Kids Computer Games Recommendations

“Kids Computer Games Recommendations Ages 8-12”

I can recommend GREAT kids computer games for ages 8 – 12 even though my oldest is 7. Why, you ask? Well OK — since I had him on my lap playing games since he could sit up — I guess he’s a bit advanced and can play games for older kids. When I was 7 I had PONG on a HUGE machine that took up the whole coffee table. I was ecstatic as I watched that little blip go across the screen and thought I was the most technologically advanced kid ever to play it so well. Well, I moved onto my Vic 20, Commodore 64 (WOW — that computer STILL blows my mind!) and eventually to the PC’s. I have taught kids computers on both the Mac and PC. I still LOVE computer games and am always looking out for new cool ones for myself as well as for my kids to play. The only rules I have are “no blood and guts” and it has to have some kind of educational value. My favorites are ones that are so clever the kids don’t even realizing they are using their brains.

Firstly I want to say that some of the games mentioned in my previous posts are also good for this age group. So if you haven’t checked out my reviews for 5-8 year olds I suggest you have a look. Particularly at the Spy Fox Games as well as The Incredible Machine Games.

Onto the new stuff…. Zoombinis Logical Journey is a WONDERFUL game. If you look at the reviews on amazon you will be amazed to see not a negative word can be said about the game — it really is brilliance. Since I wouldn’t be able to put it better myself, here is a clip from the amazon.com review:
“Adored by educators and parents alike, Zoombinis Logical Journey challenges children to employ such basic fundamentals of mathematical thinking as organizing information, reasoning of evidence, finding and making patterns, and systematic testing of hypotheses. The journey follows four puzzle-filled trails, each exploring related mathematical ideas. The fundamental data and variables for all this work are the variations in the Zoombinis’ features. Their “feet,” for example, can be shoes, skates, whirligigs, or coiled springs (the sound effects for these items are particularly great), while their “eyes” may be heavily lidded, enhanced by eyeglasses, blocked by dark shades, or limited to just a single eyeball. Sorting and arranging these variables in order to solve puzzles requires concentrated effort from the players, and the game rewards them well with inventive scenarios that evolve in fabulously curious ways as skills are gained. This may not sound like much, but when Arno the Pizza-Eating Tree Troll, who has been yammering for the perfectly topped pizza his entire lifetime, suddenly demands a perfectly topped ice cream sundae, too, it is a staggering, giddy surprise.”

Hoyle Puzzle & Board Games is a GREAT collection of classic games. The characters you can play with are entertaining and you can change whether you want them to talk to you constantly or just “be quiet and play”. You can also choose cool backgrounds, music and either choose a pre-made character or use the face creator to create someone who looks like you or anyone else you choose to look like! This includes 45 classic games such as backgammon, chess, checkers, battleship and also offers crosswords, sudoku and my favorite, “word yachtzee” where you have a certain amount of time to make as many words out of the 10 letters as possible. This collection of games truly is fun for the WHOLE family.

I LOVE adventure games. Yes, still do. Nancy Drew offers a series of adventure mysteries that have great graphics, sound and are challenging. You are Nancy Drew are have to walk around talking to various characters gathering clues in order to solve the mystery. These are for kids that used to these kinds of games otherwise you might have a frustrated child on your hands! If you want to sit with your child and get involved in the movie-like adventure with them — these are the games for you! My favorites are Nancy Drew: Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon and Nancy Drew :Message in a Haunted Mansion. We still have a few to try and I can’t wait for Christmas! : )

Next are the Mia Games. These have a little mouse on an adventure and games relating to that subject (Math, Reading, Science, Language). They let you pick different levels according to age so it is challenging but not impossible. The graphics and sound are beautiful. Mia is a cute character — her voice is a little too cutesy for me and I was pleasantly surprised my son didn’t write them off as “girly games” because of it. They have tons of great puzzles as well as games to keep you going until the adventure is solved. My son’s favorites which I promised him I would mention are: Mia’s Math Adventure: Just in Time and Mia’s Reading Adventure: The Search for Grandma’s Remedy.

These prove there are fun, educational, non-bloody entertaining games out there for your children as well as for you to enjoy!

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