Yes—but the answer depends on what “learning” means and what kind of game is being used. Purpose-designed educational games can improve learning of their target material on average, and some research links particular kinds of play with gains on selected cognitive tests. That is not proof that ordinary gaming raises school grades or improves learning in general.
What counts as learning?
Studies use “learning” to describe different outcomes: recalling information taught in a game, mastering a school subject, applying knowledge to a new task, performing on a cognitive test, or earning higher grades. Those results are not interchangeable. A better score on a spatial or attention test, for example, does not by itself show improved curriculum knowledge or lasting real-world learning.
Educational-game studies typically compare games with conventional instruction or test a design feature added to a game. Cognitive-consequence studies instead compare players with a control group on cognitive tests. Keeping these questions separate makes it easier to judge what a result actually supports. Richard E. Mayer’s review explains these distinctions and argues that claims about games should be tested with rigorous research and grounded in evidence-based accounts of how people learn: Computer Games in Education.
Do educational video games help students learn?
On average, educational digital games improved measured student learning in the studies included in a 2016 K–16 systematic review and meta-analysis. The authors found an average effect of g = 0.33 for game-based learning compared with nongame conditions, based on 57 comparisons and 209 effect sizes. Comparisons of enhanced game designs with standard game designs found an average effect of g = 0.34, based on 20 comparisons and 40 effect sizes. These are average results across studied educational settings, not a guarantee that any particular title will work: Clark, Tanner-Smith, and Killingsworth’s review.
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The review found that results varied with game mechanics, visual and narrative features, and research quality. Mayer’s review discusses instructional features such as coaching, pretraining, personalization, modality, and prompts for learners to explain their thinking. The practical point is to look for a clear match between the game’s activity and the material students are meant to learn; engagement alone is not evidence of mastery.
Can video games improve cognitive skills?
Some research reports improvements or associations on selected cognitive measures, but those measures should not be treated as evidence of better school performance. A 2026 meta-analysis by Zhao and colleagues synthesized 133 studies published from January 2005 through August 2025, covering 269 effect sizes and 14,245 participants. It reported statistically significant but small associations across memory, spatial ability, visual attention, cognitive control, and intelligence. The findings concern cognitive ability measures, not a demonstrated general improvement in grades or academic learning: Zhao et al.’s meta-analysis.
Rank #2
- Play like a big kid, discover like a preschooler with this handheld video game toy
- Explore 20 exciting games packed with skills for preschool readiness, including letters, numbers, shapes, colors, music and logic skills
- Drive a go-kart, show off groovy dance moves, race a speedboat, mix gumball colors, collect critters, feed hungry birds and more
- Discover the letters of the alphabet, the sounds they make and build vocabulary by exploring the ABC keyboard
- Intended for ages 3+ years; requires 4 AA batteries; batteries included for demo purposes only; new batteries recommended for regular use
Action games are one specific category studied. A 2018 meta-analysis reported average effects of g = 0.55 in cross-sectional studies and g = 0.34 in long-term intervention studies. Its intervention findings particularly supported top-down attention and spatial cognition, with encouraging results for perception. The authors also warned that publication bias remained a concern and estimated that effects in published studies were 30% larger than effects across the full literature. These results do not apply to every genre or establish academic gains: Bediou et al.’s review.
Do video games affect school grades?
Evidence about gaming and academic scores is less conclusive about cause than a simple “games hurt grades” claim suggests. A 2019 synthesis of 58 cross-sectional studies found a small inverse association between video-game playing and composite academic performance scores (ES = −0.15, 95% CI [−0.22, −0.08]). In its adolescent subgroup analysis, the estimate was ES = −0.16 (95% CI [−0.24, −0.09]). Because the included studies were cross-sectional, they cannot establish that gaming caused lower scores, determine which way the relationship runs, or show that educational games reduce learning: Nakshine et al.’s review.
Rank #3
- This video game for early learners takes kids on a quest for keys to unlock Clever Castle while exploring letters, numbers, shapes and colors
- Insert the HDMI game stick and USB power cable into the TV and start playing immediately using the wireless controller; no downloads or account setup required
- Choose between two characters to explore replayable game levels; save unique game progress for up to 5 players
- Kids can explore 150+ learning items at their own pace by playing the educational content in the Learning Center
- Intended for ages 3+ years; requires 2 AA batteries; batteries not included
Problematic gaming is a separate issue from ordinary recreational play. A 2026 review discusses possible two-way relationships with academic achievement: gaming may displace time for study, while lower achievement may also precede problematic gaming. It should not be read as evidence that ordinary gaming is problematic or that gaming alone explains academic outcomes: Chew, Yow, and Dimech’s review.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to judge a game intended for learning
When choosing a game for a student or classroom, assess the learning claim rather than relying on the label “educational.” A useful evaluation asks:
Rank #4
- Packed with mini-games and music, this handheld video game toy introduces kids to numbers, letters, shapes and more
- Pop bubbles to dive into letter sounds or collect coins and count hearts to explore numbers
- Slide and jump to collect letters with Penguin, help a hungry bug chomp on numbers and catch shapes with an ape
- Intended for ages 2+ years; requires 3 AAA batteries; batteries included for demo purposes only; new batteries recommended for regular use
- This handheld gaming toy is great for kids to explore numbers, shapes, letters and more while playing exciting games; makes a great interactive unisex gift for holidays, birthdays or just because
- Objective: What specific subject knowledge or skill is the game designed to teach?
- Outcome: Is the evidence about recall, retention, transfer to a new task, motivation, cognitive test performance, or grades?
- Instructional design: Does play include practice, feedback, explanations, coaching, or other support connected to the learning objective?
- Evidence quality: Was the result measured in a controlled intervention, or is it a cross-sectional association? Does the assessment test what the game teaches?
- Fit: Is the game appropriate for the learner’s age, prior knowledge, language, and accessibility needs, and for the intended classroom or home setting?
- Time use: Does play add useful practice, or replace study and other learning activities?
A 2017 systematic review found an overall positive direction for games and simulations used to meet higher-education learning goals, while distinguishing cognitive, behavioral, and affective outcomes. Its scope is higher education, not a universal claim about commercial games: the higher-education review.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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