PhysicsGrades 3–5
Balance Playground
Place weights on a seesaw, move them closer to the center, and discover how weight and distance work together to make it balance.
Play Balance PlaygroundTry an idea. See what happens.
Simulations
Make a prediction, change something, and see what happens. Explore forces, fractions, light, living things, and more through one idea at a time.
Elementary school Runs in your browser Free to explore
Choose an activity
119 simulations to explore
Showing 119 of 119 simulations
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Push & Pull Playground
Push a cart from either side and watch how the combined forces change its motion.
Play Push & Pull Playground
MathGrades 3–5
Fraction Builder
Build fractions with equal pieces and find different ways to cover the same part of a whole.
Play Fraction Builder
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Sink or Float
Drop objects into water and explore how their mass and volume affect floating.
Play Sink or Float
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Shadow Playground
Move a light and an object to explore how straight light paths create shadows.
Play Shadow Playground
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Circuit Playground
Connect wires, a battery, a switch, and a bulb to build a complete electrical loop.
Play Circuit Playground
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Magnet Playground
Turn magnets, change their separation, and test materials to explore magnetic interactions.
Play Magnet Playground
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Ramp Racer
Set a release height and advance a cart down a ramp to compare its motion.
Play Ramp Racer
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Friction Playground
Advance a sliding object across different surfaces and compare how quickly it stops.
Play Friction Playground
ChemistryGrades 3–5
Matter Playground
Heat and cool a water model to observe changes in state and particle arrangement.
Play Matter Playground
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Sound Maker
Change a vibrating string and compare the pattern and pitch it produces.
Play Sound Maker
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Light Color Mixer
Adjust red, green, and blue lights and observe the colors formed where they combine.
Play Light Color Mixer
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Water Cycle Journey
Move water among a reservoir, the air, clouds, and land through a complete water cycle.
Play Water Cycle Journey
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Moon Phase Explorer
Move the Moon around Earth and compare the sunlit portion seen by an observer.
Play Moon Phase Explorer
BiologyGrades 3–5
Plant Needs Garden
Choose light and water conditions and advance an illustrated plant-growth scenario.
Play Plant Needs Garden
BiologyGrades 3–5
Food Chain Builder
Connect meadow organisms in feeding order and trace energy from food to eater.
Play Food Chain Builder
MathGrades 3–5
Area & Perimeter Park
Arrange garden tiles and compare the planted area with the fence around their edges.
Play Area & Perimeter Park
MathGrades 3–5
Multiplication Garden
Plant equal rows and columns of flowers and compare the resulting totals.
Play Multiplication Garden
MathGrades 3–5
Place Value Factory
Bundle and unbundle base-ten blocks while keeping their total value unchanged.
Play Place Value Factory
MathGrades 2–5
Fair Share Bakery
Share whole treats among children, compare equal plates, and discover when a remainder must stay on the tray.
Play Fair Share Bakery
MathGrades 2–5
Mirror Symmetry Studio
Reflect a gold tile pattern across a mirror line and test whether every tile has an equally distant partner.
Play Mirror Symmetry Studio
MathGrades 3–5
Volume Block Builder
Fill an isometric box with unit cubes and complete layers to connect three dimensions with volume.
Play Volume Block Builder
MathGrades 2–5
Clock Gear Workshop
Move elapsed minutes and watch the minute and hour hands turn together, including across twelve o’clock.
Play Clock Gear Workshop
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Pulley Workshop
Build an ideal pulley rig and discover how supporting rope strands trade less effort for a longer pull.
Play Pulley Workshop
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Parachute Drop
Change canopy area and payload mass, then step through a drop to explore gravity, air resistance and limiting speed.
Play Parachute Drop
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Mirror Maze
Turn two flat mirrors and send a light ray toward a target using the law of reflection.
Play Mirror Maze
ChemistryGrades 3–5
Dissolving Detective
Compare how water temperature, stirring and sugar grain size change the rate of dissolving.
Play Dissolving Detective
Earth ScienceGrades 2–5
Day and Night Earth
Rotate Earth under fixed sunlight and follow an equatorial town through daytime, sunset, nighttime and sunrise.
Play Day and Night Earth
BiologyGrades 2–5
Pollination Garden
Guide a bee between compatible apple and pear plants, then observe separate stages of fruit development.
