Learn about diabetes the fun way.
Quick, playful games that help children, teens, families and schools feel confident with Type 1 diabetes, from spotting a hypo to counting carbs.
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Symptom SorterLow, high or get help? Sort the signs fast.Play now →Your trophies
Growing up with Type 1 🌱
Every age brings different challenges for children, families and the people who care for them. Tap a stage to see what makes it hard, what helps, and which games practise those skills.
Spotting it earlyThe first signs are easy to miss, and children can become very unwell quickly.
⚠️ What makes it hard
- The 4 Ts (Toilet, Thirsty, Tired, Thinner) can look like a bug, a growth spurt or a busy term.
- Many children are already in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) by the time Type 1 is diagnosed.
- Families have to learn a huge amount in the first few days.
💡 What helps
- A same-day finger-prick glucose test when any of the 4 Ts appear.
- Short, repeated learning in the first weeks, not everything at once.
- Knowing it is nobody’s fault: Type 1 is autoimmune, not caused by diet.
Tiny doses, big swingsBabies and toddlers can’t tell you how they feel, and eating is rarely predictable.
⚠️ What makes it hard
- A hypo can look like a tantrum, clinginess or sleepiness.
- Small children need very small insulin doses, and a little goes a long way.
- Fussy eating makes it hard to match insulin to food, and night-time worry breaks parents’ sleep.
💡 What helps
- A glucose sensor (CGM) with alarms that can be shared with a parent’s phone.
- Pumps and closed loop systems that can give very small, precise doses.
- Training for everyone who looks after the child: nursery staff, grandparents and babysitters.
Sharing the careFor six hours a day, teachers, dinner staff and coaches are part of the diabetes team.
⚠️ What makes it hard
- PE, playtime, parties and school trips all change glucose.
- Staff change every year and need to know the signs of a hypo.
- Children want to do things themselves but still need a safety net.
💡 What helps
- An individual healthcare plan agreed with the school. In England, schools must support pupils with medical conditions.
- Hypo treatment always close by, and never sending a child with a hypo to the office alone.
- Building skills step by step, like reading food labels and counting carbs.
Hormones, independence & feelingsPuberty changes the body’s insulin needs just as young people take on more of their own care.
⚠️ What makes it hard
- Puberty hormones make insulin work less well, so doses often need to go up.
- Missed doses and diabetes burnout are common, and the risk of DKA rises.
- Worries about weight can lead to disordered eating, including skipping insulin. Exams, parties and alcohol bring new decisions.
💡 What helps
- Regular check-ins on emotional wellbeing and diabetes distress as part of routine care.
- Technology such as hybrid closed loop systems to share the load.
- Teamwork, not blame: a glucose reading is information, not a test result.
Taking the wheelMoving from children’s to adult services is a big step for young people and their families.
⚠️ What makes it hard
- Young people can lose touch with care when they move to adult clinics.
- University, work and living away from home, often without a parent nearby.
- New rules and risks: driving (DVLA), alcohol and nights out.
💡 What helps
- A planned move with a young adult clinic and a named contact.
- Practising self-management well before the move.
- Peer support from other young people with Type 1.
Topics follow the areas covered by the ISPAD Clinical Practice Consensus Guidelines and UK guidance from the NHS and Diabetes UK. This is general learning, not a care plan.
Daily challenges 📅
A little learning, every day. All three challenges refresh at midnight UK time — come back tomorrow for a new set!
A Day with Sam
A different adventure every day. Help Sam make six diabetes care decisions.
📅 Daily · 6 minReady todayTeens & parentsCarb Detective
Crack three food-label puzzles. Can you count the carbs in today’s portions?
📅 Daily · 3 minReady todayMyth or Fact? 🤔
3 new ones every day, with 90 to discover. Keep your streak going!
📅 Daily · 2 minReady today
Carb Detective 🔎
Daily · 3 puzzlesRead the label, check the portion, crack the case! Labels show typical UK values for each food. Choose realistic adult portions or children’s portions for ages 5–11. Brands and recipes vary, so always check your own food packaging.
Learn the method: Diabetes UK: counting carbs. This puzzle does not calculate insulin doses.
Sources: typical values from McCance and Widdowson’s Composition of Foods (CoFID 2021), adjusted to the basis used on food labels. Adult portions from the British Nutrition Foundation’s “Find your balance” portion guide. Children’s portions from the Caroline Walker Trust’s “Eating well for 5–11 year olds”, sized for an average child of that age. Every child’s needs differ, so follow the plan from your diabetes team.
Play anytime 🎮
These games are not daily challenges. Practise as often as you like and try to beat your best score.
Symptom Sorter
Low, high or get help? Sort the signs against the clock.
🎮 Anytime · 4 minEveryoneHigh or Low GI?
Drag bread, rice, pasta and potatoes into the right box.
🎮 Anytime · 5 minEveryoneFood Groups
Carbs, protein, fat and fibre: what do they do to glucose?
🎮 Anytime · 5 minTeens & parentsClosed Loop Pumps
Meals, exercise and staying safe on a hybrid closed loop.
🎮 Anytime · 6 minTeens & parentsParent Skills
Hypos, ketones, sick days and when to get help.
🎮 Anytime · 5 minParents & carersAsian Food Choices
Pick the better everyday swap: breads, rice, snacks and sweets.
🎮 Anytime · 4 minEveryoneFor diabetes teams, schools & clinics 🩺
Recommend a game in clinic, use one in a school training session, or put the poster up in the waiting room. Every game ends with links to trusted guidance.
| Game | Topics practised |
|---|---|
| 🚦 Symptom Sorter | HypoglycaemiaHyperglycaemiaWhen to get help |
| 📈 A Day with Sam | SchoolExerciseCGM trendsHypo treatment |
| 🧭 Parent Skills | Sick daysKetones & DKASevere hypos |
| 🔄 Closed Loop Pumps | Insulin delivery technologyExercisePump safety |
| 🔎 Carb Detective | Carb countingFood labelsChildren’s portions |
| 🥗 Food Groups · 🍞 GI · 🥘 Food Choices | NutritionGlycaemic indexCulturally diverse diets |
| 🤔 Myth or Fact | 90 statementsDiagnosisWellbeingTravel |
Scan to playFree on any phone, tablet or computer. Works offline once installed, and can be shown in 10 languages.
Useful links & further reading 📚
Explore the topics in our games with trusted UK information for young people, families, carers and school staff. Links open in a new tab; most resources are in English.
Type 1 diabetes basics
Understand Type 1 diabetes, treatment and everyday care.
Read more (opens in a new tab) Diabetes UKFood & family life
Food information for parents of children with Type 1 diabetes.
Read more (opens in a new tab) Diabetes UKEating & carbohydrates
Explore food choices, balanced eating and carbohydrate counting.
Read more (opens in a new tab) Diabetes UKClosed loop technology
Learn how hybrid closed loop pumps and glucose sensors work together.
Read more (opens in a new tab) Breakthrough T1D UKSupport at school
A school pack for parents, carers, teachers and school staff.
Read more (opens in a new tab) Breakthrough T1D UKLiving with Type 1
Find practical guides and support for life with Type 1 diabetes.
Read more (opens in a new tab)Quick diabetes training for the whole team
Grandparents, babysitters, coaches and teachers: share a 5-minute game so everyone knows how to spot and treat a hypo.
💡 For learning only. Everyone’s diabetes is different, so always follow your diabetes team’s advice. Scores are saved only on this device.