The website FreeRice.com consists of several interactive, educational games. All are ad-sponsored and free to play, but what differentiates FreeRice from other ad farms is the fact that the revenue generated goes toward purchasing rice for the UN World Food Program. The idea is admirable enough to make the site worth trying, and the fact that the games are both highly addictive and genuinely educational will bring you back to visit again.

The default game is a vocabulary drill which asks you to match a given word with its closest synonym out of list of four words. The game starts out with middle school level vocabulary, but when you answer the questions correctly, you will soon find yourself learning new words. If you miss a word, it will be repeated several times so that you have a chance to learn it. The point-and-click simplicity of this game makes what amounts to a set of vocabulary flashcards surprisingly addictive.

By clicking on "change subjects" (above and to the right of the current vocabulary word), you will be taken to a screen that allows you to select a different educational game. The current offerings include famous paintings, chemical symbols, English vocabulary, English grammar, geography, French, German, Italian, Spanish, pre-algebra, and multiplication. The content is created by the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, which means that the information in the games has been validated for academic credibility.

Students taking a particular subject, such as pre-algebra or Spanish, will find the drills helpful for honing academic skills and improving grades. As a non-student, I enjoyed the famous paintings drill the most, since it involves looking at colorful, high-quality images of famous works of art and matching them with the artist. Many of the paintings are familiar favorites, and many are new to me, but all of them are beautiful. As I played the game, I soon found that I was able to identify the artist based on the look of the painting even if I had not seen a particular painting before. By viewing different examples of an artist's work, the player soon gets an intuitive feel for each artist's unique style.

Part of the beauty of FreeRice.com is how easy it is to start and stop playing. One can easily visit the site, answer a few drill questions, and then get back to work, which makes FreeRice.com perfect for taking a short mental break. There are no irritating load times; the site runs smoothly. Because games are played with only the mouse, you can play while sipping your favorite beverage.

FreeRice.com is not the only website of its kind. Other charity ad farms like FreePoverty.com and FreeKibble.com use their advertising revenue to aid worthy causes, while drawing in visitors with free games. What makes FreeRice.com stand out from other "click to donate" sites is the high quality of its content. Visiting FreeRice.com will not only aid those in need, but will enrich your mind as well. Visiting FreeRice.com gives you a chance to both further your own education and help end world hunger, and best of all, you can do it on your coffee break.

Learn more about this author, Raven Lebeau.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Website reviews: Freerice.com?
We want to hear your view. Write now!