STEM, Logic, and Problem-Solving Games
The Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted (WATG) is proud to offer Summer Scholarships to support gifted students in pursuing enriching educational experiences beyond the traditional classroom. These scholarships provide financial assistance for students to attend summer programs, camps, and other specialized learning opportunities that align with their unique talents and interests. Whether exploring STEM, the arts, leadership, or other advanced studies, our scholarships help ensure that all gifted students have access to meaningful growth experiences. WATG is committed to fostering the potential of Wisconsin's gifted youth by expanding access to high-quality learning opportunities.
As part of the application, students must submit either an essay or a video/multimedia presentation, along with one reference letter from a teacher or a non-family member. The essay or presentation should address the following:
- Personal background and advanced enrichment needs.
- A description of the summer program or class you wish to attend and the reasons for your interest in it.
- An explanation of why you believe you are a strong candidate for this scholarship.
Student Summer Scholarships
Logo Contest
Calling all creative K-12 students across Wisconsin! Each year, Wisconsin Association for Talented and Gifted invites students to design a logo for our Annual Conference, and we're excited to see your creativity shine.
Deadline Extended: April 15, 2025 at midnight
Theme for the 2025 Conference: Take a Chance on Gifted Education!
Conference Dates: October 5–7, 2025
Location: Wisconsin Dells
Size: No larger than 4" x 4"
Color: Black and white only
Adaptability: Must be scalable (use bold lettering and simple, non-intricate designs)
Submit your original logo design to help us represent this year's theme! Winning artwork will be featured in conference materials and recognized statewide.
How to Submit: Email your logo to watg@watg.org
Adsumudi
Description: Adsumudi is a card-based math game where players use arithmetic operations (+, –, ×, ÷) with numbers on their cards to reach a “secret answer.”
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: Develops mental math, flexible number thinking, and creative problem-solving.
Ideal for: Ages 8+
Link:
https://amzn.to/3MaJ7TU
Awesome STEAM Activities Books
Description: These books includes 50+ hands-on STEAM projects that use everyday materials. They provide step-by-step instructions and explanations connecting science, technology, engineering, art, and math.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: They engage curiosity and creativity while encouraging problem-solving, experimentation, and exploration of how things work.
Ideal for: Ages 5 to 10
Links
Azul
Description: Azul is a tile-drafting game where players collect colorful tiles to create patterns on their personal boards.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It encourages spatial reasoning, planning ahead, and pattern recognition.
Ideal for: Ages 8+
Links
Blokus
Description: Blokus is an abstract strategy game where players place polyomino pieces on a board with corner-touch rules.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It enhances spatial reasoning, planning, and strategic thinking.
Ideal for: Ages 7+
Link: https://amzn.to/4894vk4
Bloxels Video Game Builder Kit
Description: Bloxels allows kids to build their own video games by designing characters, levels, and worlds using physical blocks and a digital app. It blends creativity, storytelling, and basic coding concepts in an intuitive, hands-on platform.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It gives creative and tech-savvy learners a way to design original games while practicing problem-solving, logic, and narrative development.
Ideal For: Budding programmers, storytellers, gamers, and creative thinkers
Link: https://amzn.to/4rtxpE8
Buildzi
Description: Buildzi is a stacking and building game using blocks with different shapes, colors, and textures.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It develops fine motor skills, spatial visualization, and creative design thinking.
Ideal for: Ages 6+
Link:
https://amzn.to/4r9V0cT
Carcassonne
Description: Carcassonne is a tile-laying game where players build medieval landscapes with cities, roads, and fields.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It encourages strategic planning, tactical placement, and spatial reasoning.
Ideal for: Ages 8+
Links:
Catan
Description: Catan is a resource-trading and settlement-building game.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It teaches resource management, negotiation, planning, and probability.
Ideal for: Ages 6+ (Junior) or 10+ (Standard)
Links:
Circuit Maze
Description: Circuit Maze is a logic puzzle game where players build circuits with tokens to light up beacons.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It promotes sequential reasoning, problem-solving, and basic STEM concepts.
Ideal for: Ages 8+
Link:
https://amzn.to/3LR5r4W
Code Master Programming
Description: This single-player logic game challenges players to guide an avatar through maps using sequencing, conditional moves, and planning – core fundamentals of computer programming.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It builds algorithmic thinking without requiring screen time, strengthening higher-level reasoning and computational logic skills.
Ideal For: Students interested in coding, logic, and puzzle-based challenges
Link: https://amzn.to/4rxNkBC
Continent Race
Description: Continent Race is a fast-paced geography game focused on continents, countries, and flags.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It feeds global curiosity and geography knowledge while building quick recall and global awareness.
