Best games for first graders
10 Best Board Games for First Graders
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Are you ready to start gameschooling? Including games in your family life and homeschool routine brings the opportunity for spending fun quality time together and teaching your kids important skills! These are the 10 best board games for first graders that the whole family can also enjoy!
Each of these games has been chosen because it fits in well with the developmental stage of a first grader. They will offer your 6 and 7 year olds a challenge without being too difficult.
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10 Best Board Games for 6 to 7 Year Olds
Kingdomino
This is one of our favorite games to play as a family. The main game play requires strategy and then at the end, everyone gets to work on their counting, adding, and multiplication skills. This is a game that you’ll enjoy playing for a long time to come because it’s enjoyable for adults too! And there are awesome expansion packs to enhance game play even more!
Catan Jr
Catan Jr is the perfect introduction to the world of Catan for kids! This fun board game takes about 30 minutes to play and teaches kids about trading and strategy. This is another game that your whole family will enjoy playing.
Ticket to Ride: First Journey
The simplified rules & quicker game play (30 minutes or less) make this perfect for first graders. This game also gives kids an introduction to the map of the United States!
Dos
From the creators of Uno comes Dos! A new family card game that is sure to delight everyone, once you get the hang of it! As an added bonus, this will also sharpen math skills!
Zingo
There are 2 versions of this game – Zingo with “sight words” aka basic words that can mostly be sounded out if your kids know phonics. And there is also a Zingo pre-reader game. It’s basically bingo with words, and helps kids sharpen reading skills!
Dino Math Tracks
First Graders are often obsessed with dinosaurs, so this is the perfect game for them! It teaches place value, adding, and subtraction. There are 3 levels of play and it’s a fun educational game.
Do your kids LOVE dinosaurs??? Check out this Dinosaur Unit Study!
Guess Who
This classic game is still great for first graders! It helps kids build their vocabulary & description skills, while also challenging them to ask the right questions to discover who their opponent’s character is!
Gnomes at Night
This fun game works on 2 skills that all first graders need to develop: communication and cooperation! They will work together and give directions to each other to get to the treasure! This is a fantastic game for the whole family.
Cauldron Quest
This is another cooperative game that will develop social communication skills and creative problem solving. This is a game that’s perfect for kids who enjoy magic!
No Stress Chess
Teach your kids the classic game of chess using the incremental steps in the No Stress Chess game! This is also perfect for adults who don’t know how to play chess either. You can learn right alongside your child!
Best Games for First Graders
The 10 games listed above are the best board and card games for first graders. These are games that will sharpen or teach valuable skills while also being fun for the whole family to play together!
I don’t suggest going out and buying ALL of these games at once. Slowly add to your gameschool collection by giving only 1 or 2 games at a time. Start by giving your kids 1 to 2 games as a first day of school gift. Then you can also give them as a gift at birthdays and holidays.
Introducing only 1 or 2 games at a time will allow you to fully learn the game before adding in another.
I suggest having a set time at least once a week to gameschool! Utilizing games in your homeschool (or after school and weekend) time with your kids will create great memories and help your kids develop needed skills all while having fun!
Want More Games? Check Out the 10 Best Games for Kindergarteners (first graders will love them too!)
See More Educational Gifts for 6 Year Olds
More Posts About Homeschooling First Grade:
- Must Teach Subjects in First Grade
- First Grade Homeschool Curriculum
- First Grade Homeschool Schedule
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The Very Best Games For Kindergarten and First Grade
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As you begin learning with your Kindergarten and First Grade child, using games in your homeschool can make a big difference. I have seen so many awesome benefits during the kindergarten and first-grade years with my daughter. Games teach important skills like sharing, taking turns, and how to be a good sport. (Plus if you add a book you have a lazy unit study!)
Have you tried gameschooling in your homeschool? Gameschooling uses board games and card games to teach kids. There are tons of fun things you can learn from card games, trivia games, cooperative games, and more. Today, I’m sharing my favorite games for kindergarten and first grade to encourage reading, math, logic, and more.
Table of Contents
Why Games Work So Well In Homeschooling Kindergarten and First Grade
Have you tried play-based learning with your kindergartners or first graders? It’s all about learning through play. Parents facilitate learning by providing games and activities. Then, let kids decide what to play and for how long.
