that families can do together, including travel, food, crafts, parties, holidays, games, activities, and products.

  Highlights Magazine

  This magazine, put out by Highlights for Children, contains mazes, secret codes, hidden pictures, word searches, dot-to-dots, logic puzzles and "What's Wrong" to name a few.

• Summer Programs: Northwestern Region

  Pandora's Box

  Seven mythological tricksters are released from Pandora's Box. The player sets out to solve many inventive, visually appealing, and increasingly challenging puzzles to recapture the tricksters. Along the way the player encounters brief descriptions of each trickster's story, visits many cities of the world, and solves inventive, delightful visual puzzles based on artworks/artifacts from culture's based in each city. This game, by the creator of Tetris, is wonderful for visual-spatial puzzle lovers as well as emerging culture vultures.

  Stagecast Creator

  Stagecast Creator is an easy-based, simple programming language for kids of all ages. Kids design the game, the characters, the rules, etc. From creating characters and watching them move all the way to making actual games that can take hours of gameplay to complete, kids learn more and more about the software. Originally developed at Apple as a product called Cocoa - spun off to Stagecast about 1999 from Apple.

  Super Solvers Gizmos & Gadgets

  In Super Solvers Gizmos & Gadgets, Morty Maxwell, better known as the Master of Mischief, has taken over the Shady Glen Technolgy Center. Only you can stop the Master of Mischief. Build 15 different vehicles -five automotive, five aircraft, and fiver alternative energy-and use them to race against Morty. To build a faster vehicle, you'll have to collect the parts you need by mastering physical science puzzles and dodging Morty's sneaky Cyber Chimps.

• Websites & Other Media: Apps

  DragonBox

  This application is a math game that allows students to click, drag and drop cards to solve 100 puzzles. It is highly recommended for its training pack to drill and be really an ace in algebra.

  Endless Numbers

  Set the stage for early numeracy learning with Endless Numbers! Kids will adore learning number recognition, sequences, and quantity with the adorable Endless monsters. Each number features interactive sequences and equation puzzles with numbers that come alive, and a short animation that provides context and meaning to each number.

  Fiete Math Learning for Kids

  This math game is designed to make counting easy for kids to understand. Based on the educational approach of Montessori, numbers are touchable objects that your child can group, combine and cut up. In this math app children can discover the links between amounts and numbers and develop their confidence in dealing with them.

  FlashToPass

  This app provides free math flash cards. It allows students to practice adding, subtracting, multiplication and more.

  Jump Numbers

  This is a game of simple addition…or is it? Jump from one number to the next in a sequence, saving Snortles as you go. Squish numbers together to make the next number on your path. Watch out for Stompers. Fun for kids and adults (ages 6 and up).

  Learning Math: Multiplication

  In this app, each times table will be presented individually. For every multiplication the division will be calculated. Students will be guided to work independently. The times table shown makes it easy to control each task independently at any time.

  MathTango

  This app is designed to make learning addition and subtraction truly fun for kids aged 6-9. Kids will learn more and learn faster with a unique, classroom-tested combination of math puzzles (incorporating modern techniques that make math easier and more intuitive) and classic “world-building” activities found in games.

  Mobile Montesorri - Math Apps

  Based off the Montesorri learning materials, these apps are designed to provide a supplement to those already in the school. For those who do not have the opportunity to attend Montessori school, the apps offer a partial introduction and exposure to this time tested method of educating.

  Mystery Math Town (educational app)

  Help a friendly and curious little ghost rescue the fireflies that are hidden in Mystery Math Town. Players use math skills to unlock rooms and passages on their journey. Encounter a quirky cast of entertaining characters along the way as you earn talking portraits for your Gallery. Customizable math options and unlimited user accounts give parents and teachers great flexibility for a range of ages and skills.

  Operation Math

  This app provides a very easy way to learn and practice math. It offers a very easy-to-understand user interface with everything clearly explained and accessible. The app also comes with a very user-friendly in-app support for the learners. Operation Math is unique because it creates an engaging game-like interface with 105 timed missions allowing kids to learn and practice all mathematical actions including addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. Ideally targeted for ages 9-11, it offers a fun-filled way of engaging with numbers and calculations.

  Quick Math

  Quick Math is perfect for students in grades 3 to 6, or for anyone wanting to improve their general math skills. With multiple difficulty levels and a focus on self-improvement, Quick Math provides increasing challenges as your skills develop. Also available is Quick Math Jr., perfect for children aged 3 - 7. Quick Math Jr learns as kids play and adjusts the difficulty of the questions to make sure each individual player is always at a level that is just right for them!

  Reflex Student Math

  This math fluency app offers a research-based system of learning math for students ages 2-8. It offers an adaptive learning environment creating scopes of learning math for students with different ability levels. It is thoroughly intuitive to offer learners problems in line with their skill levels.

  Slice Fractions

  This award-winning, problem-solving game is designed to be an incredibly fun way to learn fractions. Thanks to the game’s research-proven effectiveness, kids get a head start at school while having fun with fundamental math concepts.

  Sushi Monster

  This app offers a playful interface and characters to help kids expand their math skills and knowledge. It offers 12 different levels of play including 7 levels for addition and 5 different levels for multiplication.

  xtraMath

  This free program helps students master addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts.

• Websites & Other Media: Commercial

  7 ATE 9 - Fast and Fun Number Crunch'n

  It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3! Players add, or subtract, 1, 2, or 3 to the number on the top card on the pile to determine if they have a card that can be played next. Sounds simple, but with everyone playing simultaneously, the options are constantly changing.
  

  Apples to Apples

  Apples to Apples is an award-winning party game that will have everyone laughing. Apples to Apples has won numerous awards including "Party Game of the Year" by Games magazine and "Mensa Select" by Mensa International. And for good reason: it involves quick thinking, humor, and strategy. The name of the game is a play on the phrase "apples to oranges," and the game is about making comparisons between different things.

  Bananagrams

  In this game, players race against each other to build crossword grids and use all their letter tiles. There's no turn-taking to be found here—it all happens at once and it’s a race to the finish.

