The Classroom Testing Project
September 2023 - May 2024: The largest UK study of board games in educational settings
Participants:
- 45 teachers (primary and secondary)
- 1,340 students (ages 7-14)
- 18 different strategy board games
- 2,890+ classroom gameplay sessions
Evaluation criteria:
| Criterion | Weight | Measured By | |-----------|--------|-------------| | Curriculum alignment | 25% | Teacher assessment + NC mapping | | Student engagement | 20% | Observation protocols, on-task time | | Learning outcomes | 20% | Pre/post testing, skill development | | Classroom management | 15% | Behavior incidents, setup time, noise levels | | Cost-effectiveness | 10% | Price per student per use | | Accessibility | 5% | SEND accommodation, age range | | Reusability | 5% | Long-term engagement (term 2-3 data) |
Total possible score: 100 points
This is most comprehensive classroom game evaluation ever conducted in UK
The Rankings
🥇 #1: Smoothie Wars (91/100)
Curriculum alignment: 24/25
- Directly teaches: percentages, profit calculation, supply-demand, resource allocation, strategic planning
- Maps to: KS2 Maths, KS3 Business Studies, Financial Education
Student engagement: 19/20
- On-task time: 93% average
- Requested replay rate: 87% of students
Learning outcomes: 19/20
- Pre/post testing showed 23% average improvement in business concept understanding
- Transfer to real-world contexts observed in 68% of students
Classroom management: 14/15
- Setup time: 8 minutes
- Behavior incidents: 0.7 per session (vs 3.2 classroom average)
- Noise level: Moderate, productive discussion
Cost-effectiveness: 9/10
- £30/game, class set (6 games): £180
- Cost per student per session: £0.13
- Durability: Excellent (2+ years heavy use)
Accessibility: 5/5
- Ages 8-14 all engage well
- SEND adaptations easy
- Reading level appropriate
Reusability: 5/5
- Teachers report sustained engagement Term 3 (no novelty decline)
Teacher testimonial:
"I've used Smoothie Wars weekly for 18 months. Students still request it. They've progressed from basic play to sophisticated strategic analysis. Covers more curriculum objectives than any other single resource I use." — Year 5 Teacher, Manchester
Best for: Primary maths, business education, strategic thinking development
Disclosure: Smoothie Wars is our product. Ranking based on independent teacher evaluations, but bias acknowledged.
🥈 #2: Prime Climb (86/100)
Curriculum alignment: 22/25
- Mathematical factors, multiples, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
Student engagement: 18/20
- Highly engaging, colorful design
- Competitive element motivates
Learning outcomes: 17/20
- Strong arithmetic skill development
- Number theory understanding improves
Classroom management: 13/15
- Quick setup (5 mins)
- Low behavior issues
- Slightly higher noise
Best for: KS2 maths, number operations
Teacher quote:
"Prime Climb makes times tables relevant. Students calculate factors to win—suddenly multiplication matters."
🥉 #3: Catan Junior (84/100)
Curriculum alignment: 19/25
- Resource management, trading, planning, probability
Student engagement: 18/20
- Pirate theme highly appealing
- Trading creates social interaction
Learning outcomes: 16/20
- Strategic thinking develops well
- Less directly curriculum-aligned than #1-2
Classroom management: 14/15
- Slightly longer setup (12 mins)
- Very few behavior issues
Best for: Strategic thinking, social skills, ages 7-11
#4: Azul (82/100)
Curriculum alignment: 17/25
- Pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, planning
Student engagement: 19/20
- Beautiful tactile tiles
- Satisfying gameplay
Learning outcomes: 16/20
- Visual-spatial skills strong
- Abstract strategy develops
Best for: Pattern recognition, visual-spatial reasoning
#5: Kingdomino (80/100)
Curriculum alignment: 16/25
- Spatial reasoning, multiplication (scoring)
Student engagement: 17/20
- Quick play (15-20 mins)
- Accessible
Learning outcomes: 15/20
- Moderate skill development
Best for: Quick strategic thinking sessions
#6: Splendor (78/100)
Curriculum alignment: 18/25
- Resource conversion, planning, optimization
Student engagement: 14/20
- Abstract theme less appealing to younger students
Learning outcomes: 17/20
- Strong for ages 11+
Best for: Secondary school economics
#7: Ticket to Ride: First Journey (77/100)
Curriculum alignment: 15/25
- Route planning, geography
Student engagement: 17/20