The benefits of play-based learning and gameschooling are huge! Check out the skills you can expect your kids to develop from this approach in kindergarten and first grade:
- Literacy and language skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Build focus and concentration
- Build confidence and self-esteem
- Fine Motor Skills
- Gross Motor Skills
- Coordination
Strewing has become an especially important part of play-based learning in our homeschool. How do I do it? I set up learning opportunities throughout our home for my daughter to discover and interact with independently throughout the day. Choosing which games to strew and which play-based activities to use can sometimes be tricky.
I use grade level skills checklists for kindergarten and first-grade skills to determine what kinds of activities and games will work best for us. These checklists help me stay on track when it comes to making sure we are getting in all the things I want us to learn throughout the year while still practicing interest-led and play-based learning.
Educational Games Perfect for Kindergarten and First Grade
We love games! Family game night, games my daughter can play independently, trivia games, and so many more are big favorites at the Waldock house. Every year I put together a list of our favorite games. We discover new favorites and resurrect old favorites too.
Along the way we are all learning a lot as we play. Want to see some of our favorite games for kindergarten and first grade? These games will help you get started building important early learning skills, establishing a play-based learning style for your homeschool, and be lots of fun for your family too.
Reading Games
- Pop for Sight Words
- Zingo! Sight Words
- Happy Hats
- Cheese Dip
- Silly Sentences
- Tall Tales
- UKloo
- My First Bananagrams
- Spelligator
Math Games
- Pop for Addition and Subtraction
- Sum Swamp
- Clumsy Thief Junior
- Dino Math Tracks
- Tiny Polka Dot
- Outfoxed
- Even Stevens Odd
- Race to Planet X
- Sums in Space
- Ocean Raiders
- Cloud Hoppers
- Rack-o
Logic & Strategy Building Games
- Race to the Treasure
- Sleeping Queens
- Lion In My Way
- Ticket to Ride First Journey
- Moose in the House
- Chomp
- Spot It!
My Top 5 Favorite Games For Homeschooling Kindergarten and First Grade
I just shared a huge list of games for kindergarten and first grade. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, don’t worry. These are games we have collected over time and it’s a big list. Starting out with play-based learning and gameschooling, choose just a few awesome games to start with that you think your kids will enjoy.
To help you get started, here are my top 5 favorite games for homeschooling during kindergarten and first grade. These are the must-have games for play-based learning in the early years:
- Tall Tales
- My First Bananagrams
- Tiny Polka Dot
- Race to Planet X
- Sleeping Queens
These 5 games offer variations to keep the game new and exciting. There are multiple ways to use these games in your homeschooling adventures throughout kindergarten, first grade, and beyond. I just know your family will love them as much as mine does.
A Bonus Must Have Game For Your Kindergartner And First Grader
And if you can stretch your budget a bit. My daughter highly recommends having Spot It! In your collection too. It is probably one of her favorite and most played games to date. It is small and easy to throw in your purse for those times when you need to entertain a kiddo.
The Value Of Adding Games To Your Homeschool
I want to leave you with a story to help encourage you to play more in your homeschool. During my daughter’s kindergarten year, she was struggling to learn and retain her math facts. Even the simpler ones like 1+1 just didn’t seem to stick. I was frustrated and overwhelmed. So, when my husband suggested we just take the holidays off I agreed.
We spent the next month enjoying time together as a family. We spent the holiday season reading books, playing games, and baking together. Something we would later call Christmas School. When we returned to school after the new year my daughter suddenly knew all of her math facts.
We had spent weeks playing Yahtzee because it is my husband’s favorite game. Simply rolling the dice and counting/adding them up had taught her more math facts in four weeks than the curriculum or I had in months.
That was the moment when I knew that gameschooling would be an integral part of our homeschool!
Looking For More Ideas For Each Grade Level?
A Note From Cait…
Jessica was kind enough to share her favorites with us today and I could not agree more with her choices!
If you are looking for more resources for planning by grade level in your homeschool, you have to check out her new, totally free, skills checklists by grade level.
You can find more from Jessica, including more tips and encouragement specific to homeschooling an only on her site, The Waldock Way.