  Bloco Toys - Dragons and Reptiles

  Make a snake, dragon, alligator and other reptiles with this new foam building set. You can even let your imagination run wild and create your own creatures. Bloco is a one of a kind construction toy that uses high-density foam designed in unique shapes with specialized plastic connectors. Pieces link together and rotate at any angle. You can build easy flat models like snakes or stack the pieces to create fantastic 3D creatures.

  Brain-Builders.com

  Brain Builders is a website that provides educational games, toys, and puzzles designed to make students think.

  Butterfly Pavilion

  Watch as caterpillars demonstrate the miracle of metamorphosis. Butterfly Pavilion Kit comes with a certificate for 10 painted lady caterpillars, a 2' hanging butterfly pavilion, feeding eyedropper, and helpful guide.

  Capsela Construction Kits

  This is a construction toy set that is often used by gifted students.

  Chaos World of Motion

  This building set focuses on a 3-D rolling ball machine. You can purchase the Chaos Tower, and build a 6-ft tall maze for a ball to climb down. Accessory kits offer extra ball traps, joint connectors, trampolines, and loop-de-loops to enhance your maze. Additionally, the building set includes CD-ROM and videos with a 3rd- through 12th-grade physics curriculum.

  ColorKu

  Start with clues from one of the 104 puzzle cards, and then try to place a single ball of each color in every row, in every column, and in every 3 x 3 box. The ColorKu Game board and colored balls are made from high-quality solid wood; 13.5" square.

  Doc McStuffins - Toy Doll

  Doc McStuffins is a toy doll based on a Disney character promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through her activities and fun adventures.

  Dream Green

  Dream Green is the maker of a number of original award winning games and puzzles, many of which are educational. There are also quite a few chess games. Two of their games are listed as recommended by the National Association for Gifted Children.

  Encore Software

  Encore Software, Inc. is a leading publisher of educational and entertainment software, offering a broad range of CD-ROM and video game titles under such well-known brand names as Sesame Street, National Geographic, Kaplan, Golden Books and Advantage.

  Folkmanis Puppets

  Folkmanis® has been making innovative and engaging specialty puppets since 1976, delighting imaginations and winning industry, child development, and kid-tested awards repeatedly. The company believes imagination is the key to a healthy childhood, encouraging play and discovery to develop the skills necessary in life.

  Fractiles

  This game allows students to make butterflies, flowers, spheres, and an infinite number of other patterned designs can actually lead to improved ability and success in art, mathematics, concentration, and more!

  Games for Thinkers

  Offers a wide range of games that focus on reasoning skills of logic, mathematics, science and the English language. Some of the titles include Equations, Linguishtik, On-Words, and Propaganda.

  Gifts for Learning

  Gifts for Learning is a place where anyone who has, or suspects they have, a gifted child can find books and toys that gifted children are sure to love. Visitors can also find information about gifted kids and some tips for making the most of toys and books.

  High Tail It Game

  High Tail It is a game where players line up their teams of Kangaroos behind the river and get ready to race. Using other 'Roos as pivots, players can hop Kangaroos all the way around the board. The first player to get all five of their Kangaroos around the board and back across the river wins.

  IQ Steps Game

  The object of the IQ Steps game is to fit all puzzle pieces onto the grid, one by one. With only eight puzzle pieces this sounds simple, right? Watch your step!
  

  Kids Freeware

  This site has downloadable programs that let you create computer games and learn programming languages. It also has programs with games, puzzles, chemistry, languages, writing, math and physics.

  Klutz Lego Crazy Action Contraptions

  This is a brand-new book of brand-new, high-performance projects. From the supercharged Speedster to the Squeezeclaw Grabber to the Wall Rocket Racer — all these contraptions spin, stretch, speed, or otherwise spring into action. And all of them are totally buildable thanks to super-clear instructions and step-by-step diagrams.

  Last Letter Game

  The simple Last Letter game inspires creativity, laughter and quick thinking. Race to come up with and blurt out a word from one of the picture cards in each player's hand, then think fast and remember the next word must begin with the last letter of the word previously called. The player who gets rid of their cards first wins. Unique illustrations spark imagination and allow for endless opportunities for new words.

  Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0

  The 'NXT' generation of buildable, programmable robots offers new robot models, even more customizable programming, and all-new technology including a color sensor. Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 combines the unlimited versatility of the LEGO building system with an intelligent microcomputer brick and intuitive drag-and-drop programming software.

  Lego Shop

  Welcome to the world's largest Lego shop. Shop online for Lego products for all ages or request a catalog. Shopping categories include Baby & Toddler, Preschool, Stories & Themes, Action & Competition, Building Sets, and Exclusives & Accessories.

  Lego Stop Animation Video Camera

  The LEGO Stop Animation Video Camera is a great way to capture regular video and make Stop Animation videos. Use the included LEGO Stop Animation Studio software to edit the videos you capture or hook your camera up and use the included tripod and two LEGO mini figures to create Stop Animation videos.

  Loot Crate

  Loot Crate is a monthly subscription that delivers crates to those that live and embrace the geek and gaming lifestyle. Loot Crate is a product discovery box, connecting subscribers, known as Looters, with the best new and emerging companies producing gear, snacks, toys, hardware, art, and other goodies for the geek and gaming market. Each month, Loot Crate handpicks six to eight new items to include in the box, which are kept secret until the boxes are delivered.

  L-Sixteen Game

  L-Sixteen is a game from the same company as the Fill-Agree set, but has 16 L-shaped tetromino tiles, each unique in having zero through four holes. Create many shapes and color designs, put four holes in every row, or connect the holes into continuous paths and patterns. For 1 or 2 players, ages 6 to adult.

  Mensa Boardgames Pack

  This collection of board games was selected to sharpen your wits on and a host of word puzzles and conundrums in the accompanying 64-page book that guarantees hours of fun for the whole family.

  Mike's Lego CAD

  Mike's Lego CAD allows you to make, edit, and save your own computer Lego creations. Print and share the instructions for models you made, and you can use as many pieces as you want to create complex lego creations.

  Mindware Online Catalogue

  This website is the online version of the Mindware Catalogue. This catalogue contains resources designed to stimulate thinking across the curriculum.