Ideal for: Elementary and middle school students, classrooms, and families
Link:
https://amzn.to/4oVyCTe
DiXit
Description: DiXit is a creative storytelling game with illustrated cards that spark imagination and abstract thinking, encouraging players to interpret visual cues and consider multiple perspectives.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: DiXit promotes imaginative reasoning, communication skills, and pattern recognition.
Ideal for: Upper elementary to adults
Link: https://amzn.to/3Kn2Lvq
Dragonwood
Description: Dragonwood is a card and dice game where players collect adventurer cards to defeat mythical creatures.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It combines probability, strategy, and risk assessment.
Ideal for: Ages 8+
Link:
https://amzn.to/3JVgaLb
Dungeons and Dragons
Description: Dungeons and Dragons is a collaborative role-playing game where players assume characters, solve problems, and co-create imaginative stories, blending creativity, strategy, and social reasoning.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It supports complex problem-solving, strategic planning, and creative thinking.
Ideal for: Middle school through adults
Link:
https://amzn.to/4p6Toz4
The Genius Star
Description: The Genius Star is a fast-paced spatial puzzle game where players race to fill a star-shaped board with geometric pieces, navigating randomized blockers for endless challenges.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It sharpens visual-spatial reasoning, critical thinking, and flexible problem-solving, offering novelty and challenge for curious minds.
Ideal For: Puzzle enthusiasts, fast thinkers, gifted learners who enjoy competitive challenges, and students who thrive on hands-on, logic-based tasks
Links:
Gobblet
Description: Gobblet is a strategy board game like Tic-Tac-Toe with stackable pieces that can “cover” others.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It enhances strategic planning, memory, and abstract thinking.
Ideal for: Ages 7+
Link:
https://amzn.to/4a4z6BH
Gravity Maze Builder
Description: This STEM game set that includes the classic Gravity Maze tracker and additional challenge cards.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: This game supports guided thinking and spatial reasoning.
Ideal for: Family game nights, gifted students’ enrichment, classroom logic corner
Link:
https://amzn.to/485M6Ez
Hive Pocket
Description: Hive Pocket is a portable strategy game where players use insect-themed tiles with different movement styles to trap the opponent’s queen bee.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: Deep strategy, pattern recognition, and tactical thinking similar to chess but faster and more accessible.
Ideal for: Upper elementary through adult
Link:
https://amzn.to/3LZDIz0
iDventure Cluebox
Description: iDventure Cluebox is a wooden escape-room-style puzzle box requiring multi-step logic, spatial reasoning, and clue decoding.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It demands perseverance, abstract thinking, and the ability to connect complex steps.
Ideal for: Grades 6 to 12
Link: https://amzn.to/4ouEkdJ
ITZI
Description: This is a tile-laying game focused on spatial placement and visual problem-solving.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It develops visual-spatial reasoning and pattern recognition.
Ideal for: Ages 8+
Links:
Kanoodle
Description: Kanoodle is a 3D puzzle game that uses interlocking pieces to solve spatial challenges.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It encourages spatial visualization, logical thinking, and patience.
Ideal for: Ages 7+
Links:
Katamino
Description: Katamino is a strategic building and spatial reasoning game where players use pentomino pieces to solve progressively complex “puzzles” that form perfect rectangles.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It strengthens spatial awareness, logic, and perseverance.
Ideal For: Math lovers, spatial thinkers, and students who enjoy tactile problem-solving
Links:
Kitchen Science Lab for Kids
Description: Kitchen Science Lab for Kids turns everyday household materials into engaging, hands-on experiments that make science both fun and accessible.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It promotes inquiry, problem-solving, and independent experimentation.
Ideal for: Elementary to middle school learners
Links:
KiwiCo Subscription Boxes
Description: These monthly hands-on STEAM project boxes (engineering, robotics, art, chemistry, etc.) are designed by educators and scientists.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: They provide authentic, project-based learning perfect for advanced thinkers who need depth, challenge, and creative exploration.