Jessica Waldock is a writer, photographer, and homeschool mom of one living in sunny Florida. She founded The Waldock Way as a way to give back to the homeschool community that she loves so much. At The Waldock Way Jessica shares tips, tricks, inspiration, and unique resources that help ignite a love of learning in children that will last a lifetime. She inspires families to engage in homeschooling as a lifestyle where relationships come first and interest-led learning prevails. Jessica also has a fabulous collection of unit studies on her website and shares generously on her YouTube channel.
TOP of the best games for children on PC: a review of children's computer games Now you can play at least for a whole day - all kinds of Eyes Protection Safety Eco Mega Super-Puper technologies have made sure that children's eyes do not strain. But how do games affect the gray cells of a fragile child's brain? This question is still open.
We have compiled for you a list of thirty-five interesting and useful games for development. These are the best computer games for kids that will help kids develop various skills or just have a good time. nine0003
Roblox
Genre: construction game, sandbox
Released: 2006
A constantly evolving project in which anyone can create not just their own level, but an entire game. Talented developers make copies of famous arcades, action movies, adventures, or invent their own universes in which you can learn how to build, communicate with other people, or just have fun. The game perfectly develops creative skills.
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
Genre: Platformer
Released: 2018
Nothing teaches reactions better than a platform game, especially a classic one. This is a game in which you have to jump on different types of platforms. Like Crash Bandicoot, for example. A few years ago, games that were released back in the 90s were significantly updated for modern computers. The graphics are clearer and better, the sound is more pleasant, and the gameplay is bringing maximum pleasure. The child will not learn to solve logarithmic equations, but he will understand that it is still worth dodging stones rolling in the face. nine0003
Untitled Goose Game
Genre: Stealth Puzzle
Released: 2018
A game about a bully goose that prevents the villagers from doing their own thing. The malevolent bird either steals the mail, or scares him with his "ha-ha-ha", then makes a commotion in a cafe or breaks the fence of a good-natured man and steals his smoking pipe. Almost all children like to play dirty tricks, but let them do it in the virtual world and under the guise of a goose. Untitled Goose Game has nice graphics and addictive gameplay - you need to be smart and not catch people's eyes. nine0003
Moving Out
Genre: Puzzle
Released: 2020
Moving Simulator Fun is the next game on our list of the best games for kids on PC. It's better to play with friends. Moreover, only a game on one computer is available, that is, a local multiplayer mode. In Moving Out, local laws of physics are observed. Players must stow the sofa, refrigerator and other furniture in the truck so that everything fits and does not scatter in different directions when moving. At the same time, the characters must carefully take everything out of the house, preferably without breaking it. The game teaches that nothing lasts forever and sometimes you have to move. Well, it develops logic, of course. nine0003
Minecraft
Genre: sandbox
Release year: 2011
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An exciting simulator with which you can learn a lot about life. The game develops creative skills (there is a lot to build in Minecraft!) and allows you to learn about the elementary laws of nature and physics (for example, glass is made from sand, wood is mined from felled trees).
If a child gets carried away with Minecraft, then this is not a reason to take him to the doctor. On the contrary, with the proper development of skills, he will be able to take part in the construction of something truly large-scale. For example, a group of enthusiasts has been recreating the planet Earth with large cities in an incredibly detailed form for several years now. nine0003
Stardew Valley
Genre: Multi-Genre Adventure
Released: 2016
A game with nice graphics in which you can do almost anything your heart desires. For example, this is a great way to get your child hooked on working in the country. The plot is built around a hero who inherits a house in a village with land. You can grow different flowers, tubers and whatever you want on it. The harvest is sold or given as a gift to the villagers. Here you can also go fishing, go hiking in the dungeons and even start a romantic relationship. nine0003
Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Genre: Platformer
Released: 2019
Fascinating 3D platform game about a cute little dragon. Reignited Trilogy is a collection of updated games, the first of which was released back in 1998. Beautiful graphics, pleasant music, bright visual effects. All this creates an atmosphere of an interesting adventure, during which the player will have to show logical thinking.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Genre: Adventure
Released: 2022
What kid doesn't love LEGO. Based on the popular Star Wars movie series, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga tells the story of the Skywalkers with bricks and people from multiple building sets. This is a large-scale project that brings together all the films of the saga and allows children to become anyone - from Luke to Chewbacca. It will be interesting for children to be inside the constructor, from which they love to make something. nine0003
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
Genre: Multiplayer Combat
Released: 2020
Children need to be taught that life can be cruel and that it is not always possible to win in it. Fall Guys is a fun multiplayer (which means there are a lot of users from all over the world!) game in which beans with arms and legs run through an obstacle course. The player's task is to get into the top of the best at the end of each round and eventually win. Fall Guys is great for developing reaction and ingenuity. nine0003
Sonic Generations Collection
Genre: Platformer
Released: 2011
Collection of exciting adventures of the blue hedgehog Sonic and his friends. The game is very fast, so a child and even an adult gamer needs to show reaction when passing an obstacle course and collecting Sonic rings scattered around the map. The set includes several games of the Sonic series, re-released for modern computers.