  Nancy Drew Video Games

  This website offers video games based on the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mystery series. Follow the clues to solve the mystery!

  Origamido Studio Classes

  Michael LaFosse has been creating origami fine art from his handmade papers since 1974. With Richard Alexander, he founded the Origamido Studio, located for 12 years in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Both biologists, they specialize in natural history art and have collaborated with other origami designers and fine artists to produce or contribute to major exhibits of origami fine art around the world.

  Perplexus Epic

  With this maze/puzzle, navigate the steel ball along the tracks, through 125 barriers of varying difficulty as you try to defy gravity. With gnarly new twists, turns and barriers, Perplexus Epic provides hours of challenging, three dimensional fun. 8 1/2" in diameter.

  Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker

  Kids learn about heat transfer and freezing points as they make frozen treats. The One-Pint Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker has two compartments: one for ice and rock salt, the other for ice cream ingredients.

  Power Tech Chemistry 120

  Perform 120 activities with fun science and kitchen chemistry. Make giant soap bubbles and 3D soap bubble sculptures. Make monster dough, grow crystals, and create secret writing. Prepare fun, shaped soap, a volcano and a propelled motorboat. Observe the way plants react to chemicals and light. Included is a full-colored, simple-to-read instruction manual. Perfect for that budding chemist ages 8 and up.

  Professor Noggin's History of the United States Card Game

  This game covers the History of the United States and includes 30 sturdy cards with trivia, true/false and multiple-choice questions that include straight-from-curriculum facts to build confidence and retention, plus add great details that you might not find in your textbooks. Example Professor Noggin's topic cards include Famous Discoveries, Literature and Entertainment, Early Conflicts, Historical Terms, Presidents and many more.

  Quadrillion Game

  The Quadrillion game allows players to start a new challenge in a snap, with no direction required. Just place the four magnetic grids together and start playing. Players can try to fit the 12 puzzle pieces on the game board they created. Quadrillion is the ultimate solitaire game for ages 7 to adult, with big, sturdy puzzle pieces that are easy and fun to handle.

  Quest for Camelot Dragon Games

  In this program you can play lots of games and write VERY short stories. There are seven activities from storytelling to video clips and sing alongs, games and more.

  Quia

  This site provides thousands of interactive online quizzes, games, and activities in numerous subjects. Its technology allows students to evaluate their skills, track their performance and learn at a rapid pace. Engaging learning activities and robust self-assessment tools combine to provide students with a comprehensive framework for computer-based learning.

  Qwirkle

  This game is as simple as matching colors and shapes, but also requires tactical maneuvers and well-planned strategy. Earn points by building rows and columns of blocks that share a common shape or color. Look for opportunities to score big by placing a tile that touches multiple pieces with matching attributes.

  Rainbow in My Room

  Glowing rainbow hues are distinct and create an amazing rainbow on any wall! Brilliant colors make any room a cheerful, calming place. Fascinating and fun, Rainbow in My Room is ideal light display for any desk or nightstand, a brilliant rainbow is projected across your walls and ceiling. This unique LED rainbow toy is a sure way to make any room a happier place.

  Rokenbok

  This building system features interactive, radio control vehicles in an action-filled world that allows people to build a small construction site and operate machinery.

  Runkle Publishers - Geography Textbooks

  This site is home to Runkle Publishing, whose programs use a mapping method that is very structured and uses all four methods of learning. Students will read, speak, listen and manipulate on a daily basis.

  Say What You Meme Game

  Say What You Meme™ is an entertaining game where players create their own memes and choose which are the funniest. Just like the popular Internet memes (pictures with hysterical sayings) that are found on social media sites, players can now join this pop culture phenomenon. In the game, players get the chance to try their hands at this 21st century art form, by combining outrageous images and witty captions.

  Scrabble Computer Game

  Computer based Scrabble game that allows one to play and learn scrabble strategy. It has all of the advantages of the regular Scrabble game but allows one to play alone.

  Snap Circuits Jr.

  Prepare to engineer 101 exciting, useful electronic gadgets & play lively electronic games with Snap Circuits Jr. The colorful and easy-to-follow format of the instruction manual makes circuit assembly stress-free and fun. All projects are simple to build and understand. Perfect for the novice engineer.

  Solitaire Chess

  You don't have to know chess to be a master of this addictive logic game! The rules in Solitaire Chess are simple - first set up the chess pieces on the board according to one of the 60 challenge cards, then proceed to capture and eliminate all but one piece using only moves allowed in traditional chess. You must capture a piece with every move, so this ThinkFun logic puzzle game is fast-paced and always exciting!

  Speed Bump Game

  The Speed Bump game is two fast-paced racing games in one. Players follow shape and position clues as the road map to success while developing visual-spatial reasoning, fast thinking and interacting with others. Fun for a wide range of ages, as well as group or solitaire play.

  Star Theater Pro Home Planetarium

  Enjoy the starry nights from the comfort of home with this home planetarium.

  Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

  Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. is today one of the world's leading publishers of nonfiction titles with over 4,500 books in print. Among its best-selling titles are Biggest Riddle Book in the World, The Illustrated Dream Dictionary, and Windows on the World Complete Wine Course. Subject categories in which the company excels include puzzles and games, crafts, gardening, woodworking, and health. Find books on any topic! Two areas of interest include juvenile fiction and non-fiction.

  Steve Spangler Science

  Steve Spangler is a cross between a scientific gadgeteer, a teacher, and an enthusiastic five year old who has a passion for learning. This is Steve Spangler's online store where you can buy his exciting science kits and supplies to recreate his own unique science activities. It is guaranteed to get ooohs & ahhhs!

  SunArt Paper Kit

  Just add sunshine and water and see what develops! Use natural or man-made objects to make beautiful and unique prints. Use your SunArt Paper Kit outdoors on a sunny or an overcast day or even in a sunny window. All kits come with 15 sheets of SunArt Paper. Cyanotypes are photographs sometimes known as blueprints, sunprints or sunlight prints. a photogram is a photographic image made without the use of a camera by placing objects on light-sensitized paper.