- Map theme engaging
Learning outcomes: 14/20
- Moderate strategic development
Best for: Geography integration
#8: Forbidden Island (75/100)
Curriculum alignment: 14/25
- Cooperative problem-solving
Student engagement: 18/20
- High engagement, cooperative
Learning outcomes: 13/20
- Social skills strong, curriculum light
Best for: Team-building, cooperative learning
#9: Qwirkle (73/100)
Curriculum alignment: 13/25
- Pattern matching, strategic placement
Student engagement: 15/20
- Moderate appeal
Learning outcomes: 13/20
- Basic strategic thinking
Best for: SEN students, simple strategic introduction
#10: Sushi Go! (71/100)
Curriculum alignment: 12/25
- Decision-making, probability
Student engagement: 16/20
- Quick, fun
Learning outcomes: 12/20
- Light strategic thinking
Best for: Quick sessions, reward activity
Implementation Guide for Teachers
Getting Started
Step 1: Choose 2-3 games from rankings Priority: #1-3 for comprehensive coverage
Step 2: Apply for funding Government STEM funding available (£140M announced)
See: Funding Application Guide
Step 3: Pilot with one class
- 6-week trial
- 2 sessions weekly
- Collect engagement and outcome data
Step 4: Evaluate and expand
- Assess results
- Adjust approach
- Scale to additional classes
Classroom Management Tips
Setup efficiency:
- Pre-sorted component bags
- Student helpers for distribution
- 5-minute rule: If setup takes longer, streamline
During gameplay:
- Circulate between tables
- Ask strategic questions
- Minimal intervention (let games teach)
Post-game:
- 10-minute whole-class reflection
- Connect gameplay to curriculum concepts
- Brief written task
Time allocation:
- 5 mins: Setup
- 40 mins: Gameplay
- 10 mins: Reflection
- Total: 55-minute lesson
Budget Planning
Class of 30 students:
| Resource | Quantity | Cost Each | Total | |----------|----------|-----------|-------| | Smoothie Wars | 6 copies (5 students/game) | £30 | £180 | | Prime Climb | 4 copies | £35 | £140 | | Catan Junior | 4 copies | £25 | £100 | | Storage solution | 1 | £50 | £50 | | Total | | | £470 |
Cost per student: £15.67 Cost per student per session (50 sessions yearly): £0.31
Comparison:
- Textbook: £18/student (one subject)
- Digital subscription: £8/student/year
- Games: £15.67 (multi-year use, multiple subjects)
ROI: Exceptional
Teacher Testimonials
Year 5, Manchester:
"Smoothie Wars transformed my maths teaching. Engagement up 47%, attainment up 23%, behaviour incidents down 61%. Best resource investment in 12-year career."
Year 6, Bristol:
"I was skeptical—'games in class' felt unprofessional. The data convinced me. Students learn better, I enjoy teaching more, results improved. Now I'm the school's game-based learning advocate."
Year 4, Leeds:
"SEND students who struggled with traditional maths thrive with games. Concrete, visual, immediate feedback suits their learning needs. Inclusion transformed."
Conclusion: The Evidence-Based Rankings
After 2,890 classroom sessions, the verdict is clear:
#1-3 (Smoothie Wars, Prime Climb, Catan Junior) are exceptional educational resources
- Strong curriculum alignment
- High engagement
- Measurable outcomes
- Classroom-appropriate
- Cost-effective
#4-7 are valuable supplementary tools
- Good for specific purposes
- Moderate curriculum coverage
- Solid engagement
#8-10 are acceptable but limited
- Better than worksheets
- Not comprehensive solutions
- Specific use cases only
For teachers seeking maximum educational impact:
Start with top 3.
Expand based on results and budget.
Evidence supports it. Students benefit from it. Outcomes validate it.
Welcome to evidence-based game selection.
Teacher Resources:
- Complete Testing Methodology Report
- Lesson Plan Templates for Each Game
- Curriculum Mapping Documents
- Funding Application Support
Further Reading:
- School Case Study: Implementation Results
- Teacher Workload Reduction Through Games
- Educational Game Quality Framework
Research Partners: This study conducted in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University Education Department and funded by the Educational Endowment Foundation. Independent academic oversight ensures methodological rigor despite Smoothie Wars affiliation.
Testing Panel: 45 teachers across 32 schools (Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, Birmingham, London regions), 1,340 students ages 7-14, 8 months classroom implementation data (September 2023 - May 2024).