Kingdom Hearts 3
Genre: adventure, action
Released: 2019
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A fun and sometimes dramatic adventure of Disney characters in an unusual world. A Japanese boy named Sora and famous children's heroes like Donald and Goofy will try to find the seven guardians of light and the "key to return hearts". All this is necessary, of course, in order for good to triumph over evil. The game has a lot of dynamic moments, as well as puzzles that will make the young brain work a little. This is very useful! nine0003
Minecraft Dungeons
Genre: Dungeon Adventure
Released: 2020
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A game based on Minecraft, but without the building element. In it, you need to run through different dungeons, beat monsters with a club or sword, and complete other tasks. Looks nice, plays fun. It won't teach kids a lot, but they'll definitely have fun.
Plants vs Zombies
Genre: puzzle, strategy
Released: 2009
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An old and familiar game about protecting your house from zombies. It develops memory (you need to remember which plants can do what), logic (you need to know how best to equip defense) and ingenuity. It looks cartoonish, zombies are not scary, which means that you can play from an early age.
Botanicula
Genre: puzzle
Release year: 2012
Puzzle about five creatures living on a tree. They are trying to save the last seed from the black arachnids. Attractive for both children and adults, the visual style, funny characters and sometimes even complex riddles will definitely keep the child's attention for a long time. And playing this game in the company of a parent will be a great pleasure. nine0003
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
Genre: Puzzle
Released: 2020
Ageless Tetris, but with a twist. There is a storyline with cute characters, several game modes (competitive, with the replacement of classic Tetris details with bright faces). The game develops the speed of thinking, reaction, logic and attention.
World of Goo
Genre: Puzzle
Released: 2008
Logic puzzle about Goo balls, which must get rid of the oppression of a powerful corporation and live freely. At each level, you need to connect the balls so that they form a slender and stable structure. With it, the balls must reach the pipe and go to the next level. An excellent logic puzzle that any child will be interested in coping with. nine0003
Machinarium
Genre: quest, adventure
Release year: 2009
A quest about a robot that ends up in a junkyard and makes its way to the big city — Machinarium. Along the way, he corrects the mistakes of "youth" and even finds himself a faithful companion. The game solves exciting and sometimes difficult tasks. Machinarium is great for playing with a parent - he can peep into the guide for completing levels. This will definitely come in handy - the game is not as simple as it seems. And it has a great effect on the development of logic. nine0003
Leo's Fortune
Genre: Platformer
Released: 2014
A platformer with an interesting and instructive story about a surly hairy ball with a mustache. Leo cared about nothing more than his treasures. But, only after going on a dangerous adventure, he realized that the most important thing is family and good relationships with others. In the course of passing Leo's Fortune, you need to overcome various obstacles in the form of spiked traps or wide abysses that you need to skillfully jump over. The best kids games on PC should also be educational. nine0003
Pikuniku
Genre: puzzle, adventure
Release year: 2019
Bright and exciting game about a living oval with legs. The hero can walk, jump and kick whatever he wants. These skills help him perform various tasks. Pikuniku is not limited to the platform genre. It's a fun story that will require you to play through memorable mini-games. For example, there is a dance battle with a robot and even a basketball game. It has a good effect on the development of ingenuity and allows you to have fun, especially if you read the local dialogues. nine0003
My Friend Peppa Pig
Genre: adventure, puzzle
Release year: 2021
A fun adventure based on the animated series Peppa Pig. It teaches you to treat your friends well and have fun with them. Sometimes he shows that jumping in puddles is also good. Although, this is probably not the best advice for children, unless parents encourage unbridled fun. A definite contender for getting into the top children's games on PC!
