A photo of four students in a group, smiling and looking happy

Digital Citizenship Week is October 14–18!

Join thousands of teachers and students worldwide and celebrate in your classroom!

13 TOOLS

Mind Mapping and Brainstorming Apps and Websites

Sometimes students just need a place to get ideas out of their heads and make them a reality. Whether it's through a corkboard, a mind map, a flowchart, or sketches on a whiteboard, students can make their concepts into something usable. When kids are able to express their creativity in this way, it can lead to true problem solving and innovation. These picks give teachers and students ways -- alone or in groups -- to generate and organize ideas that refine and reinvent the traditional graphic organizer.

Kidspiration Maps

Versatile easy-to-use graphic organizer for early elementary

Bottom Line: A tool teachers and kids can use in every subject area.

Grades: K–3
Price:
Paid

Popplet

Minimalist mind mapping to organize ideas

Bottom Line: Easy-to-use idea organizer can help with simple mind mapping.

Grades: 1–12
Price:
Free, Paid

Text 2 Mind Map

Basic tool helps kids see how concepts relate

Bottom Line: Text 2 Mind Map can be used as a helpful organizational tool, but would be stronger with additional content and added security.

Grades: 3–12
Price:
Free, Paid

Lucidchart

Intuitive editor helps users create and share dynamic visual diagrams

Bottom Line: Students and teachers can use this tool alone or collaboratively to build and share stunning, effective visuals that stretch thinking.

Grades: 4–12
Price:
Free, Paid

Mural - Visual Collaboration

Multifaceted interactive whiteboard promotes collaboration

Bottom Line: Mural facilitates lesson presentation and group project collaboration from anywhere by making idea sharing a simple, visual process.

Grades: 4–12
Price:
Free, Paid

Coggle

Creative, visual mind-mapping tool makes brainstorming a cinch

Bottom Line: Simplicity is the key with Coggle: Students can create elaborate mind maps and brainstorms in a matter of minutes, and the collaboration options are a nice bonus.

Grades: 5–12
Price:
Free, Paid

Inspiration Maps VPP

Versatile mind-mapping tool offers many options for organizing ideas

Bottom Line: Inspiration Maps can help students learn to organize information, a skill they will find invaluable in school and in life.

Grades: 5–12
Price:
Free to try, Paid

MindMeister

Powerful mind mapper aimed at adults, simple enough for older kids

Bottom Line: Sophisticated productivity tool enhances learning and organization with simple dashboard and slick workspace.

Grades: 5–12
Price:
Free, Paid

Stormboard

Collaborate, brainstorm in real time with easy-to-use online whiteboard

Bottom Line: A versatile, full-featured online brainstorming collaboration tool that can facilitate small-group projects.

Grades: 5–12
Price:
Free, Free to try, Paid

Corkulous Standard

Brainstorm, organize, and present on this tidy virtual corkboard

Bottom Line: This visually appealing, simple-to-use corkboard is most useful with Pro upgrade.

Grades: 6–12
Price:
Paid

Prezi

Multimedia presentation tool features useful templates and 3D zoom

Bottom Line: With its zoom in and out capabilities, Prezi helps teachers and students go beyond traditional presentations to put important content front and center.

Grades: 6–12
Price:
Free to try

Miro

Interactive whiteboard lets users brainstorm, organize, and collaborate

Bottom Line: This beautiful and collaborative platform is useful for everything from workflow tasks to creative expression.

Grades: 8–12
Price:
Free

Figma

Cool collaborative whiteboard has pro features, school-ready templates

Bottom Line: With some good scaffolding and class ground rules, it can be a slick, flexible tool for digital collaboration.

Grades: 6–12
Price:
Free, Paid

Related Content

Video
Tips for Great Group Work in the Classroom
Resource
Giving Everybody a Stake in Collaborative Group Work
Resource
Group Work Roles That Promote Shared Ownership
Video
How to Encourage Active Viewing with Popplet