  The Chaos Tower

  This construction kit lets you build virtually any structure your can think of, and then watch as the laws of motion are demonstrated when you launch the balls into your cleverly constructed mad maze.

  Visible V8 Engine

  This kit is ideal for budding mechanics and modelers. Students build an engine that's 1/4 actual size. When they turn the crank, the parts move-perfectly timed like a real V-8. The crankshaft rotates, valves open and close, rods and pistons move up and down-all seen through the transparent engine block.

  WFF 'N Proof Learning Games Associates/Accelerated Learning Foundation

  The instructional products of WFF 'N PROOF Publishers are wide-ranging games and puzzles designed to provide users an opportunity to (1) engage in complex problem solving and (2) learn to become better at it. The WFF 'N PROOF games focus on the fundamental reasoning skills of logic, mathematics, experimental science, computer programming, and dealing with the logical structure of English text. WFF 'N PROOF Learning Games Associates merged all its games and resources into a non-profit entity called the Accelerated Learning Foundation.
  

  Zillions of Games

  This website offers users access to a free demo and paid full-feature program that runs hundreds of games both on and offline. The games tend to be strategy-based with lots of variations on chess and checkers. The demo version allows access to about 50 games and disables online playing.

• Websites & Other Media: For Fun

  24 Game

  This is a mathematical card game for grades 1-9 and consists problem-solving math-card games that can be played solo, by two people, or in teams. Each box of cards includes three levels of difficulty.

  ABCYa!

  This website provides numerous educational games for kids.

  Age of Empires - Video Game

  Age of Empires is an epic real-time strategy game spanning 10,000 years, in which players are the guiding spirit in the evolution of small stone age tribes. Starting with minimal resources, players are challenged to build their tribes into great civilizations.

  Age of Mythology - Video Game

  Age of Mythology is a video game that transports players to a time when heroes did battle with monsters of legend and the gods intervened in the affairs of mortal men.

  ALFunStuff.com

  This website allows students to choose between thousands of free printable logic puzzles with grids and educational games such as crosswords puzzles, wordsearches, codeword puzzles, sudokus and more. Most of the free typing games are available in eight different languages.

  American Museum of Natural History - OLogy

  On this website you can explore your favorite fastination - from well-known topics such as geology and astronomy to little-known topics, like herpetology and arachnology. There are quizs, expert "ologist" Q&A's, interactive informational resources and more. There is also a "Hall of Fame" section containing some of the best posts kids have made on the site.

  America's Spirit - Board Game

  This game is a race to get the most states by answering trivia questions. Categories include Symbols of Freedom, The Best and The Brightest, Birth of a Nation, America the Beautiful, and States of the Union.

  Art Lotto

  Aquaint a young child with some of the world's great art. Images from the National Gallery of Art are offered as a game that teaches while you play. Each of the 45 full-color playing cards is identified by title of work, artist’s name and life span.
  

  Ball of Whacks

  Magnetic pyramid shaped pieces that act as building blocks with a fun activity guidebook. This ball of magnetic pieces is proven to jump start creativity and imagination. Based on the rhombic triacontahedron, these puzzles consist magnetic pyramid shaped pieces that act as building blocks for an unlimited number of uses. Create inspiring shapes, challenge yourself to recreate patterns shown in the activity book, have fun forming new designs, and more. Recommended ages are 8 and older.

  Bethump'd with Words - Discovery Edition

  Bethump'd with Words® tests strategic skills and knowledge of everyday words, including many from the lingo of today's youth.

  Block by Block Puzzle Adventures in Three Dimensions

  Block by Block helps develop spatial thinking. With practice, puzzlers of all ages can learn to mentally move and rotate pieces. Simply combine the seven pieces to match the puzzle shapes shown on 60 puzzle cards.

  Block N Roll

  This is an award winning educational toy (Parents' Guide for Children's Media, Dr. Toy Best Vacation Children's Products Award, and the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award) construction block system that's fun and educational for kids.

  Brain Quest

  Brain Quest is the fast-paced, curriculum-based educational game that challenges kids on what they need to know and when they need to know it.

  BrainBashers

  BrainBashers is "an exciting collection of brain teasers, puzzles, riddles, games and optical illusions. With thousands of brain teasers and puzzles, more than one hundred awards and millions of visitors per year, BrainBashers is the world's most popular puzzle web site and is updated with optical illusions and games regularly and has 5 new puzzles added each week."

  Brickshelf

  This is an unofficial, fan-created site for sharing LEGO® instruction scans with other enthusiasts. It provides instructions for out of print LEGO® sets and scans of all previous catalogs. It also has an extensive library of photos of projects, parts, etc.

  Chateau Meddybemps

  This website is different from the normal resource for children seeking to increase their learning skills, particularly in language arts. You'll find good, creative stories and activities along with a number of fun learning games. Children can benefit educationally while they enjoy themselves. Also, Chateau Meddybemps demonstrates how to best use the website in order to help children use language, listen, write, read, develop social skills, think and develop an understanding of math concepts.

  ChessKid.com

  This website is designed to teach chess and allow students to play against others from around the world.

  CIA's Homepage for Kids

  This site is the kids' places to go for information and games related to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It includes history and book lists, as well as sections for exploration such as CIA Canine Corps and Aerial Photography Pigeons.

  City Square Off

  Go head-to-head against your opponent in this tactical game of city planning. Draw a shape card and then simultaneously try to fit the matching tile into your city grids. Plot wisely as you must always have space to play your next piece. Build your city without going over the limits and consider yourself the master planner.

  ClueFinders: 4th Grade Adventures

  Embark on a thrilling adventure in Egypt! The ClueFinders, led by an eccentric but lovable professor, are on an archaeological dig in Egypt. There they uncover a wicked archaeologist's evil plot to unleash chaos upon the world.

  Cool Kid Facts

  The Cool Kid Facts website has information about a range of topics for students to read, enjoy and share. Topics range from the human body to the solar system.

  Cranium

  This board game is designed for teams with questions, puzzles and other problems that require quick creative thinking. It is a combination of Trivia Pursuit, Pictionary, charades, singing, laughing, Scrabble, etc.