Monopoly Plus
Genre: economic strategy
Release year: 2014
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Virtual version of the popular board game. In it, players must buy streets, build houses, and conduct operations to purchase each other's cards. A great way to teach your child how to handle money and conduct important negotiations. The game has bright and pleasant graphics, a clear interface and rules. If anything, adults will help!
Scrabble
Genre: logic game
Released: 2008
Source: SoftPortal.com
A word puzzle game. With "Erudite" the child will replenish his vocabulary and learn to get out of difficult situations. Interesting PC games for kids should also be educational!
Assassin's Creed Interactive Tours
Genre: Interactive Encyclopedia
Released: 2018
In the evening, dad or mom play assassin adventures while battling centuries-old conspiracy theories. And during the day, the child can launch interactive tours of the countries in which the events of the latest parts of the franchise unfold. For example, you can walk around Ancient Egypt from Assassin's Creed Origins. The developers perfectly recreated the local desert beauties and added fascinating facts about how people lived in those days and what kind of buildings they erected to the tour. Informative and interesting! nine0003
Kerbal Space Program
Genre: Simulation
Released: 2015
Space rocket building simulator. It seems to look funny - you need to send some green humanoids - kerbals - into space. In fact, the game has an advanced physics system that simulates all sorts of first, second and third stages, launch vehicles and other smart space things. It’s not possible to take off just like that - you need to show logic and knowledge of the matter.
Super Lucky's Tale
Genre: Platformer
Released: 2017
The easiest PC games for kids are platform games. Jumping and running, especially as a funny fox cub, will appeal not only to children, but also to adults. Tasks need to be solved simple and clear: “how to jump on this thing?” or “how to catch this creature?”. You can try this way and that way and finally achieve what you want. The game will definitely teach you never to deviate from the intended goal, and even slightly develop the logic. nine0003
Rayman Legends
Genre: platformer
Release year: 2017
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One of the most popular representatives of such a funny genre as jump'n'run, which in translation into Russian sounds like "run and jump." The protagonist, resembling a little man, saves fairy-tale worlds from the nightmares that have flooded them. He has friends with whom he cheerfully jumps on platforms and dodges obstacles, such as dangerous spikes. And he also frees babies from imprisonment and enters test rooms to solve witty puzzles. Why not a hero of our time! nine0003
Unravel 2
Genre: puzzle, adventure
Released: 2018
A story about a wicker man. No, this is not a game based on the cult horror movie of the distant 1973! In Unravel 2, you need to control a little man from a thread. And to help another little man, also from a thread. There is no better way to learn how to help each other than by playing a game about two comrades in a difficult situation.
Paw Patrol The Movie: Adventure City Calls
Genre: arcade
Released: 2021
Colorful games for kids on PC are most often created based on popular cartoons or animated series. "Paw Patrol" is one of them! In Paw Patrol The Movie: Adventure City Calls, a child, along with puppies and Ryder, will go to Adventure City, where adventure awaits. You need to run on the rooftops and collect dog food. Or run around the park and collect dog food. Or run... You understand, you need to run, jump and pick up what lies badly. The game is very simple, and with its help you can teach your child to control the keyboard, mouse and even the controller. nine0003
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure
Genre: Adventure
Released: 2020
A game about a girl Alba who came to visit her grandmother and suddenly realized that she needed to save the island and the local inhabitants. This is a bright adventure in which you need to walk a lot in the fresh (albeit virtual!) Air and take pictures of animals. There are no villains or a universal conspiracy here. It's just a sweet adventure on a bright and detailed island, where you can do a lot of good deeds! nine0003
Chuchel
Genre: Puzzle
Released: 2018
A furry hero named Scarecrow must overcome his eternal rival known as Kekel. Scarecrow needs to find a precious cherry! But to do this, he will have to interact with other eccentric characters and solve puzzles: musical and logical. The review of children's games says that this is a bright and exciting game that will delight any child.