Play Pollination Garden
MathGrades 1–3
Number Line Jumper
Explore addition, subtraction and distance with directed jumps on an equally spaced number line.
Play Number Line Jumper
MathGrades K–2
Make Ten Playground
Complete a ten frame with blue counters and explore complements to ten.
Play Make Ten Playground
MathGrades 3–5
Fraction Number Line
Partition equal whole intervals and locate fractions between zero and two.
Play Fraction Number Line
MathGrades 3–5
Fraction Kitchen
Add and remove fractional scoops in a measuring jug with exact cup markings.
Play Fraction Kitchen
MathGrades 4–5
Decimal Zoom Lens
Explore decimal place value through linked whole and magnified tenth number lines.
Play Decimal Zoom Lens
MathGrades 3–5
Rounding Neighborhood
Move a visitor between benchmark homes and compare distances for rounding.
Play Rounding Neighborhood
MathGrades 2–5
Change-Making Market
Build exact change using quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies.
Play Change-Making Market
MathGrades 3–5
Factor Factory
Arrange a conserved batch of tiles into equal rows and inspect leftovers.
Play Factor Factory
MathGrades 2–5
Pattern Machine
Set a visible arithmetic rule and generate outputs for neighboring inputs.
Play Pattern Machine
GeometryGrades 2–5
Tangram Workshop
Compose a square from seven rigid tangram pieces using slides, quarter turns and flips.
Play Tangram Workshop
GeometryGrades 2–5
Slide, Turn, Flip
Slide an asymmetric arrow across a grid and use turns and flips to match a target.
Play Slide, Turn, Flip
GeometryGrades 3–5
Angle Explorer
Sweep a ray around a dial and compare angle size with quarter turns and complete rotations.
Play Angle Explorer
GeometryGrades 3–5
Triangle Shape Lab
Move a triangle vertex to compare side lengths, angle types and area above a fixed base.
Play Triangle Shape Lab
GeometryGrades 3–5
Quadrilateral Workshop
Change a quadrilateral’s top side, height and shift to investigate related shape families.
Play Quadrilateral Workshop
GeometryGrades 3–5
Cube Net Folder
Arrange six connected squares and test whether they fold onto distinct faces of a cube.
Play Cube Net Folder
GeometryGrades 3–5
Tessellation Studio
Adjust repeated polygon spacing and stagger to cover a mat without gaps or overlaps.
Play Tessellation Studio
GeometryGrades 3–5
Coordinate Treasure Map
Move an explorer to ordered pairs and collect numbered treasures along a coordinate route.
Play Coordinate Treasure Map
MathGrades 2–4
Ruler Detective
Slide a ruler beneath a fixed ribbon and measure its length from the difference between endpoint readings.
Play Ruler Detective
MathGrades 2–5
Liquid Measure Lab
Transfer conserved liquid between vessels and compare the heights of equal volumes in wide and narrow containers.
Play Liquid Measure Lab
MathGrades 3–5
Elapsed Time Timeline
Schedule an art session to meet finish-time and overlap goals on a shared timeline.
Play Elapsed Time Timeline
MathGrades 2–4
Unit Conversion Trail
Cover a fixed trail with exact centimeter pieces and compare counts when unit size changes.
Play Unit Conversion Trail
MathGrades 3–5
Measurement Precision Lab
Compare whole, half, and quarter centimeter graduations to distinguish exact ribbon lengths.
Play Measurement Precision Lab
StatisticsGrades 2–5
Survey Graph Studio
Turn fruit survey counts into truthful bar graphs with adjustable votes per grid step.
Play Survey Graph Studio
StatisticsGrades 3–5
Measurement Line Plot
Plot exact quarter-inch ribbon measurements and stack repeated values into a distribution.
Play Measurement Line Plot
StatisticsGrades 3–5
Probability Spinner
Configure equal spinner sectors, run seeded trials, and compare observed counts with theoretical chances.
Play Probability Spinner
MathGrades 3–5
Fair-Share Average
Redistribute counters among three friends while preserving their total to reveal the arithmetic mean.
Play Fair-Share Average
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Gear Factory
Mesh gears to compare tooth counts, rotation direction and output turns.
Play Gear Factory
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Wheel and Axle Winder
Wind a load with a wheel and axle to compare effort, hand travel and lift.
Play Wheel and Axle Winder
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Pendulum Clock
Change string length and bob mass while timing complete small angle oscillations.