  Crazy Machines 1.5 - More Gizmos, Gadgets & Whatchamacallits

  This game provides explosive action and fun with this brain-teasing puzzle game. It features zany "Rube Goldberg" devices using 100 awesome and wacky parts.

  Crusader Kings Game

  Crusader Kings II explores one of the defining periods in world history in an experience crafted by the masters of Grand Strategy. Medieval Europe is brought to life in this epic title rife with rich strategic and tactical depth.

  Curious Math

  This website is full of fun and interesting math facts, tricks and trivia.

  Cyberkids

  This site provides a voice for young people on the Internet. They publish original creative work by kids ages 7 - 12 in art, writing, games/puzzles and multimedia.

  Daily SuDoku

  This website offers math puzzles for kids that challenge them to complete the puzzle by finishing the number sequence. The puzzles are updated daily, and students may also browse the archives to find puzzles that ranges from easy to very hard.

  Drawn to Life - Video Game

  In the Drawn to Life video game the player creates a hero character that works to free a cursed village. It features various levels, as well as vehicles, weapons and platforms - all drawn or colored by the player using the stylus.

  Everett Kaser Software

  This website specializes in logic and puzzle games intended to stretch your mind, not the storage capacity or the speed of your computer. If you like games that you can play, not just for weeks, but for years and years, and which require gray matter, not buckets of adrenaline and testosterone, you've found the right place.

  Funbrain.com

  This site offers educational games for ages 6-17. The easy-to-use search allows you to search for games by age, subject, title and keyword. It also features a section for parents and teachers.

  Game Maker Yo Yo Games

  This computer program allows users to make exciting computer games without the need to write a single line of code. Using easy to learn drag-and-drop actions you can make professional-looking games in little time. Games with backgrounds, animated graphics, music and sound effects. And once you get more experienced there is a built-in programming language that gives you full flexibility.

  Game of Risk by Hasbro

  The classic game of global domination. A favorite for over 40 years!

  Genius Games

  Genius Games creates educational games focused on making learning fun. Their two card games are listed as: Peptide: A Protein Building Game (Biology in a Game Box!); and Linkage: A DNA Card Game. They are requesting submissions for new games ideas, especially in the areas of physics and astronomy.

  GoGetter

  This puzzle game has players to rearrange the nine tiles to solve the puzzle.

  Happy Note

  This computer game teaches users to read music and learn music theory and solfege as if they were a game. Actually, with Happy Note!, music theory IS a game, or a series of computer games. Designed by licensed music teachers, these games are true computer games with all the bells and whistles (score, lives, Hi-Score, etc.) They both entertain and educate, and make boring music theory lessons a thing of the past.

  Hoagies' Kids and Teens Page

  This is a resource center for profoundly gifted kids, with links to sites on topics from genetics to space, from Shakespeare to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and lots more. Also included are a list of movies that feature gifted children in a positive light, and software that has a shelf-life for gifted children of longer than a few days.

  I Can Be an Animal Doctor!

  The Learning Adventure Series produced this veterinarian CD. It lets you click across the world map, and once you're there, wait for sick animals to come out. You have to choose the right treatment for the animal.

  Instructures

  This is a party game where two teams race against each other to be the first to build a structure with the blocks provided, but only their “Foremen” get to see the blueprint. Good verbal communication is the key to winning! The game is full of interesting challenges to keep it fresh every time such as: silent foreman, memory challenge, blind foreman and a timed challenge.

  JumpStart Spymasters: Unmask the Prankster

  The object of this game is to earn spy gear by solving problems and ultimately defeat an army of robots.

  Kids Know It Network

  Kids Know It Network's mission is to provide quality educational activities, products, movies, music, games, articles, textbooks, learning programs, lesson plans, worksheets and distribute them free of charge.

  Kids.gov

  Brought to you by USA.gov, Kids.gov is the official kids' portal for the U.S. government. This site links kids, parents and teachers to U.S. government information and services on the web from government agencies, schools, and educational organizations, all geared to the learning level and interest of kids. Kids.gov is organized into three audiences: Grades K-5, Grades 6-8, and Educators. Each audience tab is divided into educational subjects like Arts, Math, and History. Within each subject, the websites are grouped as either government sites (Federal, state, military) or other resources (commercial, non-profit, educational). The sites listed under the other resources category are maintained by other public and private organizations. When users click on these links, they are leaving Kids.gov and are subject to the privacy and security policies of the owners/sponsors of the outside websites.

  LDraw.org

  This site is devoted to Lego 3D Cad and has links to programs that allow you to make, edit, and render 3D Lego models. LDraw.org also has links to the latest 3D Lego parts, and a reference section containing many articles on Lego 3D CAD.

  MaMaMedia

  This site lets kids discover by doing and create while clicking. Engaging activities help them gain technological fluency and expand their minds through playful learning: design and animate characters, make digital cards, invent games and more.

  Math Playground

  Play with Numbers and give your brain a workout.

  MathsNet.com

  This website provides math puzzles and other animated games to challenge gifted students. From acronyms to chess, this interactive website has over 80 different puzzles for students to choose from.

  Mensa for Kids: 75 Word Puzzles

  This book includes 75 word games and puzzles and is targeted at highly intelligent children.

  Mini Dino Excavation Kits - Dig It Up

  Bring home the excitement of a Dino Dig. Use a hammer, chisel, pick, brush and sponge to carefully chip away and remove excess plaster “earth,” gradually revealing a mini dinosaur skeleton model. Museum-quality kit provides an experience similar to that of real paleontologists searching for fossils on an excavation site!

  My First Amazing World Explorer

  My First Amazing World Explorer is a fascinating introduction to maps, atlases, and our world. All the traditional features of a children's atlas are brought to life, while the magic of multimedia adds interactive adventures and learning activities.

  Neopets

  This site allows users to play games with virtual pets.

  NewzBrain Weekly

  NewzBrain Weekly is an interactive game board classroom enrichment assessment of current events, world, national and cultural. NewzBrain administers the National Weekly Online Quiz Bowl for High Ability Learners, which quizzes and teaches students in grades 3-12 students on core curriculum. The 10-minute weekly event allows students to play nationally and never leave the school site.

