Ginger Dawn, Breeder and Heroes games
Play these free online games and explore more about genes and inheritance
How well can you breed organisms, match up DNA base pairs or keep the red hair population going? Click on the links below to find out.
The games were created as part of the Routes project (an eight-week game from Channel 4 Education in association with the Wellcome Trust).
Ginger Dawn
The gene that causes red hair is inherited in a recessive fashion, which means that both parents must carry it to have a red-haired child.
Play Ginger Dawn and boost the population of red-heads without getting up from your computer.
Breeder
Adopt an organism and start breeding. Mate with other organisms but choose your mates carefully – offspring inherit some of the features of their parents, but not always the features you want.
Play Breeder and create lovable offspring without long-term commitment.
DNA Heroes
The bases, A, T, C and G are drawn along the strands in time with the music. Press the 1, 2, 3, 4 keys as each base moves over the marker to match your base pairs.
Play DNA Heroes and create as many base pairs as possible to grow your DNA strand, and your score.
Related resources
Further resources and activities about genetics and genomics
As well as our ‘Big Picture’ content, the Wellcome Trust has funded many other organisations that produce the following activities and resources to engage and educate young people about genetics and genomics
Lesson idea: National DNA Database
Should everyone in the UK be added to the National DNA Database?