Dora in fairyland
Genre: Adventure
Released: 2004
An old but not aging game about Dora, better known to us as Dasha. She is that adventurer with an inquisitive mind. The game will teach you to memorize numbers, solve simple logic problems with geometric shapes and different colors. The characters are beautiful and kind, and the game is great for preschoolers and developing their skills.
Slime Rancher
Genre: Adventure
Released: 2017
Another game with which you can teach your child the delights of country or country life. In Slime Rancher, you play as a farmer who grows slimes on his farm. The territory needs to be improved and developed, treasures need to be sought, money needs to be earned. The graphics in the game are very bright, and the plot is simple.
LEGO City Undercover
Genre: Open World Adventure
Released: 2013
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One of the largest LEGO games, created according to the City line, that is, cities. In it, the child will play as a brave police officer who catches harmful criminals. The game includes numerous LEGO sets that can be found on store shelves. It is allowed to build your own cars and another type of transport, as well as dress up as different people. What does it teach? Good at least. As a maximum - that spending time with LEGO is not such a useless activity!
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair
Genre: Quest
Released: 2019
2D side-scrolling platformer (meaning the screen moves from left to right as the player moves in the same direction). You need to control Yuka the chameleon and Layla the bat. They go through different levels in which you need to collect T.W.I.T. needles and coins, as well as free a member of the Bitalion. It sounds somehow complicated, but in fact this is a fun and easy game that will allow the child to escape from the hardships of the mortal world. nine0003
Cat Quest 2
Genre: Cat RPG
Released: 2019
2D open world RPG adventure. Cat Quest 2 is set in a fantasy kingdom of cats and dogs. There are two kings and one serious problem in history: an endless war between cats and dogs. The child needs to play as a cat and a dog: explore the kingdom, solve riddles, complete various tasks and defeat strange monsters.
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For which games is it not scary to make a child sit down? The best projects for children and their parents - Igromania
There are so many games for children now that you don’t know what to grab onto. Most of them, especially when it comes to mobile projects, are pointless time-killers that, at best, will distract the child for several hours, and at worst, they will also deduct money from your card if you didn’t block in-game transactions in time. And any more complicated titles, parents also have to carefully check for the presence of blood, a dubious plot, adult words and other unpleasant things. nine0003
At first glance, the simplest and safest solution in this situation is to forbid the child to play at all. But games are not necessarily a waste of time and money, and gamer parents know this better than anyone else. And, in the end, it’s simply not fair to block the children’s way to the console or computer, if they themselves perfectly see how dad sits down to play “Tanks” in the evenings, and mom calms her nerves after lights out in some Death Stranding . As you know, it is best to teach by example - and than to wait until the child hears from classmates about GTA , it’s better to show him worthy projects yourself that will entertain and teach something new, and at the same time give the whole family a new way to get closer and have fun together.
In this article, we have tried to collect the best games that you can safely show to children under 10 years old - and they will surely like it. We set this age bar for a simple reason: after ten, the child will probably figure out what he wants to play, but preschoolers and primary school students much need parental help with the choice of entertainment. nine0003
Together behind the same screen
It's best to start your acquaintance with games from projects that support co-op passage on the same screen. So you can immediately show yourself how to properly manage the characters, and at the same time insure the child in especially difficult moments.
Classic 2D platformer Rayman Legends (PC, X360, XOne, XSeries, PS3, PS4, PS5, Wii U and Switch) will open this category. collect bonuses. Rescuing the little ones, you will take turns opening access to new, different worlds (there are six in total). But get ready for the fact that the difficulty will increase with each level, and in the end you will need all the accumulated experience and a good reaction. nine0003
Co-op mode is much easier to play: the dead character continues to fly in the bubble, which can be broken by the second user to bring the loser back into the game. In addition, the game has a competitive mode in the form of a kind of football, and all the levels from the previous game, Rayman Origins, have also been added.