  Nick's Mathematical Puzzles

  This site has more than 100 academic puzzles collected by computer software engineer Nick Hobson, who received a math degree from a British university and has an interest in mathematics and education. The puzzles cover many disciplines, including: geometry, probability, number theory, algebra, calculus, trigonometry and logic.

  NRICH - University of Cambridge

  The NRICH Project started in 1996* and is based in the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education. NRICH is part of the Millennium Mathematics Project, which was set up in 1999 and is based in the Centre for Mathematical Sciences at the University. The NRICH project (the largest of the programmes within the MMP) is led by Jennifer Piggott, a Lecturer within the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge. The NRICH Project encompasses the main NRICH website (www.nrich.maths.org), publishing free mathematics enrichment resources for pupils of all ages, online resources including discussion forums and mathematics thesaurus, associated face-to-face outreach activity running pupil workshops, extra-curricular masterclasses throughout the UK and primary mathematics lectures at the Royal Institution, London development and provision of Continuing Professional Development courses for teachers a related research programme.
  

  Official Harry Potter Website

  This site is dedicated to the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. Features games, videos, book reviews and message boards. Discussion guides are available for parents and teachers.

  Origami for Kids!

  Provides step by step instruction on how to create frogs, cicadas, cranes, swans, Samurai helmets, soldiers hats, etc.

  PBS kids

  This is an interesting, fun and educational site for kids. It has games and fun facts about different topics and includes "ZOOM," a section written for kids by kids.

  Pharoah - City Building game

  This is an open-ended city-building game that blends Egyptian history, architecture and culture. As you progress, your city will blossom and grow! Early levels will start you with simple mining. As you progress, your games will include pyramid building.

  Pictionary

  This game requires teams to identify a secret word based upon a drawing. Fast-paced and great for large groups and parties.

  Play-Mensa

  This website is Mensa's online source for games, puzzles and the like. There is a great amount of variety and challenges.

  Puzzles.com

  This website is about tricky and clever puzzles, Baffling and perplexing illusions, unbelievable and incredible tricks, fascinating and cognitive toys, and other puzzle related things. Our site has seven main sectors - Gift Shop, PuzzlePLAYGROUND, Puzzle Links, Puzzles in Education, Puzzle Help, PuzzleCLUB and Projects - seven different, and at the same time interweaved directions.

  Quiz Hub

  The Quiz Hub is a growing collection of hundreds of fun, high-quality online interactive learning quizzes that help students in grades K-12 and adult learners enhance their core knowledge of English language arts, foreign languages (French, German, Italian, Spanish), math, science, and social studies. A subscription fee is required.
  

  Railroad Tycoon II

  'The Iron Seed' lets you build the first railroad in the U.S.--the Baltimore and Ohio. 'Excess on the Orient Express' challenges you to negotiate obstacles, both geographic and political, to connect Paris to Istanbul. 'Cape to Cairo' lets you build through the steamy jungles of Africa and attempt what no one has accomplished in 200 years--a trans-African railroad.

  Return of the Incredible Machine: Contraptions

  Return of The Incredible Machine allows players to use unique, sometimes humorous mechanical components to construct fantastic machines that accomplish unusual tasks. Each puzzle contains a partially built machine and the extra pieces needed to complete it and accomplish the goal. The player's job is to use the pieces in the correct way to complete the machine. As players become more familiar with the various machine parts and their functions, the puzzles become more sophisticated and challenging. This third installment of the Incredible Machine series from Sierra features improved graphics and new puzzles to challenge virtual engineers of all ages.

  RoomRecess.com

  RoomRecess.com is dedicated to providing children with free educational games, which reinforce important skills that are vital to elementary students and their learning process. RoomRecess.com was developed entirely by an elementary school teacher with the goal of reinforcing fundamental learning concepts in math, reading, spelling, language arts, and basic problem solving.

  Rubik's Cube

  This website for Rubik's Cube contains free online games and information on the infamous Rubik's Cube. There are more than 50 Rubik's products in addition to the classic puzzle cube. The Rubik's site contains puzzle-solving information and online play.
  

  Scott Kim - Puzzlemaster

  This site features visual puzzles, online and computer games, magazines and toys. The puzzles are visually stimulating, thought provoking, broadly appealing and highly original.

  Scrabble

  This board game is is the original word-game classic that stresses spelling and reading to build a crossword-like structure while accumulating points.

  SET Enterprises

  This game publisher produces a number of games that require thought and stimulate the mind. The company offers both SET, a visual pattern identification game, and Quiddler, a letter/word card game that can be played by nearly all ages.

  Sheep - Herding Game

  A puzzle/strategy game where you are a sheep herder guiding different types of sheep through different worlds. The object is to get the sheep safely through the last level, Mt. Loom.

  Sid Meier's Civilization Game

  This is a game where you use reasoning and logic to build a thriving empire. You deal with conflict between countries, unhappiness, and other things. But get it right and you might have the best empire of all!

  Sid Meier's Colonization

  Colonization is a computer game that simulates the challenges that the colonists faced in North America. The game begins with the discovery of the New World by the Europeans and continues until the approximate time of the American Revolution. The user can assume the role of one of four European powers (Spanish, English, French or Dutch) that each have unique attributes that give the player specific advantages and disadvantages when playing the game. The object of the game is to create and expand colonies while managing various resources and competing with the other European powers and Native Americans in order to declare independence from the mother country.

  Smart Mouth

  This word game gives players two letters, then they have to come up with a five-letter word that begins with the first letter and ends with the second letter. Individuals or teams can play.

  Spore Video Game

  With this video game, the player creates and guides a creature through five stages of evolution - the cell phase, creature phase, tribal phase, civilization phase and space phase.

  Stargo game

  Based on the classic Bingo game, Stargo players compete to fill in star constellations - whoever completes their constellation cards first wins. The game set includes glowing game cards, 48 colored “call” stars, 120 yellow “marker” stars, a storage pouch, compass, instructions and constellation facts.

  Sum Swamp - Board Game

  This game teaches addition and subtraction skills while players take a journey through the Sum Swamp by adding and subtracting dice numbers.