Play Pendulum Clock
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Spring Stretch Station
Load ideal springs and measure extension while staying inside the elastic range.
Play Spring Stretch Station
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Bouncing Ball Lab
Observe rebound peaks and track mechanical energy transferred during each bounce.
Play Bouncing Ball Lab
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Collision Carts
Collide carts to compare signed momentum and kinetic energy before and after impact.
Play Collision Carts
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Balloon Rocket
Release measured air puffs to connect backward exhaust with forward rocket motion.
Play Balloon Rocket
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Tower Tipping Test
Move a top load and widen a tower base to compare center of mass with support.
Play Tower Tipping Test
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Heat Conduction Race
Compare how copper, glass and wood transfer heat between two blocks.
Play Heat Conduction Race
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Keep the Ice Cold
Choose insulation and compare how quickly warm surroundings melt ice.
Play Keep the Ice Cold
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Solar Oven Builder
Build a solar oven with reflectors, insulation and adjustable sunlight.
Play Solar Oven Builder
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Bending Light Lab
Trace refracted rays, explore total internal reflection and compare apparent depth.
Play Bending Light Lab
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Color Filter Lab
Send colored light through two filters and track the channels that survive.
Play Color Filter Lab
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Sound Loudness Studio
Change sound-wave amplitude while frequency stays fixed at 440 Hz.
Play Sound Loudness Studio
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Echo Canyon
Send a visual sound pulse to a wall and measure its roundtrip delay.
Play Echo Canyon
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Ripple Tank
Step traveling water waves, combine two sources and explore wall reflections.
Play Ripple Tank
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Energy Journey Builder
Build an energy journey and account for useful outputs and other heat.
Play Energy Journey Builder
ChemistryGrades 3–5
Saturation Station
Compare dissolved solute with the solid remainder when water becomes saturated.
Play Saturation Station
ChemistryGrades 3–5
Mixture Separator
Use magnetism, filtration, evaporation and distillation to separate a mixture.
Play Mixture Separator
ChemistryGrades 3–5
Gas Squeeze Room
Move a sealed piston to compare gas volume, particle spacing and pressure.
Play Gas Squeeze Room
ChemistryGrades 3–5
Evaporation Race
Compare how surface area, airflow and humidity affect illustrative evaporation rates.
Play Evaporation Race
ChemistryGrades 3–5
Reaction Balloon
Balance reacting ingredient portions and account for gas trapped in a balloon.
Play Reaction Balloon
ChemistryGrades 3–5
Rust Watch
Compare iron corrosion with water and oxygen present or absent.
Play Rust Watch
ChemistryGrades 3–5
Closed-Jar Matter Tracker
Move water among ice, liquid and vapor while keeping a sealed-jar total constant.
Play Closed-Jar Matter Tracker
ChemistryGrades 3–5
Material Property Workbench
Compare bending, water absorption and electrical conduction under shared conditions.
Play Material Property Workbench
ChemistryGrades 3–5
Diffusion Window
Open a partition and follow mixing through repeatable random particle steps.
Play Diffusion Window
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Weathering Rock Lab
Observe how freezing water can widen a rock crack through repeated freeze and thaw cycles.
Play Weathering Rock Lab
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Soil Sponge
Compare drainage and retained water in sand, loam and clay while keeping track of the full sample.
Play Soil Sponge
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
River Erosion Table
Change river slope, flow and vegetation to compare erosion, deposition and sediment carried downstream.
Play River Erosion Table
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Watershed Runoff
Guide rainfall downhill to a stream and let soil absorb part of the moving water.
Play Watershed Runoff
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Flood-Safe Town
Allocate wetland and pond plots to divide a simplified storm between storage, river flow and floodwater.
Play Flood-Safe Town
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Sea Breeze Coast
Compare daytime warming and nighttime cooling, then place a surface wind arrow along a coast.
Play Sea Breeze Coast
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Cloud Maker
Cool a closed moist air parcel and watch invisible vapor condense into liquid cloud droplets.
Play Cloud Maker
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Rain Gauge Lab
Set rainfall intensity and advance five-minute intervals to measure accumulated rain depth.
Play Rain Gauge Lab
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Rock Cycle Journey
Choose cooling, weathering, burial processes, heat or melting to follow branching rock pathways.
Play Rock Cycle Journey
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Fossil Layer Builder
Deposit sediment with selected remains, bury a fossil and compare older layers with younger layers.