If Rayman gets bored, you can sit down for a series of cooperative cartoon arcade games Overcooked! (PC, XOne, XSeries, PS4, PS5, Switch). There you will hone your skills as a chef, jostling with comrades in a vast kitchen and trying to cook all the dishes on time in order to save the world from the apocalypse in the face of the Pasta Monster (in the first part) or feed the Walking Bread (in the second part). Sound crazy? Plays exactly the same! Due to the peppy and fast gameplay, you will often lose, but there is a positive side to this. Kitchen battles in Overcooked! they will show the child that his personal skill is not enough to win: you need to help others, work in a team and perform tasks correctly. And at the same time they will teach your child that losing is not the end of the world, but just an excuse to try again. nine0003
An alternative to the previous series - Moving Out (PC, XOne, XSeries, Switch, PS4, PS5). This is a cooperative moving simulator with realistic physics, where you play as ridiculous but funny movers. Here you have to learn how to pack things in a van, fight through narrow doorways, fend off ghosts, run away from pets and solve simple logic puzzles. The advantage of Moving Out is that it immediately evokes positive impressions and at the same time is not as crazy as Overcooked! - it will be easier for the child to get comfortable and accept the rules of the game. In addition, children who spent at least a couple of hours in Moving Out will no longer need to be shown for the hundredth time how to neatly fold things in a closet or properly pack a backpack for school. nine0003
Do you want to give your child a chance to misbehave and let off steam, but without having to make repairs after that, blush in front of the neighbors or go on the carpet to the principal of the school? Install Untitled Goose Game (PC, XOne, XSeries, PS4, PS5 and Switch) and help the ugly goose and his friend ruin the life of the poor inhabitants of the English village. More recently, a cooperative mode for two was added to the game, and doing small dirty tricks has become doubly pleasant. With all the outward simplicity of the project, it is incredibly interesting to pass it, and some puzzles will make even adults seriously think about it. nine0003
And the incredibly beautiful puzzle adventure Never Alone closes this category (PC, XOne, XSeries, PS3, PS4, PS5 and Wii U). Unlike all previous titles, this game is made in a completely different tone: it is slower and more reasonable, and instead of frantic running around, it offers to plunge into the magical fairy tale of the Inuit, one of the indigenous peoples of North America. She will show the child how important it is to live in harmony with nature, to respect other people's traditions, culture and customs. In addition, this title is especially suitable for children who are just getting used to the game controls: the parent can play as the main character, the girl Nunu, and the child can play as her playful fox helper. nine0003
It's not scary to leave alone with the game
Here we will talk about games for which you can safely seat children alone, knowing for sure that they will figure out the controls, get new experience and pleasure, and leave their parents alone for a couple of hours.
You know the motto "Brave puppies can do it!", and your child will answer without hesitation who Ryder and his puppies are, and will be able to distinguish Marshal from Rocky or Zuma? Then you should pay attention to the games “ Puppy Squad is ready for business! nine0380" (Paw Patrol: On a Roll) and " Paw Patrol: Mega Pups Save Adventure Bay " for PC, XOne, XSeries, PS4, PS5 and Switch. Even the smallest and most inexperienced gamers will understand these projects: children will be able to control all the puppies, perform simple tasks and explore the main locations from the animated series.
Do you want to develop your child's powers of observation and introduce them to history? Then try to captivate him with Hidden Through Time (PC, XOne, XSeries, PS4, PS5 and Switch) in the Hidden Object genre: objects are scattered across maps with scenes from the Stone Age, Ancient Egypt, the Middle Ages and the Wild West. The game has a funny hand-drawn style, bright picture and cute animation. It is impossible to lose here, but sometimes you have to comb through literally every pixel in search of a particularly insidious element. And when you get tired of looking for items on other people's levels, you can switch to the map editor and draw your own. nine0003
Next on the list we have a sticky "everything simulator" Everything (PC, PS4, PS5, Switch), where you can control literally anything: atoms, stones, microorganisms, plants, insects, animals or even planets. In this very real “sandbox”, you can link objects to each other, change their shape and purpose, or replace one thing with another, creating funny situations. It will be useful for children to study the relationship of various phenomena, the relationship between biological species, but one cannot do without a healthy imagination and the ability to entertain oneself. nine0003
If you are one of those who have already got hold of PlayStation 5 , then try to let your child play its exclusive: pre-installed free Astro's Playroom , where a funny robot travels through the virtual insides of the console (GPU, cooling system, SSD and RAM). It was created to showcase all the features of the new DualSense controller, but it turned out to be a fun and self-sufficient five-hour adventure.
