Interactive European Games

The European Union Flags Game

• This web-based game was created in 1998 by a student at the Imperial College in London. It uses a Java applet to load country names and flag graphics into 16 different squares. Students play the game by clicking on two squares and trying to match a flag with its appropriate country name. A horn sounds when a match is made. A voice says “Whoopie!” when all countries and flags are matched.

  It is a simple game that could be played by children ages 6 and older. However, the game could be frustrating to students who are unfamiliar with the flags of the European Union. Ask them to study an atlas or flag reference poster before playing the game.

Test Your Geography Knowledge - Europe

• This challenging online quiz game is appropriate for middle and high school students. The computer screen is divided into two sections: 1) a color-coded map of Europe; 2) a 48-question quiz about various places in Europe. The quiz section of the screen shows a written question like “Where is Spain?” The player finds Spain on the adjacent map and then clicks on it. If he is correct, he earns three points and can click on the “Next Question” button. If his answer is wrong, the game reinforces his memory skills by telling him the country’s name before giving him two more chances to click on the correct country. A player who answers all questions correctly earns a maximum score of 144. Students can play the game again by clicking on the “Start Over” button.

Europa Go Games

• The European Commission has a website full of educational games to help children around the world learn about the European Union. The “Europa Go” homepage features an interactive cartoon illustration of a child’s bedroom. Kids click on things in the room to go to a variety of games.

  For example, clicking on the boom box will take kids to an interactive keyboard that plays national anthems and then challenges kids to guess the notes used in those songs. Kids can create their own songs, too.

  Clicking on the piggy bank will lead kids to games about the Euro, the currency used in many European countries. Other games help kids explore European history and learn a few words in a European language.

  Most of the games are designed for students in elementary or high school.

I Like 2 Learn Games

• This website has 10 European geography games including quizzes on region maps, capital cities, mountain ranges and bodies of the water. The mountain range quiz has eight questions designed for students who have a good knowledge of European geography. It includes questions about well-known mountain ranges, like the Alps, and lesser-known ones, like Italy's Apennines.

  The bodies of water quiz asks players to identify the names of lakes, rivers, bays and seas throughout Europe. Some of the questions are easy while others are very challenging. It includes large bodies of water that are well known throughout the world--like the Mediterranean Sea--and smaller ones like Lake Malaren in Sweden, which are probably most familiar to people who live in the country or have traveled to it.

  Players score two points for every correct answer. The game can be repeated to improve scores and help students remember map facts.