Circuit Diagrams
Read circuit diagrams and decide what lights up, from bulbs to Ohm's law.
Circuit Diagrams begins with a question every young engineer asks: will the bulb light? The child studies a battery, wires and a bulb, and decides whether the loop is complete. From there the game introduces the standard symbols for batteries, switches, resistors and bulbs, then asks what happens when switches are opened or closed.
The middle levels compare series and parallel circuits, including what happens to the other bulbs when one is unscrewed. Older students then use Ohm's law to find current, voltage or resistance, add up resistors, and read ammeters and voltmeters. It builds from a first look at circuits toward real calculations.
What children practice
- Decide whether a circuit is complete so the bulb lights
- Name the symbols for a battery, switch, resistor and bulb
- Tell open circuits from closed circuits using switches
- Compare series and parallel circuits when a bulb is removed
- Use V = IR to find current, voltage or resistance
- Find total resistance and place ammeters and voltmeters correctly
Levels
- Level 1: Will the bulb light?
- Level 2: Name the symbol
- Level 3: Open and closed circuits
- Level 4: Series or parallel
- Level 5: Ohm's law
- Level 6: Series and parallel values
How it works
- Six levels run from will the bulb light to series and parallel values.
- Five right answers and the practice timer unlock the next level.
- A wrong choice shows a try again message, and your child can pick another answer.
- Every question has a speaker button, and a correct answer comes with a short explanation.
Best for: A good fit for grades 4 to 10, from a child meeting circuits for the first time to a student practicing Ohm's law.
Tip for parents: Try it with a flashlight at home: take out a battery or flip the switch, and ask your child to predict what the circuit diagram would look like. Real objects make open and closed circuits click.
Questions parents ask
Does Circuit Diagrams include math?
Yes, in the higher levels. Level 5 uses Ohm's law with volts, amps and ohms, and Level 6 asks for total resistance in series or parallel circuits and for readings on ammeters and voltmeters. Levels 1 to 4 need no calculation.
Can a fourth grader use it?
Yes. Level 1 only asks whether a bulb will light, and Level 2 teaches the symbols. A younger child can enjoy those levels and come back later for the series and parallel questions and the calculations.
How does the game explain series and parallel circuits?
Level 4 shows two bulbs and asks whether they are in series or parallel. It also shows one bulb unscrewed and asks what happens to the other, so children see the difference through cause and effect.
Ready to try it?
Circuit Diagrams is free with a parent account. A parent adds a child profile, and the child's progress is saved.