Brain Quest
Bestselling question-and-answer card decks and all-subject workbooks from Workman Publishing for toddlers through 7th grade. Brain Quest Workbooks cover Pre-K through 6th grade, Smart Cards run from age 2 to 7th grade, and Summer Brain Quest bridges grades.
What is Brain Quest?
Brain Quest is a line of question-and-answer card decks and all-subject workbooks published by Workman Publishing, part of Hachette Book Group. The brand calls itself "America's #1 Educational Bestseller." It covers toddlers through 7th grade with Smart Cards, grade-level Workbooks, Summer Brain Quest, math workbooks, handwriting books and board books.
The idea is simple: make grade-level practice feel like a game. Workbooks are full of short activities, and the card decks ask quick questions kids can answer anywhere.
How it works
A Brain Quest Workbook is a thick, colorful book for one grade. The revised 1st grade workbook, for example, has 320 pages covering ABCs, phonics, spelling and vocabulary, time and money, maps, science and more. Newer editions add a technology section on computer science, coding and logic. Section openers explain each topic for parents, and a sticker progress map, a completion certificate and a mini Smart Card deck come inside.
Smart Cards come as two decks in a flip-top box. The 3rd grade set has about 1,000 questions and answers across math, language arts, science and social studies. A parent or sibling reads the question, and the answer is on the back.
Summer Brain Quest workbooks cover the gap between two grades. Most families do a few pages a day.
What it covers
| Product | Grades | Price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| My First Brain Quest board books | Toddlers | Varies |
| Smart Cards | Ages 2 through 7th grade | $12.99 |
| Brain Quest Workbooks | Pre-K through 6th | $12.99 |
| Math Workbooks | Pre-K through 2nd | Varies |
| Summer Brain Quest | Between Pre-K and K through between 5th and 6th | $12.99 |
| Workbook plus deck sets | Pre-K through 6th | $25.98 |
Workman says the workbooks are aligned with national and state standards and reviewed by award-winning teachers.
Who it's best for
Brain Quest fits families who want cheap, fun review: summer practice, car-ride quizzes, or a quick daily warm-up. Homeschoolers often use it to check what a child knows or to fill a quiet half hour.
It is not a full curriculum. It reviews more than it teaches, so a child who is stuck on a concept needs real instruction from a program like Evan-Moor teacher resources or a complete homeschool curriculum. For more structured, skill-by-skill workbooks, compare Spectrum Workbooks.
Pricing at a glance
As of October 2026, Brain Quest Workbooks, Smart Card decks and Summer Brain Quest books each list at $12.99 on the publisher's site, and workbook-plus-deck sets cost $25.98. Other retailers often charge less.
Can a scholarship or ESA pay for it?
Often, as supplementary material. Arizona's ESA law lists "curricula and supplementary materials," and Florida's PEP handbook lists instructional materials and curriculum as eligible. Each program decides, and some may require purchases through their own marketplace. See our ESA and scholarship guide or the Arizona and Florida pages.
Save Brain Quest to your wishlist on Edulist, then apply once to programs that may cover it.
How it compares
- Spectrum Workbooks focus on one subject per book with step-by-step practice and chapter tests.
- Evan-Moor offers daily practice books and homeschool bundles that go deeper in each subject.
- Education.com provides printable worksheets and online games by grade.
Find more in early learning, kindergarten homeschool curriculum and elementary homeschool curriculum, or try our free worksheets.
Who Brain Quest is for (and who it isn’t)
Best for
- Summer practice to prevent learning loss
- Screen-free review in the car or while traveling
- Quick daily warm-ups alongside a homeschool curriculum
- Checking what a child knows at a grade level
Look elsewhere if
- Families needing a complete homeschool curriculum
- Children who need explicit, step-by-step instruction in a skill
- Middle and high school students beyond 7th grade
Brain Quest pros and cons
Pros
- Inexpensive at $12.99 per book or deck
- Covers many subjects in one book
- Card decks are portable and work without screens
- Aligned with national and state standards, per the publisher
- Workbook extras like sticker maps keep kids motivated
Cons
- Review-focused rather than a full teaching sequence
- Only goes to 6th grade (workbooks) and 7th grade (cards)
- Standards alignment follows typical public school sequences, which may differ from your curriculum
What’s included
- Brain Quest Workbooks for Pre-K through 6th grade, about 300 pages each
- Smart Cards: two flip-top Q&A decks with about 1,000 questions per grade
- Summer Brain Quest workbooks for the summers between Pre-K and 6th grade
- Math workbooks (Pre-K to 2nd) and Learn to Write handwriting books
- Progress sticker map, completion certificate and mini card deck in workbooks
- Technology section introducing computer science, coding and logic
- My First Brain Quest board books for toddlers
Brain Quest levels
| Level | Grades | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| My First Brain Quest and Smart Cards for Twos and Threes | Pre-K | Board books and card decks for toddlers on ABCs, numbers, colors, shapes and first words. |
| Pre-K and Kindergarten | Pre-K–K | Workbooks, Smart Cards, math workbooks and Learn to Write books for early skills. |
| Grades 1–6 | 1–6 | All-subject workbooks and Smart Cards covering language arts, math, science, social studies and technology. |
| Grade 7 | Grade 7 | Smart Cards only; workbooks stop at 6th grade. |
How much does Brain Quest cost?
As of October 2026, Brain Quest's site lists the revised grade-level Workbooks at $12.99 (the 1st grade workbook is 320 pages), Smart Card decks at $12.99, and Summer Brain Quest workbooks at $12.99. Website-exclusive sets pairing a grade's workbook and deck are $25.98. Prices at other retailers vary.
| Plan | Price | Billed | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain Quest Workbook (one grade) | $12.99 | One-time | — |
| Brain Quest Smart Cards (one grade) | $12.99 | One-time | — |
| Summer Brain Quest workbook | $12.99 | One-time | — |
| Brain Quest Set: workbook plus deck (website exclusive) | $25.98 | One-time | — |
Free trial: No trial; these are one-time book purchases.
Prices from the provider, checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site.
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Brain Quest FAQs
What ages is Brain Quest for?
Brain Quest spans toddlers through about age 13. My First Brain Quest and the Twos and Threes decks are for little ones, workbooks run from Pre-K through 6th grade, and Smart Cards go up to 7th grade.
Is Brain Quest a full homeschool curriculum?
No. The publisher describes the workbooks as reviewing and reinforcing what children learn in class. Homeschoolers usually use Brain Quest as a supplement for review, summer practice or quick checks alongside a full curriculum.
How many questions are in Brain Quest Smart Cards?
The grade-level Smart Card sets, such as 3rd grade, include two decks with about 1,000 questions and answers in math, language arts, science, social studies and technology, in a reusable flip-top box.
What is Summer Brain Quest?
Summer Brain Quest workbooks cover the summer between two grades, from between Pre-K and K up to between 5th and 6th.
Is Brain Quest aligned to Common Core?
Workman says the workbooks are aligned with national and state standards, and the Smart Card decks are aligned with Common Core State Standards and vetted by award-winning teachers.
Can an ESA pay for Brain Quest?
Workbooks are often an allowed supplementary material. Arizona's ESA law and Florida's PEP handbook both cover these kinds of materials, but each program sets its own rules. Save Brain Quest to your Edulist wishlist and check programs in your state.
Sources and last checked
Checked 2026-10-13 against these sources: