Friday, December 27, 2013

50+ Free Interactive Games for Elementary


ABCya: The Leader in Education Computer Games for Kids!

~ over 50 games for EACH grade level ~

ABCya.com is My FAVORITE website for elementary learning!  There is not a day that goes by in our classroom where we don't pop on the site for at least five minutes.  The children enjoy the games so much.  

The site is perfect for any elementary grade level.  There is truly so much to offer.  I especially love that the website is free to use and super simple to navigate.  


Launch a Lesson:

We play the games throughout the day.  Sometimes I use a certain game prior to introducing a challenging concept during a lesson.  For example, we may play Fraction Fling (similar to Angry Birds) before we launch our study of fractions.  This way, they have a better understanding of the concept before I even begin teaching about it.  



Extend the Content:

If a lesson goes really well and happens to end earlier than anticipated, I use ABCyaGames to enrich the material.  For example, students love to identify and locate states on the map by playing USA Puzzle Map.  Though we don't study the states in second grade, they enjoy seeing the places they've visited and talking about where their relatives live as we drag the correct states to their location.  





Engage During Teaching:

One of the most natural ways that I use ABCyaGames is by incorporating the various games and activities directly into lessons I teach.  For example, if I'm teaching about synonyms or antonyms, I often have a point during the lesson where a few children will get the opportunity to participate in Synonym and Antonym Word Toss.   They will either come up to the SMART Board or I will pass around the wireless mouse.  



Celebrate Holiday Fun:

Another great part about this site is that there is always something fun for the holiday time.  We love bonding together and working on our collaborative skills as we engage in fun holiday activities.  For example, the kids love playing Make a Snowman.  One of the best features is that they get to print their creation.  I have the kids work in groups and practice their ability to come to a consensus while supporting each group member's ideas.  They really begin to understand how to take turns and give each person a voice in the process.  



Create Through Animation:

You will want to be sure to check out one of ABCya's newest games, Animate!  I have tons of fun creating animations with this feature.  Kids can create brief clips frame by frame.  They get to select a background, pre-made images, or drawing on their own.  You can see my animation below…


It took me about three minutes to finish.  I selected a pre-designed background and added two images: fish and school of fish.  Then, I added text and shapes for the ending.  Students could create brief previews for their published writing or a book they've read.  Creative possibilities are endless!

As a blogger, you could create fun and interesting gif images to promote a post or product!  It is an easy way to capture interest in an entertaining way.  Go ahead and animate something now!  

Select a Grade Bubble below to Start Exploring the Free Games!




Check Out the ABCya Apps, Too!


They have TONS of amazing apps, too!  I first purchased all of the apps for my own two children, Jacob and Riley.  Now, I use all of them in my classroom.  They are the student's favorite apps to use.  I like them because they're effective and easy to use.  You can see more of ABCya's apps on their site.  


Disclosure: ABCyaGames is a sponsor of this site.  The views in this post are my own.  

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