Ideal for: Toddlers through teens
Links:
- 12 Day Advent Ornaments (Ages 5+)
- Robot STEM Kit (Ages 9+)
- Domino Machine (Ages 9+)
- Santa’s Railroad Train Advent Calendar (Ages 5+)
- Light-Up Wire Art Kit
- Science of Cooking: Ice Cream (Ages 5+)
- Pixel Art Kit (Ages 5 to 8)
- Astronaut Starter Kit (Ages 5+)
- Winter Wonderland
- Microscope Exploration Set (Ages 5 to 8)
- Remote Controlled Snake Robot (Ages 9+)
- Volcano Science Kit (Ages 5 to 8)
- Dinosaur Fossil Dig Kit (Ages 6+)
- Levitating Lantern (Ages 9+)
- Froggie Lab Dissection Plush Toy (Ages 3+)
- Christmas Village Advent Calendar
- Robotics Bundle
- Advent Calendar Bundle
- Science Professions Bundle
- Crystal Geode Soapmaking Kit
- Water and Sand Sensory Table (Ages 3+)
- Bake-a-Cake Stand Mixer (Ages 3+)
K'NEX Building Sets
Description: This building set is a construction kit with rods and connectors to build vehicles, structures, and machines.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: The set supports engineering thinking, creativity, and hands-on problem-solving.
Ideal for: Ages 7+
Links:
Laser Maze
Description: Laser Maze is a logic game where players use mirrors and beam splitters to direct a laser to targets.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It promotes critical thinking, spatial reasoning, and physics concepts.
Ideal for: Ages 8+
Link: https://amzn.to/49NHB4f
Math for Love: Prime Climb
Description: Prime Climb is a mathematically rich strategy board game that uses color-coding to teach prime numbers, multiplication, division, and number relationships.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It offers deep mathematical thinking, strategy, and number sense in an engaging game format appropriate even for advanced learners.
Ideal for: Upper elementary to high school students
Link: https://amzn.to/3XespFE
Math Riddles for Smart Kids
Description: This book is a collection of math brainteasers designed to build reasoning, logic, and computational thinking.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: The book offers the challenge and complexity gifted learners crave and encourages flexible thinking.
Ideal for: Kids ages 8 to 12
Link: https://amzn.to/4rfbIHW
MindWare Q-BA-Maze Mega Stunt
Description: This marble maze construction kit allows kids to build elaborate, gravity-driven structures with stunt pieces like spirals, curves, and accelerators.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It's an engaging introduction to engineering design, experimentation, and creativity, offering endless opportunities for iteration and improvement.
Ideal For: STEM learners, builders, and students who enjoy designing complex systems
Link:
https://amzn.to/48udtIF
Murdle
Description: Murdle is a series of logic-grid mysteries that challenge readers to solve puzzles using deduction and critical thinking, with each scenario increasing in difficulty.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: This book provides unmatched complexity for students who love deep, multi-layered logic.
Ideal for: Grades 6 to 12
Links:
National Geographic Marble Run
Description: Marble Run is a 95-piece marble maze kit with a motorized spiral lift that creates a perpetual motion-style experience.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It strengthens physics understanding, spatial reasoning, and engineering design skills. The motorized lift adds complexity for advanced builders.
Ideal for: Elementary and middle school students
Link:
https://amzn.to/49zkA4W
National Geographic Rock Tumbler Kit
Description: This is a complete geology kit including rough gemstones, 4 polishing grits, and a rock tumbler that transforms raw stones into polished gems.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It's perfect for curious, hands-on learners who love understanding processes, cause-and-effect, and scientific transformation. It encourages patience, focus, and STEM exploration.
Ideal for: Upper elementary and middle school students
Link:
https://amzn.to/4iaYVlE
Nine Arches
Description: Nine Arches is a hands-on structural puzzle game where players use blocks to carefully balance and construct arches. It challenges spatial reasoning, problem-solving, and fine motor skills as players experiment with stability and design.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It enhances spatial reasoning, planning, and problem-solving.
Ideal for: Upper elementary to high school students
Link:
https://amzn.to/4rq41i2
ONO 99
Description: ONO 99 is a card game where players play cards to change the running total toward 99 without exceeding it.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It strengthens mental arithmetic, strategy, and risk assessment.
Ideal for: Ages 8+
Link:
https://amzn.to/4i8zsJw
On the Dot
Description: On the Dot is a card game of pattern recognition and matching colored dots to create sets.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It enhances visual perception, memory, and strategic planning.
Ideal for: Ages 7+
Osmo Genius Kit
Description: This is an interactive STEM and math-based learning system that uses tablet technology and physical game pieces.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It combines hands-on learning with digital interactivity to develop problem-solving, coding, and math skills.
Ideal for: Ages 6 to 12
Links:
Othello
Description: Othello is a classic strategy board game in which players flip discs to control territory on an 8x8 grid. Success requires careful planning, anticipating your opponent’s moves, and adapting your strategy as the board changes, making it a test of logic and strategic thinking.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It strengthens strategy, foresight, and long-term planning.
Ideal for: Grades 3 to 12
Link: https://amzn.to/488RZCh
Proof!
