Educational Games: A Teacher’s Guide

Updated 14 October 2026 · by the edu.games team

Educational games turn a lesson into something students do. Instead of reading how a cell survives, they keep one alive; instead of memorising site-safety rules, they walk a virtual building site and spot the hazards. This guide covers what educational games are, how to choose a good one, and how to make one work in a real class — then points you to games you can assign today in the edu.games catalog.

What are educational games?

An educational game is a game designed so that playing it builds knowledge or skill. The learning isn’t a quiz bolted onto the end — it is the mechanic. Winning requires understanding the idea the game is about.

Educational games come in a few broad shapes:

• Practice games — fast, repeatable drills for spelling, number facts or vocabulary.
• Simulations — a working model of a system (an economy, a hospital, an ecosystem) that students experiment with.
• Scenario and role-play games — decisions with consequences, used for ethics, safety, health and professional training.
• Puzzle and strategy games — problems that reward reasoning, planning and testing hypotheses.
• Interactive courses — structured modules with game elements, often delivered as SCORM or xAPI packages.

Educational games, serious games and gamification

Serious games are games whose main purpose isn’t entertainment; educational games are the serious games aimed at learning. Gamification is different again: it adds points, badges or leaderboards to an activity that isn’t a game. Game-based learning is the teaching approach of using games to meet learning objectives.

Why teachers use educational games

• Active learning. Students make decisions and see the results, rather than receiving information passively.
• Safe failure. A simulation lets students get it wrong — mismanage a budget, miss a hazard — with no real-world cost, then try again.
• Immediate feedback. The game responds to every choice, so misconceptions surface quickly.
• Engagement. A well-made game holds attention, and students often keep playing beyond the minimum.
• Evidence of learning. Games that report data show what each student actually did, not just a final answer.

The research on game-based learning is broadly positive, with an important caveat: outcomes depend on design and use. Games aligned to clear objectives, and followed by debrief and discussion, do far better than games used as a reward or a time-filler. Our research page collects key publications.

How to choose a good educational game

1. Start from the learning outcome. Can you name what students will be able to do after playing? Good listings state learning outcomes explicitly.
2. Check the learning is in the mechanic. If students could win without understanding the topic, the game is decoration.
3. Match age and level. Look for a stated age range and curriculum or course fit.
4. Mind the session length. A game should fit a lesson, or be playable in chunks across several.
5. Look for teaching notes. Briefing notes, answer keys and debrief questions save hours of preparation.
6. Check access and privacy. Browser games avoid installs on school devices; check what student data is collected and where it goes.
7. Make sure you can see progress. Games that report to your LMS or an xAPI Learning Record Store let you assess, not just assign.

Running an educational game in class

1. Play it yourself first. Know where students will get stuck.
2. Brief the goal, not the solution. Tell students what they are trying to achieve and why it matters.
3. Let them struggle a little. Productive failure is where much of the learning happens.
4. Debrief. Ask what strategies worked, what surprised them, and how the game connects to the real concept. This step turns play into learning.
5. Use the data. Review progress reports to see who finished, who struggled and where — then follow up.

Educational games by subject

The edu.games catalog spans school subjects through to vocational and university fields. Browse by subject:

• STEM games (9)
• Critical Thinking & Problem Solving games (6)
• Maths games (5)
• Numeracy games (5)
• Science games (4)
• Forensic Science games (3)
• Laboratory Skills games (3)
• Research Methods games (3)
• Biology games (2)
• Business games (2)
• Civics & Citizenship games (2)
• Computer Science games (2)
• Data Science & Analytics games (2)
• Design & Technology games (2)
• Earth & Environmental Science games (2)
• Economics games (2)
• Engineering games (2)
• Study Skills games (2)
• Work Health & Safety games (2)
• Accounting games (1)
• Allied Health games (1)
• Aquaculture & Fisheries games (1)
• Art games (1)
• Astronomy & Space Science games (1)

Or browse every educational game in the catalog.

Using educational games with edu.games

edu.games is a marketplace for educational games with a lightweight LMS built in. Teachers find a game, preview it, and assign it to a class; students play in the browser; and every session is recorded as xAPI learning data so progress appears automatically. Schools can connect Moodle, Canvas and other LMSs over LTI 1.3. Game developers and studios publish their learning games to reach educators directly. See the FAQ or the teacher guide to get started.

Frequently asked questions