19 best learning games for tweens (10-13)

Build rockets and learn orbital mechanics by crashing, a lot. Proud moments come with the first stable orbit. ESRB: Everyone. It is the game many engineers say got them started.

Watch for: Skip the unfinished sequel, Kerbal Space Program 2.

Type real Python or JavaScript to guide a hero through dungeons. Feels like a game, teaches like a course. Tweens can also play with friends in its arena modes.

Watch for: Subscription needed after the free levels.

Tweens make platformers, animations and quizzes and share them with millions of other kids. It is free, has thousands of tutorials, and is a strong first step before typed languages like Python.

Watch for: Public community; review privacy basics.

Programming puzzles dressed up as office work. Teaches the core of how computers think. ESRB: Everyone 10+ (Switch). Tweens can solve many levels in short sessions.

Rewrite the rules of each level by pushing words around. Logic, language and lateral thinking. ESRB: Everyone. It is a puzzle game tweens can brag about solving, and the hardest levels stump adults.

Watch for: Very hard later on; let tweens take breaks.

Physics puzzles and a funny story; the co-op mode is a great parent-and-tween game. ESRB: Everyone 10+. It is often cheap on sale, and runs on most laptops.

Lead a people through history, balancing science, culture, trade and diplomacy. ESRB: Everyone 10+. The Civilopedia explains the real history behind leaders, wonders and inventions in the game.

Watch for: A big time sink; agree on stopping points.

Design habitats that meet each species' needs and run a conservation-minded zoo. ESRB: Everyone 10+. Each animal profile shares real facts about habitat, diet and conservation status.

Watch for: Paid DLC packs are sold separately.

Build bridges on a budget and watch them hold or fail. Engineering through trial and error. Tweens can share designs and challenge friends to beat their budget.

A space and gravity simulator. Ask 'what if' about the solar system and watch it play out. It is a great follow-up to a space unit at school.

Free science and math simulations that match middle school lessons, from forces to chemistry. Tweens can change one thing at a time and see what happens, which is how real science works.

Choice-based history games that put tweens in the shoes of young people in American history. Each mission takes an hour or two, and the choices stick with kids long after.

Watch for: Serious themes; worth talking through.

Free games about the Constitution, courts and elections. Often assigned in middle school. Win the White House and Do I Have a Right? are popular picks for tweens who love to argue.

Typing races that tweens get competitive about. Faster typing makes every school assignment easier. Tweens can make a team with school friends and race only each other.

Watch for: Ads, Gold membership, and playing strangers.

Make retro arcade games with blocks or JavaScript, then share a link with friends. Built-in tutorials teach the basics, and finished games can run on low-cost handheld kits.

Free chess puzzles, lessons and games. Many tweens get hooked on the daily puzzle. It is free, ad-free, and kids can play family members by sharing a link.

Watch for: Use Kid mode to turn off chat.

A free graphing calculator tweens use to draw art with equations. Math class suddenly gets creative. Its classroom activities, like Marbleslides, turn graphing into a puzzle game.

Run a silly museum, plan exhibits and balance a budget. Funny, with light business and history lessons. ESRB: Everyone. It is a gentle sim for tweens who like to plan.

A cooperative word game where everyone sees your letter but you. Spelling plus teamwork at the table. It plays two to six people in about 45 minutes.