Description: Proof! is a mathematical strategy game where players place number cards to complete equations and score points.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It strengthens arithmetic fluency, logical reasoning, and strategic planning.
Ideal for: Ages 10+
Link: https://amzn.to/449DuM0
Puzzle Baron Logic Puzzles
Description: Puzzle Baron Logic Puzzles is a series of books filled with challenging logic, word, and number puzzles that engage critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It stimulates critical thinking, pattern recognition, and persistence.
Ideal for: Upper elementary through adult gifted learners
Links:
Quarto
Description: Quarto is an abstract strategy game with 16 unique pieces; win by creating a row of shared attributes.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It encourages pattern recognition, abstract reasoning, and strategic thinking.
Ideal for: Ages 6+
Link:
https://amzn.to/3XFyFq4
Quoridor
Description: Quoridor is a strategy board game where players place walls to block opponents while reaching the opposite side first.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It develops planning, spatial reasoning, and anticipating opponents’ moves.
Ideal for: Ages 8+
Links:
Qwirkle
Description: Qwirkle is a tile-laying game matching colors and shapes to create lines.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It builds pattern recognition, strategy, and combinatorial thinking.
Ideal for: Ages 6+
Links:
Ravensburger Labyrinth
Description: This is a strategic maze puzzle where players shift pathways to reach hidden treasures.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It strengthens planning, spatial logic, and strategic foresight.
Ideal for: Kids, families, and classrooms looking for high-level strategy play without complex rules
Link: https://amzn.to/4iicorZ
Robot Turtles
Description: Robot Turtles is a board game that teaches coding fundamentals using turtle movement commands.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It introduces programming logic, sequencing, and problem-solving.
Ideal for: Ages 4 to 10
Link:
https://amzn.to/49wyxAA
Rubik's Cubes
Description: The classic 3x3 Rubik’s Cube is a hands-on twist puzzle that challenges spatial reasoning and persistence.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It develops pattern recognition, problem-solving, and perseverance.
Ideal for: Students of all ages
Links:
Rush Hour
Description: Rush Hour is a sliding block logic puzzle where players move cars to free a trapped vehicle.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It strengthens sequential reasoning, planning, and spatial visualization.
Ideal for: Ages 8+
Links:
The Scrambled States of America
Description: The Scrambled States of America is a fun, interactive geography game that helps players learn U.S. states, capitals, and landmarks.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It strengthens memory, critical thinking, and spatial reasoning.
Ideal for: Upper elementary students learning geography
Link:
https://amzn.to/4ajkRJh
SET
Description: SET is a fast-paced pattern recognition card game where players identify sets of three cards sharing or differing in four attributes.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It develops pattern recognition, visual perception, and quick analytical thinking.
Ideal for: Ages 6+
Link: https://amzn.to/3LV2Mao
Skyjo
Description: Skyjo is a card game where players aim to have the lowest score by collecting and replacing numbered cards.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It enhances probability assessment, memory, and strategic decision-making.
Ideal for: Ages 8+
Links:
SmartGames IQ Series
Description: SmartGames IQ puzzles are compact, single-player logic games that challenge players to fill grids or create 3D shapes using limited combinations of pieces.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: They offer dozens of levels, providing gifted learners with progressive challenge and strategic thinking practice.
Ideal For: Students who enjoy independent problem-solving, travel-friendly puzzles, and logic challenges
Links:
- 3D Series Bundle (ages 6+)
- Bubbles (ages 7+)
- Circle (ages 14+)
- Circuit (ages 8+)
- Circuit Series Bundle (ages 7+)
- Color Series Bundle (ages 6+)
- Digits (ages 7+)
- Fit (ages 6+)
- Gears (ages 7+)
- Hexagon (ages 14+)
- Jigsaw (ages 7+)
- Link (ages 8+)
- Link Series Bundle (ages 6+)
- Love (ages 7+)
- Matrix
- Mini (ages 6+)
- Mini Hexpert (ages 7+)
- Mini XXL
- Pentagon (ages 14+)
- Perplex (ages 12+)
- Noodles (ages 7+)
- Puzzler Pro
- Six Pro (ages 8+)
- Square (ages 14+)
- Stars
- Stixx (ages 7+)
- Twins (ages 7+)
- Twist (ages 6+)
- Waves (ages 6+)
- XOXO
- XXL
Snap Circuits
Description: Snap Circuits are hands-on electronics kits allowing learners to build circuits safely with snap-together components.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: They promote STEM exploration, circuitry understanding, and experimentation.
