Computer Games for Kids Handpicked by Our Editors

Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver Versions
Age 7+
4

Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver Versions

Why We Recommend It

It's two games in one. But wait, there's more! A pedometer lets kids rack up points by walking.

Read our full review
How to avoid video game meltdown: Get a Wii!

Online games, computer games, and console video games can be very frustrating for young players because they simply don't have the coordination required to succeed. But the Wii revolutionized gaming with its easy-to-use controls. There are also many games that the whole family can play together.

A great place to start: Remember that good gaming habits start early. Pick age-appropriate games and set time limits.

Game Reviews

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New Game Reviews for Kids (ages 5-8)

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The Daring Game for Girls (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, Nintendo Wii)
Parents Need to Know...

that The Daring Game for Girls is a fun and wholesome experience for young girls. It is, however, based on the book, The Daring Book for Girls, that is featured heavily in the game, and if your daughter has not already read the book, she ... read more

Age 8+
The Daring Game for Girls
4
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Bermuda Triangle: Saving the Coral (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that Bermuda Triangle: Saving the Coral is a match-three puzzler with a gentle environmental theme about helping coral reefs flourish while protecting them from human and environmental menaces. The content is completely innocuous; this ... read more

Age 8+
Bermuda Triangle: Saving the Coral
3
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Sonny with a Chance (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that Sonny with a Chance is based upon the Disney Channel tween series of the same name, and that it is really only fans of that series who will be interested in playing the game. They should also be aware that, like all DS games by ... read more

Age 8+
Sonny with a Chance
3
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Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver Versions (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that Pokemon HeartGold and Pokemon SoulSilver are two slightly different versions of the same game. Each version contains some exclusive creatures that kids can "capture" and then trade with friends who also have one of the ... read more

Age 7+
Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver Versions
4
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Deca Sports DS (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that Deca Sports DS is a completely different game from either of the Deca Sports titles available for the Nintendo Wii. If your children have played the Wii versions and liked them, this DS version is likely to appeal to them as well. ... read more

Age 8+
Deca Sports DS
4
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SpongeBob's Boating Bash (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, Nintendo Wii)
Parents Need to Know...

that SpongeBob's Boating Bash is no ordinary racing game. While some of the events involve crossing a finish line, the vast majority involve crashing your vehicle into those of your opponents. As it is a SpongeBob game, the action is all ... read more

Age 7+
SpongeBob's Boating Bash
3
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Lovely Lisa and Friends (Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that Lovely Lisa doesn't only exist in the world of this video game -- she's a popular Japanese doll as well. However, Lovely Lisa and Friends never appears to be trying to sell Lovely Lisa toys (which are not even readily available in ... read more

Age 6+
Lovely Lisa and Friends
3
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Imagine Reporter (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that Imagine Reporter is a game for girls that allows them to play simple mini-games that act as analogs for real-world reporter tasks, such as photography, interviewing, note-taking, and copywriting. The story is filled with strong ... read more

Age 8+
Imagine Reporter
4
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Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll (Nintendo Wii)
Parents Need to Know...

that Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll is a game of high-speed navigation and one that few young children will excel at from the get-go. While the controls are very intuitive and easy to learn, there's a great amount of steadiness and ... read more

Age 7+
Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll
4
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Bejeweled Twist (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, Windows)
Parents Need to Know...

that Bejeweled Twist is an addictive matching game that will be incredibly appealing to kids who love puzzle games, but may come off as too repetitive for kids who tend to require more action or plot in their video games. There's an outer ... read more

Age 8+
Bejeweled Twist
4
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Family Party: 30 Great Games Winter Fun (Nintendo Wii)
Parents Need to Know...

that Family Party: 30 Great Games Winter Fun is a collection of Wii mini-games. The array of real-life Winter Olympics style events are mixed together with fantasy games. For younger children, it might be important to make the distinction ... read more

Age 7+
Family Party: 30 Great Games Winter Fun
2
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Ultimate Party Challenge (Nintendo Wii)
Parents Need to Know...

that this active multiplayer party game requires a Dance Dance Revolution dance mat controller in order to play. Families who don't already own a DDR game for their Wii will need to spend $20 more on the purchase of Ultimate Party ... read more

Age 8+
Ultimate Party Challenge
4
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Playmobil Knights (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that despite the fact that this game is based on the innocent looking Playmobil toys, it does contain fighting and violence. That violence is all very muted and never graphic but it does create a disconnect between the age of kids playing ... read more

Age 8+
Playmobil Knights
4
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World Party Games (Nintendo Wii)
Parents Need to Know...

that this silly collection of international-themed mini-games presents kids with a parody of global culture, not the real thing. Kids should not go into this game expecting any sort of multicultural enlightenment. It is possible that some ... read more

Age 8+
World Party Games
3
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Simplz: Zoo (Mac, Windows)
Parents Need to Know...

that Simplz: Zoo, a match-three puzzle game with zoo simulation elements, is a downloadable game for PC that hasn’t been rated by the ESRB. However, it is very family friendly. There is no sex, drugs, violence, or anything else that ... read more

Age 8+
Simplz: Zoo
5
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Dreamer Series: Teacher (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that while the title Dreamer Series: Teacher sounds like a simulation game about being a teacher, the activities performed by the teacher in this game have absolutely nothing to do with education. Playing as a teacher, you child will get ... read more

Age 7+
Dreamer Series: Teacher
2
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Learn Chess (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that this instructional chess software covers pretty much every teachable aspect of the game. Learn Chess is a very demanding course of study, despite its fun, cartoony environments. Kids will need a lot of patience and a long attention ... read more

Age 8+
Learn Chess
4
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Dreamer Series: Zoo Keeper (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that Dreamer Series: Zoo Keeper is an animal care simulator that might feel a bit more like an actual job than a video game. It's not just about playing with the animals and watching them frolic, as some zoo games are; in this one kids ... read more

Age 8+
Dreamer Series: Zoo Keeper
3
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The Travels of Wiglington & Wenks (Windows)
Parents Need to Know...

that this is an educational online game for kids with a monthly subscription. Targeted toward kids 7 to 12, this massively multiplayer online game features simplified history and geography information. Although not rated by the ESRB or ... read more

Age 7+
The Travels of Wiglington & Wenks
4
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Vancouver 2010 (PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360)
Parents Need to Know...

that Vancouver 2010 is a standard Olympics game branded to help promote the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Its modest selection of events will likely prove educational for players unacquainted with the rules of sports such as ... read more

Age 8+
Vancouver 2010
3
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Reader Rabbit Kindergarten (Nintendo DS)
Parents Need to Know...

that Reader Rabbit Kindergarten is an entertaining educational game on the Nintendo DS that actually speaks to your child. The game offers eight educational games set inside a fun adventure. The difficulty level on the games adjusts ... read more

Age 5+
Reader Rabbit Kindergarten
5
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