If you’ve ever needed a quick activity that actually gets kids thinking, this connections game has become one I reach for again and again. It’s one of those online learning tools for kids that works especially well with upper elementary through high school, and you can easily tweak the difficulty depending on the group.

We started using this style of activity on days when worksheets just weren’t cutting it. Grouping words by theme or idea pushed my son to think a bit deeper, especially with subjects like history and science where making connections really matters.

You can jump straight in with one of the ready-made puzzles, or put together your own in a couple of minutes using whatever topic you’re covering. Once it’s set up, just share the link and students can play on their own devices, which makes it ideal for classrooms, homeschool lessons, or even quick review sessions.

It’s one of those simple activities that doesn’t need much prep, but still feels like a proper learning win.

How to Play the Connections Game

Start by opening a game, either pick one of the ready-made puzzles or use a link that’s been shared with you.

Each puzzle shows a grid of words. The aim is to sort them into groups of four that share something in common. Some connections are straightforward, while others need a bit more thought, which is where the challenge comes in.

Select four words you think belong together, then submit your guess. If you’re right, that group locks in. If not, you can try again and look for a different connection.

You can jump straight into one of the ready-made games for a quick start. They’re designed to be used as they are, but you can also adjust them to better match what you’re teaching.

It works well as a short warm-up, a review activity, or something students can work through independently or in small groups without much setup.

Create Your Own Connections Game

If you want something more tailored to your lesson, you can quickly put together your own version.

Start by choosing a topic, then add groups of four words that share a clear connection. This could be anything from science vocabulary and historical events to grammar rules or book themes. The key is making sure each group has one strong, consistent link so students can work it out logically.

Once your groups are set, the game will mix all the words together into a grid. From there, it works exactly the same as the ready-made versions.

When you’re happy with it, just share the link with your students. They can open it on their own devices, which makes it easy to use in class, assign for independent work, or revisit later.

If you’re short on time, you can always start with one of the pre-made games and tweak it slightly instead of building from scratch.

Ways to Use This in the Classroom or Homeschool

This is one of those activities that’s easy to slot into the day without much planning, which is probably why it’s become a regular go-to for us.

It works really well as a warm-up at the start of a lesson. A quick puzzle gets students thinking and focused without feeling like you’re jumping straight into work. It’s also useful at the end of a topic as a light way to review key ideas without pulling out another worksheet.

For subjects like history or science, you can build puzzles around vocabulary, events, or key concepts to help reinforce what they’ve already learned. In English, it can be used for things like synonyms, genres, or character traits.

If you have more than one student, it’s great for small group work too. They naturally start discussing their choices, which often leads to deeper understanding than working alone. That said, it works just as well as an independent activity when you need something meaningful but quiet.

On days when attention is starting to dip, this has been an easy way to keep learning going without it feeling like more of the same.

More Interactive Learning Games

If this works well with your students, there are a few other quick activities that follow a similar idea but with a different focus.

The writing prompt generator is great for getting ideas flowing, especially when students are stuck or reluctant to start. It gives them a clear starting point without overthinking it.

For something a bit more fast-paced, the online Scattergories-style game works well. It’s ideal for vocabulary, spelling, and thinking on the spot, and it can easily be adapted for different subjects.

These types of random games work nicely alongside each other, especially if you’re planning a full lesson or just want a few low-prep options ready to go.