Educational Turtle Games

The Quest to Nest

• This online Flash game, produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and suitable for kids about age 6 and up, is actually several games in one. Players pick one character to proceed from an initial menu screen and are introduced to a mini-game. For example, the turtle's mini-game involves dodging various obstacles, such as boats and animals, using the keyboard controls, to guide the turtle back to her nest. The player is introduced to the turtle's plight via a short story, which helps to develop a player's understanding of the situation for these animals.

Follow the Musical Turtle

• This simple game is designed for kids of kindergarten age, and is played through a user's Web browser. The game develops a child's memory. Players first see a pattern played out across the colorful sections of a turtle's shell. The player must then click on the appropriate sections in the same order as the pattern they've been shown; if successful, the player causes the turtle to creep forward a few paces toward a finish line.

Sea Turtle Quiz

• This difficult online quiz tests a player's knowledge about different kinds of turtles and their environments, and is best suited to kids of 12 and over who have researched the animal beforehand. The game shows players pictures of turtles and asks a question relating to the picture; players must type in the answer. Failure to answer a question prevents the player proceeding further in the quiz, which features 10 questions.

P.E. Turtle Game

• This game is intended for kids of age around 7 to 12 to play during their physical education lessons, and encourages teamwork. The teacher begins the game by handing a group of three or four students a folding mat, which they'll need to carry a certain distance. The catch is that no hands can be used, and that each student must be in physical contact with the mat at all times. If the group drops the mat without reaching the end, they must start again from the beginning.

Turtle Vocabulary

• This turtle-based online game looks to help kids, of around ages 8 to 10, to develop their vocabulary skills, especially when it comes to subjects such as biology and natural history. The left-hand side of the screen contains several words, often relating to turtles, written on shells, while to the right are definitions. The player must drag each word across to the appropriate definition to proceed to the next screen.