Play Fossil Layer Builder
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Seasons and Sunlight
Change axial tilt, orbit position and latitude to compare noon sunlight and daylight duration.
Play Seasons and Sunlight
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Gravity on Other Worlds
Release two balls from equal heights and compare their motion under different surface gravities without air.
Play Gravity on Other Worlds
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Solar System Scale Trip
Travel along a linear astronomical unit ruler and compare planet diameters on a separate size ruler.
Play Solar System Scale Trip
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Eclipse Aligner
Change Moon phase and orbital crossing direction to distinguish eclipse alignment from ordinary phases.
Play Eclipse Aligner
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Near and Far Stars
Move identical stars to compare received brightness as distance changes.
Play Near and Far Stars
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Constellation Sky Clock
Advance Earth rotation and track an invented star pattern around the north celestial pole.
Play Constellation Sky Clock
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Planet Year Race
Advance one shared clock and compare all eight planets as they complete different numbers of orbits.
Play Planet Year Race
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Satellite Orbit Playground
Adjust tangential launch speed and step a satellite through a numerically integrated gravitational trajectory.
Play Satellite Orbit Playground
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Crater Creator
Compare illustrative craters while changing relative impactor diameter, speed and ground angle.
Play Crater Creator
BiologyGrades 2–5
Seed Dispersal Journey
Compare how fluffy, winged and heavy seed structures travel in a simple wind model.
Play Seed Dispersal Journey
BiologyGrades 2–5
Camouflage Meadow
Search for existing moth color variants against green, brown and snowy backgrounds.
Play Camouflage Meadow
BiologyGrades 2–5
Beak Feeding Lab
Test cone, tweezer and spoon beak models with seeds, worms and floating food.
Play Beak Feeding Lab
BiologyGrades 2–5
Habitat Builder
Arrange water, food and shelter within a frog, rabbit or garden bird’s stated reach.
Play Habitat Builder
BiologyGrades 2–5
Butterfly Life Cycle
Support egg, caterpillar, pupa and adult butterfly stages with suitable resources.
Play Butterfly Life Cycle
BiologyGrades 2–5
Breathing Model
Move a diaphragm model and observe changes in chest volume and net airflow.
Play Breathing Model
BiologyGrades 2–5
Muscles and Joints
Adjust opposing muscle pulls and watch a hinged forearm model move.
Play Muscles and Joints
BiologyGrades 2–5
Digestion Journey
Chew, break down and absorb sample food units along a simplified digestive path.
Play Digestion Journey
BiologyGrades 2–5
Compost Crew
Supply green and brown materials, moisture and air to step a compost model.
Play Compost Crew
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Bridge Builder
Supports, bracing and controlled loads in an illustrative bridge model.
Play Bridge Builder
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Water Filter Designer
Design filter layers that trap suspended particles while dissolved material remains.
Play Water Filter Designer
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Wind Turbine Workshop
Compare blade angle, wind speed and generator load using a bounded power budget.
Play Wind Turbine Workshop
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Water Wheel Workshop
Compare water flow, drop height, bucket shape and useful mechanical power.
Play Water Wheel Workshop
PhysicsGrades 3–5
Earthquake Shake Table
Sample a simplified oscillating structure and compare bracing and damping.
Play Earthquake Shake Table
Earth ScienceGrades 3–5
Rainwater Collection Designer
Account for rainfall as roof losses, stored water and tank overflow.
Play Rainwater Collection Designer
Computer ScienceGrades 3–5
Robot Route Programmer
Write and execute movement commands on a bounded robot grid.
Play Robot Route Programmer
Computer ScienceGrades 3–5
Loop Pattern Studio
Execute a repeated color motif to build an exact target pattern.
Play Loop Pattern Studio
Computer ScienceGrades 3–5
Conditional Conveyor
Sort a visible batch using combined conditions and ordered rules.
Play Conditional Conveyor
Computer ScienceGrades 3–5
Binary Bead Messages
Toggle five weighted bits and transmit exact numbers or letter messages.
Play Binary Bead MessagesA little guidance for exploring
-
Make a prediction
Decide what you think will happen before you move anything.
-
Change one thing
Change one setting. Watch what happens in the scene.
-
Explain what you noticed
Try your idea again. Tell someone what changed and why.
For a longer investigation, explore our elementary labs and Grades 4–5 resources.