Brain Builders

A game about understanding your brain, for ages 4 to 10.

Codes come from the Center for Optimal Brain Integration. A school or trainer without one can contact us.

For grown-ups

This educational game was developed based on the award-winning children's book Understanding My Brain: Becoming Human(E)! by Julie Kurtz, M.S. As children learn more about how their brain works, it enables them to make better choices and decisions to feel safe, find calm, and be healthy.

Brain Builders turns the ideas in Understanding My Brain: Becoming Human(E)! into an interactive learning experience. After pressing Start Here, four animal friends introduce the four parts of the brain and their jobs. Then, in each story, a child helps Maya through the Brain Team’s four steps for when feelings get big: Pause, Scan, Regulate, Solve.

1. Tips for Adults at School or Home

Read Tips for Adults first so the adult/caregiver/teacher can learn more about partnering with children to enhance learning about their brain and behavior using this educational game for children ages 4–10.

2. Explore Start Here Button

Teaching children about the brain is an important place to start their journey in learning about Themselves, their Behavior and Making Healthy Choices. After learning about the brain, children can practice with the adult/teacher/caregiver by walking through each vignette.

3. Digital Media and Technology Disclaimer

For children under age 10, a top priority is to limit time spent with digital media and prioritize meaningful relationships, active play, and time outdoors. However, when used intentionally and alongside an engaged, caring adult, educational media can enhance learning and support children’s development.

We are committed to creating engaging, developmentally appropriate educational experiences that help children build the social-emotional skills, self-awareness, and resilience they need to navigate challenges, strengthen relationships, understand their brains and behaviors, and thrive in everyday life.

Brain Builders opens with an access code. Schools and trainers can contact us for one.

Please note. The information in this game is for general educational and entertainment purposes only. The Center for Optimal Brain Integration and Julie Kurtz make no representations about the accuracy or completeness of the content. Nothing in this game constitutes professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making any decisions based on information you see here.

Children's privacy. Brain Builders has no accounts and asks for no names or other personal details. Progress and settings are kept only in the browser being used, and we keep no record of what a child does in the game. An access code sets one cookie that identifies the licence, not a person, and we count how often each code is used and when it was last used, with nothing about who used it. As with any website, our servers receive routine technical information, such as an IP address, when the game loads its pages and voice clips; we use it only to run the site and to limit repeated wrong access codes, not to identify anyone. Read our Privacy Policy or contact us with any question.