We have developed simulation tools to teach the concepts of Newtonian physics in a survey course that communicates key physics concepts without the use of mathematical formalism.  The goal was to work with metaphor and visualization, as happens already, for example, when describing black-hole mergers in an introductory astronomy course. There are many strategies to explain the nature of space–time without resorting to tensor calculus but the simplicity of Newtonian mechanics seems to have discourage the development of similar explanatory tools for more everyday situation, and we decided if this helps students understand key ideas in physics.

• The overall approach was described in a Physics World op-ed.
• A simulator for a simple Air Hockey game let students compare an idealised model to real world collisions.
• These rules are implemented in a Newtonian gas simulator – which allows students to see the emergence of Maxwell-Boltzman statistics and Brownian motion
• Github source code