What computer games do your children enjoy?

[tree_hugger]

I'm fine with computer use in moderation. I have three boys ages 5, 8 and 10.

What games do your children enjoy? I would like games that are educational and challenging, without the children knowing it. :giggle

Roblox and Minecraft are current faves here.

Thanks if you can help! :)

[jandjmommy]

DS 7 loves the kid MMOGs. Lego Universe (basic is free now) is his very favorite. It isn't technically educational, but it has helped him learn to spell words like maelstrom :)

[mystweaver]

I just googled most of my favorite educational computer games and discovered that they aren't compatible past Windows 2000.

Excuse me while I retreat and feel old. :sigh :giggle

If you can find Clue Finders or anything by the Learning Company compatible with your computer, those are great. Some of them are a little obvious in their educational approach (Spellbound, anyone?), but they're all very fun. MathBlaster by Knowledge Adventure also falls into the in-your-face educational but really fun (puzzles and some old-school arcade style games).

Sid Meier's Civilization series could be good for your 10 year old if he's into strategy-based games. I learned a decent amount of history through osmosis with that (though the newest versions aren't as learning-friendly on the history front).

The Magic School Bus games are excellent (and very subtle), but again, hard to find versions compatible with new computers.

[cro]

My boys (9&6) love the games on www.coolmath-games.com (http://www.coolmath-games.com)

---------- Post added at 11:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:53 AM ----------

ETA - My 6yo LOVES the Mystery Case Files series. They combine i-spy, reading, puzzles, and problem solving. :tu DH and I got the games for us as they are quite challenging, but ds took such a liking to them. fwiw, my 9yo just isn't into computer games so much.

[mountainash]

Fantastic Contraption (http://www.fantasticcontraption.net/)
Fantastic Contraption 2 (http://www.sparkworkz.com/fc2/)
PBS Kids (http://pbskids.org/games/index.html)
Starfall (http://www.starfall.com/)
BBC Literacy (http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/literacy/)
Magic Schoolbus Games (http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/)
Schoolastic Games (http://www.scholastic.com/parents/play/games/)
Knowledge Adventure (http://www.knowledgeadventure.com/online-kids-games.htm)
Lego Games (http://www.lego.com/en-us/games/default.aspx)
Knee Bouncers (http://www.kneebouncers.com/) (for toddlers)

[LisaMarie]

We like jumpstart.com and mathblaster.com too! :)

[doubleblessings]

My kids are enjoying Carmen Sandiego right now. Learning lots of geography etc. We have an old CD of DH's, but I have seen them on ebay etc. We got a program called DosBox (http://www.dosbox.com/) to run it. That might work for other older games as well.

We also do Bookworm Adventures (we have the downloaded version, but you can try it out with the online version here (http://www.popcap.com/games/bookwormadventures/web?mid=bookwormadventures_pcweb_en_full). It is good for spelling and vocabulary practice. You are killing monsters by spelling words, so beware if that is something that bothers you.

MagicPen – a physics game (draw things and gravity reacts – trying to get a ball to the flag
http://magic.pen.fizzlebot.com/magic-pen.swf
magic pen2 http://www.physicsgames.net/game/Magic_Pen_2.html

Somewhat similar to magic pen
Paintball (not about the shooting game kids play now ) paint a path for the ball to get to the magical square
http://www.addictinggames.com/paintballthegame.html

Addemup - this one is an adding game
http://www.mathsisfun.com/games/addemup.html

[bliss]

I SPY. And I spy fantasy. And I spy treasure hunt. And I spy spooky mansion. And I spy spooky mansion DELUX which, apparently, "you would think would be just like I spy spooky mansion regular but it's totally not, there's like three different puzzles so I need it too". And I spy school days.

Noticing a theme here? :shifty :giggle