The game constantly offers new ways to interact with the environment through the gamepad: children will blow into it, catch sounds from the built-in speaker, feel its vibration in different situations, fly with a gyroscope and use the touchpad. True, all this quickly discharges the battery, so do not forget to charge it in time. nine0003
And if your child is already familiar with the keyboard and mouse or gamepad, you can complicate the entertainment a bit and offer three-dimensional platform games. Here you should pay attention to multiplatform Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair , New Super Lucky's Tale , Spyro Reignited Trilogy , series Crash Bandicoot part), as well as a brand new exclusive PS4 and PS5 - Sackboy: A Big Adventure .
For the most jumpy
What to do with hyperactive children who are locked in four walls with huge reserves of unspent energy? When it’s cold and coronavirus outside, there is no access to sports sections and other active entertainment due to quarantine, but you want furniture, pets and parents’ nerves to remain safe and sound, the best solution is Just Dance .
Any game from the series is suitable here: joint (or even solo, as soon as the child understands the simplest interface) dances, a lot of ridiculous and funny movements, a lot of fun and complete depletion of irrepressible children's energy are waiting for you after an hour or two of active jumps. True, if you are missing 40-50 tracks included in each annual release, you will have to subscribe to a paid service Just Dance Unlimited, which has already collected more than 500 songs in all possible musical genres.
You can play not only with the help of special controllers (for XOne - Kinect, for PS4 - PS Camera or PS Move, for Nintendo Switch - joysticks), but also with a regular smartphone, where the application Just Dance Controller is installed. Just make sure that the latter has a protective case: not even an hour will fly out of children's hands.
LEGO World
In LEGO Series has dozens of games for every taste and color: they all provide almost the same gaming experience, but please with local co-op, convenient controls, low difficulty, good replayability and good humor.
Don't look for major differences between titles, just choose the setting that your child and you like best: " Batman", "Harry Potter", "Indiana Jones", "Star Wars", "Jurassic Park", " Avengers", "Pirates of the Caribbean", "Lord of the Rings", "The Hobbit" ... The list is long, but if you don't have any special preferences, we recommend starting with the more recent ones: DuckTales , Turning Miracles , Black Cloak , Chip and Dale , Aladdin and The Lion King , but modern children will be interested in slightly different games. Let's talk about some of them.
Rush Adventure with Disney Pixar (X360, XOne, XSeries and PC) will immerse you and your child in the world of cartoons such as The Incredibles , Ratatouille, Up, Cars and Toy Story . In split screen mode, you will control familiar characters and play through various mini-games (15 in total): you will have to run, swim, fly, fight bosses, solve simple logic puzzles, ride cars, collect coins and reveal secrets. By the way, it's impossible to lose.
Disneyland Adventures (X360, XOne, XSeries and PC) will give you almost the same experience as the previous game, only this time you will walk around Disneyland, located in the US city of Anaheim. You can visit rides and carousels, complete fun tasks from Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Mickey Mouse, Peter Pan, Mowgli, Baloo, Aladdin, Beast, Winnie the Pooh, fight Captain Hook, make friends with Buzz, jump with Tigger, save Goofy and etc. nine0003
If your child loves cars, but it's too early to show him or her Need For Speed , Forza and Grand Turismo , it makes sense to pay attention to " Cars 3: To Win " (PC, X360 , XOne, XSeries, PS3, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Wii U and Switch). A very easy difficulty level has been added to the game, where you don’t have to think about rivals at all, and local co-op for four. There is no plot as such, and all progress is built on tests, for the completion of which you will gradually unlock new modes, tracks and characters. There is also a spacious location "Thomasville Playground", where you can freely ride and complete all kinds of tasks. nine0003
Role-playing adventure « Brave » (PC, X360, XOne, XSeries, PS3, Nintendo Wii) will give the child control of Princess Merida, who deftly wields a bow and sword and solves simple logic puzzles with the help of her cub brothers . There is a simple leveling of the character, a brave and brave heroine, as well as a sincere story about the importance of family, mutual understanding and the ability to forgive.
Universe of Nintendo
A closes the article with a selection of games available only on branded consoles from a rather exotic universe for our latitudes Nintendo.