More parents are looking for ways to keep their kids entertained. Because of the current global-scale pandemic, children’s mental health is often affected. Imagine not being able to go outside and play with their friends. This is a scary thought for parents, and just like you, I wanted to deal with this the best way I could possibly think of. Kids can get so bored and (sometimes) they start behaving badly because of lack of stimulation. This is a tough transition, but I think we should embrace it and make the best of it. For now, part of our activities includes playing games (lots of it) after school. In between classes, we do some arts, play some family board games, and the day won’t be complete without trying out different games online.
The Importance of Choosing Age-Appropriate Games for Your Child
The safety of your child is your number one priority, so I understand how difficult it may be to monitor what they are being exposed to. It’s important to find age-appropriate games for kids so they are not being exposed to content that may be inappropriate for them. Video games are a great way to keep your children entertained and their minds stimulated, but you need to know what you’re allowing them access to in order to prevent any accidents.
I have to be honest – I was never the strict type when it comes to screen time. I let her watch videos on a given schedule. She can play video games, as long as I’ve approved of it. With that being said, I make sure that I closely monitor the game that my 7-year old daughter plays and make sure that she won’t be exposed to anything that’s not appropriate for her young mind.
Solitaire, Card and Mind Games: Our Top Picks
If you’re just like me who is struggling to find ways to keep your child entertained, I’d like to share some of our favorite games that you may want to try too! Solitaire.org is a browser-based platform that lists a wide variety of card and puzzle games. It doesn’t contain any advertisements, making it less distracting and invasive for young children.
Solitaire
This is a classic – and you know it. It’s the best card game to play if you want your child to develop hand-eye coordination and practice colors, numbers, and shapes.
Solitaire is a game that has been around for centuries and it is finally catching on with kids today. This game can teach your child patience, time management skills, and even improve their memory.
Did you know that there are even different types of solitaire, other than the classic one we typically know of? I didn’t! It was fun exploring and learning about the other solitaire games with my daughter.
Pirates and Treasures Hidden Objects Game
Pirates and Treasures is a great game – especially if your child loves to look for hidden objects. It’s very engaging and it stimulates their mind as they search for items that are secretly hidden in the background. It helps them develop their critical thinking skills, and it’s a great game to help improve your child’s observation.
There are other hidden objects games found on the website, but this is our personal favorite! My daughter fancies pirates and everything else in between, with a difficulty that seems just right for her age.
It’s simple – look for the hidden objects within the given timeframe. You get points when you find an item, and you lose 5 seconds if you get an item wrong.
Zuma Legend
Connect 3-in-a-row games are perfect for kids. They are not too difficult, but it’s still challenging enough to keep them occupied and engaged with the game. There’s something nostalgic about Zuma Legend – this was one of my favorite games back when I was a kid. The objective of the game is to match three balls of the same color and take them all out before they get dropped off at the hole at the end of each map.
Zuma is a puzzle game that primarily requires strategic thinking and fast reactions. This can be a great strategy game for kids to play. It’s challenging, but not too complicated where it might get them frustrated. This is the part where you can also teach your child a little bit of geometry. The child gets to have some fun, while they learn something new. Win-win!
Candy House
Think Candy Crush – but for kids. If you’re looking for a game where your child can practice their color identification, this is a pretty fun game to get started with. Candy House is such an adorable match-three puzzle that will keep your little one occupied as they try to piece together the candy house by matching three or more of the same candies in order to clear them from the board.
This is a fast-paced matching game that’s fun and engaging for kids – just like the other games, I mentioned above! The candy house also has different levels to keep your child occupied, and each level gets harder as they progress through it. This can teach them cause and effect too.
Daily Sudoku
This is another game that I used to play on my phone back when I was breastfeeding my daughter. Daily Sudoku is a number puzzle game that requires the player to fill in numbers based on clues provided until there are no empty boxes remaining.
Sudoku has different difficulty levels – so you can choose which one suits your child best! You may also want to start with the easiest difficulty and work your way up to more challenging levels.
Sudoku is a great logic game that also helps improve mental math skills, memory recall, and problem-solving abilities – all of which are important for kids as they grow older.
Word Search Puzzle
Word search puzzle is a classic game that kids of all ages can enjoy! It’s a great way to improve your child’s vocabulary and spelling skills. It’s also a great game to help them improve their observation skills, as they need to search for the words quickly without getting distracted.
Managing Your Child’s Gaming Time
Even though some of the above-mentioned games are great for improving your child’s critical thinking, problem-solving, and memory recall skills – it’s still important that you practice moderation when allowing them to play computer games. At the end of the day, video games are still a form of entertainment, and it can be easy to get carried away with them.
– Set time limits on how long your child will play the game per day.
– Challenge your child to complete a task in the game before they get another chance.
– Play video games together as a family (even the ones which are not mentioned here) and set up milestones that you can all work towards, such as reaching the next level or completing the next questline!
Finding Video Games for Your Child’s Age Group:
If you’re looking for video games that can help your child improve their problem solving, critical thinking, and memory recall skills as they grow older – here’s a list of video games for different age groups.
Preschool children
Puzzles, coloring books, or any other form of entertainment where the objective is to have fun! This type of game will not only keep them occupied, but it will also help your child improve their creativity and imagination.
Elementary school children
Learning games that can teach them colors, shapes or letters! Anything educational is a good choice at this age. Parents should always supervise what kind of video games their kids are playing to ensure they’re not being exposed to anything inappropriate for the age group they’re in.
High school children
Fast-paced games that require quick thinking and problem-solving skills! This is a great way for your child to improve their mental math, memory recall abilities, and decision-making.
Conclusion
Cards and puzzle games are a great way to develop your child’s critical thinking skills. They help children learn how to problem solve, analyze complex ideas in order to make the best decisions for themselves or others that may need their assistance. Just do it in moderation, and just enjoy and have fun!
Aine Austria is a content creator, freelancer, entrepreneur, essential oils educator, nacho lover, and mom to an adorable daughter. She helps aspiring mom bloggers and entrepreneurs launch their blog, alongside other money-making opportunities. Aine believes that everyone has a story to tell and that their experiences and talents can be shared with the world.
Aine’s passion for writing and sharing her knowledge with others started at a young age. Growing up, she always loved to read books, write stories, and express herself through words. She strongly believes that moms can still pursue their dreams and passions while raising a family, and she aims to inspire other moms to do the same through her work.
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