Judging from the email I receive and the reviews on Berit's Best Sites for Children, kids love online games.
To be quite honest, in the past I haven't listed many game sites in my directory. I used to have a slow modem connection and a beloved old computer which didn't handle the whiz-bang Shockwave and Java games on the Web very well. I avoided online games because I found them unbearably slow and frustrating to play.
Now, I have a new Internet connection and computer—a different story all together. I've been checking out kids' games, playing them and having a ton of fun! I see why you like them so much.
Online Arcade
Kids' Web sites have lots of games to offer—arcade games, educational games, adventure games and puzzles too—something for everyone.
Zeeks offers at least a hundred games. You can choose from board games, arcade games, card games, brain teasers, puzzles, gadgets, mindless fun, plus games for math, science, and language arts. I really like this site. It lists which browsers and versions each game works with and what plug-ins are required. Every game also has a help page with instructions and a page of reviews by kids. I like seeing what other players think, and if the reviews are positive I am more likely to persevere trying to play a game. To find which games you'd like to play, you can sort them by popularity and subject, and see the five most popular games.
If you like arcade games Kiddonet is another good site to visit. I've only tried a few games here but there are lots to choose from, such as speed-testing games, sports games, board games, holiday games, and thinking games. Kiddonet Jr. offers early learning games for younger children.
Educational Adventures
While arcade games are fun, I get kind of tired of them because many are alike and require similar skills and tactics. I have to admit that I am just not quick enough to get very far in arcade games. I am determined to practice, and hopefully improve.
For online fun I prefer adventure games. I enjoy making decisions, figuring out clues, and learning as I go. Adventure games take longer to play than arcade games, but I find their content more varied and interesting.
The Ways of Knowing Trail is an educational Web adventure from the Brookfield Zoo. In this game you will join a group of African kids on a journey through the Ituri Forest to find the village of Epulu. Your decisions, based on your companions' advice, will guide your journey. On the way, you'll learn about the ecology of the rainforest and how to see the forest in different ways. This is a well-designed Flash game which features lots of animations and sounds.
The Kinetic City Cyber Club, a great site that I came across a couple of years ago, has recently been revamped. Here, the American Association for the Advancement of Science presents science mystery adventures featuring a cast of cool kids and their trusty supercomputer. Throughout the games, there are activities, quizzes and experiments to do. If you register, you can keep track of your game points. The numerous past adventures are also available in the Jukebox and the Official Case Archive. The first adventure game I played was "That Sinking Feeling or The Case of the City Under the Sea" and I have returned to play other games since then. These games take a bit of time and they can be challenging but I think they're engaging and lots of fun. This site requires Flash 5.0 it now advertises AAAS products.
ArtEdventures are an interesting and fun way to learn about the principles behind art. In "Leonardo's Workshop" you travel back in time with Carmine Chameleon to reverse changes in history made by a nasty villain. By exploring Leonardo's room you'll learn about perspective, his inventions, paints, and the importance of observation. You can help put the color back into paintings in "Color Theory vs. Dr. Gray and his Dechromatizers" once you learn about the color wheel, depth, symbolism, and other concepts. New ArtEdventures are added periodically by the Sanford art supply company.
What Else Is Out There?
The Kids' Domain Online Games section is a good place to start when you're looking for games. Kid's Domain has been around for a long time and began by reviewing kids' shareware games. It has expanded a lot since then and now includes links to lots of online games. Categories include games that don't require any special plug-ins or software, games that require Shockwave or Java programs to be on your computer, multi-player games, brain games, and more. Games are arranged alphabetically for "younger kids" and "bigger kids".
Another site with lots of links to online kids' games is Bonus.com. When the Bonus.com NetScooter window opens click on "Play" to get to the games page. You'll find games created by Bonus.com, as well as links to games off-site. There are arcade games, alien games, multi-player games, word games, sports games, monster games, mazes, creative games, and so on. Each game is reviewed and special features noted.
Playing is Hard Work
One of the perks of my job is that I need to "test" games before I add them to Berit's Best Sites for Children. For me, playing games is fun, yet it is also an important part of my job to evaluate and review kids' sites.
As always, I am focusing on game sites specifically geared toward children. I often receive suggestions for generic games sites that are for grown-ups. While they might also appeal to kids, I can't guarantee that all of the games on these sites are suitable for kids. I am particularly concerned with the violence in some online games, as well as computer and video games.
Before I add a game site to Berit's Best Sites for Children I like to try a few games myself. I want to make sure that they actually work, that they aren't impossibly difficult, and that they are suitable for children.
As I mentioned earlier, your computer is one factor that seriously influences how well a game performs. Nowadays, most online games use Shockwave, Java or Javascript. These games are loaded onto your computer all at once, and then you actually play them on your computer. If you have a slow Internet connection, it can take a long time to load. If you have a slow computer then the game will also play slowly.
Games that use special software usually have links to a place where you can download this software. I find that I keep having to download newer versions too, which is kind of a pain. Before you download anything onto your computer ask a grown-up if it is okay. They can help you download and install programs successfully, and help you avoid viruses from being transmitted to your computer.
What are your favorite children's game sites? Let me know.
Berit's Browse is where Berit highlights her favorite sites on various themes and discusses her opinions and observations about kids' sites and kids on the Internet. The column is also a great place for to cover topics that you are interested in. Let her know what you'd like to read about!