  The Ultimate Puzzle Site

  The Ultimate Puzzle Site is a website full of puzzles and riddles.

  The Worlds of T.A. Barron

  This website is by fantasy author T.A. Barron and contains information about the author and his books, as well as some games based on his books.

  The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Game

  This board game, based on the best-selling books, has a lot of trivia questions about dangerous situations that require advanced reading.

  Topple Magazine

  Topple is an indie puzzle magazine that you download and print out. The site publishes unique and lesser-known puzzles, designed as a perfect complement to mainstream puzzle sources.

  TurtleDiary.com

  This website contains numerous educational games and activities for students. Introduce kids to new, exciting ways of learning with the help of games, videos, experiments, puzzles, coloring sheets, and more! Turtle Diary activities pair with the appropriate grade level to enhance retention of material and increase success in the classroom.

  United States Patent and Trademark Office Kids Pages

  This page of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is designed for kids. It contains games, puzzles, information on contests, and links to other websites kids may find interesting. It also answers common questions about patents, trademarks, and copyrights.

  University Games

  The University Games offers games that encourage social interaction and imagination through gameplay, with education being the key. University Games also sponsors an annual National Young Game Inventors contest with a $10,000 savings bond grand prize.

  Ursuppe

  Ursuppe is a game that allows kids to learn about evolution through the genetic mutations of amoebas. Through gene cards players are able to change the rules that the amoebas follow for survival. Honing their strategy skills children are engaged in a entertaining educational pursuit.

  Zometool

  Zome is a unique 31-zone system that takes ball-and-stick construction to its highest level. It models spatial structures representing hyperspaces of up to 31 dimensions, geodesic space-frame structures and molecular models, including quasicrystals and Fullerenes.

  Zone.com

  This site offers a great variety of free games.

  Zoombini's Logical Journey

  This educational game takes users to a remarkable new world and treats their brains to an outlandishly fun and challenging adventure. Diabolical Bloats have seized Zoombini Isle, and it will take a clever mind to help the Zoombinis navigate their way to safety. Standing between you and your destination are twelve perilous puzzles, with four levels of difficulty each. But beware, this is no ordinary challenge. Zoombinis’ captivating gameplay features math without numbers. Zoombinis puzzles use the process of mathematical thinking.

• Websites & Other Media: Informational

  Aplusmath.com

  This website was developed to help students interactively improve their math skills. Visit the game room and play exciting games like Matho and Hidden Picture...Test your math skills with our Flashcards! Try out the Math Word Find puzzle.
  

  Black Chamber

  For centuries, nations around the world have operated Black Chambers, secret rooms where they attempted to decode the messages being sent by their rivals. This is Simon Singh's virtual Black Chamber, where you can learn about codes and codebreaking, encrypt your own messages, crack those of your enemies, and play with interactive enciphering programmes.

  Classics for Kids

  Classics for kids is an online resource that can help kids learn about classical music while having fun. This website offers lesson plans, games, activities, and more.

  Cut the Knot

  This site promotes students getting excited about and involved in math through puzzles of logic. Topics covered include: Algebra, Geometry, Probability, Calculus, Social Sciences and more. CTK was one of the winners of the MERLOT Classics 2004 award and a 2003 selection of the Scientific American.

  Discover Engineering

  Discover Engineering is a website that seeks to inform about what engineering is and what engineers do. If you surf your way through this site, you'll know way more about engineers and engineering than most adults. You might even decide that you want to become an engineer. A really broad but short definition of engineering is: "Engineering is the application of math and science to create something of value from our natural resources."

  Discovery Kids

  This a fun, interactive site for kids by the Discovery Channel. It has links to their tv shows and interactive games and show clips from the tv shows. It also has a Discovery Channel store that sells educational games and materials.

  Edheads.org

  Edheads.org helps students learn through educational games and activities designed to meet state and national standards. They partner with various school systems in the United States, which help them research, design and test their activities every step of the way!
  

  Education Place

  This website is produced by Houghton Mifflin School Division, which publishes a variety of educational materials, including textbooks, resource materials, and technology for K-8 teachers and students. Launched in January 1996, Education Place is the longest running website of any educational publisher. With more than 18,000 pages of engaging content to explore, visitors to award-winning Education Place can delve further into the subjects they most enjoy to find helpful teaching resources, textbook support, educational games, and more.

  Energy Quest

  Energy education website of the California Energy Commission. Uses games, stories and graphics to educate on use, conservation and history of energy and energy sources.

  Fact Monster

  FactMonster has daily features for children including analogy of the day, in the news, spelling bee, word quiz and more. Its main topics include: math, science, people, word wise, U.S., world & news, sports, quizzes and games, and homework center.

  Frost Science

  The Frost Science website is a Science Learning Network resource sponsored by The Miami Museum of Science. This resource contains educational activities relating to different forms of energy, and are being presented by famous gothic horror characters. In order to experience the full capabilities of this site, please make sure that you have javascript turned on in your browser.

  Game Theory

  This site offers information for anyone interested in game theory, specifically the application of game theory to a range of disciplines, including economics, business, political science, computer science, etc. Several things are provided specifically for educators, a list of relevant textbooks, lecture notes used by other educators and links to forms of entertainment with game theoretic themes.

  Houghton Mifflin Education Place

  This website provides students, teachers and parents with a number of useful social studies, math, science and language arts activities and resources. Education Place has something for everyone: teachers and parents can access information on state resources, textbook support, and receive newsletters; the kids' section contains many games and fun, educational activities. The site's resources are geared for students in grades K-8 and those who interact with them.

  Instructables

  Whether you’re into woodworking or paper, kitchen hacks or laser cutting (or almost anything else!), at this site you’ll find thousands of step by step guides for making projects.

  Interactive Mathematics Miscellany and Puzzles

  This site offers a variety of games, puzzles, facts, and thoughts regarding math. It also offers math instruction including K-12 math curriculum development.

  Merriam-Webster Word Games and Quizzes

  This website allows visitors to play a classic word game every day or visit our archive to play games you missed during the past two months.