Ideal for: Ages 8+
Links:
Speed Cube
Description: Speed Cube is a timed Rubik’s Cube-style puzzle that challenges players to quickly align colors and complete the cube. It is a fun but mentally demanding activity.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It builds perseverance, problem-solving, and spatial intelligence.
Ideal for: Elementary through high school learners
Link: https://amzn.to/49NsO9x
Spy Alley
Description: Spy Alley is a deduction and strategy game in which players bluff, gather clues, and complete secret missions while trying to uncover opponents’ identities.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It encourages strategic thinking, logic, and social reasoning.
Ideal for: Middle school and up
Link: https://amzn.to/49M3q47
Swish
Description: Swish is a visual logic game where players stack transparent cards to match colored balls with hoops in creative ways.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It challenges memory, spatial visualization, and flexible thinking.
Ideal for: Upper elementary and middle school students
Link: https://amzn.to/3Xpomqg
Tantrix
Description: Tantrix is a tile-placement strategy game where players match colors and create increasingly complex pathways or loops.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It develops spatial reasoning, planning, and higher-order thinking through geometric and pattern-based strategy.
Ideal For: Strategic thinkers, geometry lovers, and students who enjoy both solo challenges and head-to-head gameplay
Link: https://amzn.to/3XYxH8u
ThinkFun Math Dice
Description: This is a dice game where players roll dice and use arithmetic to reach target numbers.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It encourages flexible thinking with numbers, mental math, and creative problem-solving.
Ideal for: Ages 8+
Links:
Thinking Books for Kids
Description: These books offer a variety of brain teasers, logic puzzles, math riddles, and fun facts for children. Each volume may focus on verbal, math, or age-specific puzzles, with challenges ranging from moderate to very difficult.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: These books engage gifted learners with challenging puzzles, logic tasks, and unusual facts that foster curiosity, problem-solving, and flexible thinking.
Ideal for: Ages 7+
Links:
- Difficult Riddles For Smart Kids
- Math Riddles For Smart Kids
- The Book of Intriguing Facts for Smart Kids
- Difficult Puzzle Book for Smart Kids (ages 11 to 14)
- Difficult Puzzle Book For Smart Kids (10 year olds)
- Difficult Puzzle Book For Smart Kids (9 year olds)
- Difficult Puzzle Book For Smart Kids (8 year olds)
- The Ultimate Book of Riddles and Logic Puzzles for Smart Kids
Ticket to Ride
Description: Ticket to Ride is a route-building board game where players claim railway routes to connect cities and complete tickets.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It encourages planning, strategy, geography awareness, and resource management.
Ideal for: Ages 6+
Links:
Tsuro
Description: Tsuro is a tile-laying path game where players guide their token along winding paths while avoiding others.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It develops planning, spatial reasoning, and anticipating opponents’ moves.
Ideal for: Ages 8+
Links:
Twisted Cryptids Board Game
Description: Twisted Cryptids is a deduction-based mystery game where players gather clues and solve puzzles involving mythical creatures.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It strengthens reasoning, pattern recognition, and creative inference.
Ideal for: Grades 4 to 12
Link:
https://amzn.to/48GjrY6
The Ultimate Escape Room
Challenge
Description: This book offers a collection of escape room puzzles that require pattern recognition, decoding, and deductive reasoning. Each puzzle challenges critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a fun, immersive way.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It offers rigor and complexity for students hungry for challenge.
Ideal for: Grades 5 to 12
Link:
https://amzn.to/48HSHGH
UPMSX Joyful Mathematics Board Game
Description: UPMSX Joyful Mathematics combines computation with strategy as players solve math challenges to advance in the game.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It enhances logical thinking, mental math, and problem-solving.
Ideal for: Elementary and middle school students
Link:
https://amzn.to/4opJ5Fk
The Uzzle
Description: The Uzzle is a fast-paced pattern and spatial reasoning game where players recreate designs using puzzle pieces. Challenges range from simple to complex, promoting visual-spatial skills and quick problem-solving.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It strengthens visual-spatial processing and rapid abstract reasoning.
Ideal for: Grades 2 to 8
Link:
https://amzn.to/489ULqX
The World Game
Description: The World Game is a geography-based strategy game that tests knowledge of capitals, flags, locations, and global facts.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It combines learning with strategy, reinforcing memory and critical thinking.
Ideal for: Grades 3 to 12
Link:
https://amzn.to/4pCs0Jh
Yinsh
Description: Yinsh is an abstract strategy game where players place and flip rings to achieve five-in-a-row sequences.
Why It’s Great for Gifted Students: It enhances abstract thinking, planning, and tactical foresight.
Ideal for: Ages 12+
Link:
https://amzn.to/4phtx7f