  NASA: The Space Place

  This site targets elementary school students with information about science, technology and learning about space. There are hands-on projects, games & puzzles, interactive demonstrations, and many other activities; it is also for teachers with a "Goodies for Teachers" section with printable pictures and classroom activities.

  National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

  This website offers a variety of links to entertain the science lover in all of us. It has resource links and links to fun games. Everything on this website is related to science.

  Science News for Students

  This website is devoted to science news for children of ages 9 to 14. The goal is to offer timely items of interest to kids, accompanied by suggestions for hands-on activities, books, articles, web resources, and other useful materials.
  

  SCORE Science - Kid's Corner

  This website has a variety of resources that will connect you to other fun websites for biology, chemistry, astronomy and more!

  Shakespeare for Kids: Activities for Children and Families

  This website has everything Shakespeare for kids, including: Shakespeare challenges, scripts for kids, word games, fun facts, coloring and puzzles, information about Queen Elizabeth, and exhibits at the Folger Shakespeare Library. Hosted by the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC.

  World Almanac for Kids Online

  This website features information you would find in the book version of the World Almanac for Kids. Website sections include Explore, Fun & Games, and Insider Information.

• Websites & Other Media: Learning Tools

  4D Cityscape

  4D Cityscape is a patented, multi-layer puzzle that is fun, challenging, and educational. Assemble the first two layers of the puzzle to form a map of the city's streets, islands, roads, railways, parks, and geography. When the base layers are complete, you're ready for a trip through history! Both American and international cities are available.

  Alice

  Alice is an innovative 3D programming environment that makes it easy to create an animation for telling a story, playing an interactive game, or a video to share on the web. Alice is a teaching tool for introductory computing.

  Boomwhackers

  Boomwhackers are brightly colored musical tubes that have won many awards including Best 25 of 25 Years from Parents' Choice. They are a favorite of music educators around the world and are also used by professional musicians, in teambuilding, in music therapy and more!

  Borderline Card Game

  Borderline is a fun game that teaches about U.S., European and Middle Eastern geography. The strategy of the game is to play any card which boarders the previous card played.

  Brilliant.org

  Brilliant.org is a free online mathematics and science problem solving website for bright young students around the world. It offers personalized mathematics and physics problem sets and quizzes, as well as access to international community of more than 2 million students, educators and enthusiasts, including olympiad champions, international science fair medalists, high school teachers, and university professors.

  Creatures Exodus

  This software is a simulation game that involves ecosystem planning and management. It also involves unique gameplay consisting of breeding and raising autonomous, computer-controlled Norns; a complex AI system that mimics real behaviors; and almost limitless education and genetic manipulation possibilities.

  Dinosaur 3D Adventure

  Velociraptor, Stegosaurus, the Mighty T-Rex: creatures your child has been fascinated with since the beginning of time. Join Rolf, the brave dinosaur, and his pteranodon sidekick Pterrance on a fun-filled adventure through the fascinating world of dinosaurs and prehistoric life on Paleo Island, where you can play and learn in three prehistoric periods: Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous.

  Disney's Adventures in Typing with Timon and Pumba

  Typing program that teaches finger placement, home row technique, and editing methods using drills and games. Awards certificates after each skill level has been achieved.

  Grade Builder Algebra

  A fun way to learn basic algebra, both concepts and applications. In a game-show type setting, the user selects questions, completes math problems, gets points, gets additional "lives", and attempts to avoid "death by algebra".

  Greg Tang Math

  This website offers numerous books, games and programs, all designed to help children and adults improve their mathematical abilities.

  Jump Start Spanish

  This CD-Rom is great for young children just starting to learn Spanish. It teaches colors, numbers, body parts, and simple nouns in a fun and exciting format.

  Kapla 200 Blocks Set

  With the KAPLA planks kids as well as adults can build and create all kinds of different architectural constructions, animals, extraordinary creations. The inventor of KAPLA created the planks based on the progressions of the uneven numbers 1:3:5. 3 thickness for one width and five widths for one length, opening the door to creative building. With these identically cut planks the builder can construct with the precision and stability.

  KidsMemory.com - Train Your Brain

  Use the memory tools on this web site to increase the brain's capacity to retain information. By slowly increasing the level of difficulty, both adults and children will find their ability to recall and locate objects increase in the Memory Match game.
  

  KidSpeak 10-in1 Language Learning

  A set of 3 CD's that include 10 Languages: Spanish, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Indonesian, Korean, Hebrew, Chinese, and Portuguese. Each language is taught by characters who use only the language being taught.

  Math Blaster Series

  Master the basics with Math Blaster math worksheets, puzzles, games and children's educational software.

  Math Workshop Deluxe

  This game has math, problem solving, art, and things that are just fun.

  Math.com - World of Math Online

  This online resource provides homework help, practice problems, a tutoring guide, information on calculators, and fun mathematical games and puzzles for students. Levels range from basic math principles and pre-algebra to calculus and advanced topics.

  Mensa For Kids

  This website, a component of American Mensa, provides students both educational resources and fun games and activities.

  Music Ace

  Designed by music-education professionals, Music Ace Deluxe is a comprehensive series of music lessons and games that teach beginning music students of all ages the basics of music theory, rhythm, pitch, note reading, listening, and the keyboard. No previous musical experience or instrument is required.
  

  My Amazing Human Body CD-Rom

  My Amazing Human Body provides an entertaining and informative introduction to the human body, enabling children to explore the body from the inside out through a variety of compelling games and activities.

  Octopus Watch

  Octopus by JOY is the first icon-based watch that empowers kids by teaching good habits and the concept of time. It is designed to foster responsibility, independence and self-esteem.

  Prodigy Game

  Prodigy Game lets students learn math for free. Join more than three million students, teachers and parents using these free math game for grades 1-8.

  Reading Blaster Series

  The first in the Reading Blaster series, Reading Blaster Ages 4-6, helps students master essential prereading skills through alphabet, phonics, and word-knowledge activities. Problem-solving challenges develop basic literacy skills and prepare students with the thinking skills needed for comprehension.

  United States Floor Puzzle

  This mixed media package features a foam rubber puzzle map of the 48 lower United States, one piece per state, which measures 7' x 4' when assembled. Allows children to become physically involved with learning.