Ok, maybe not you, but your kids.  Big Fish Games offers free 1 hour downloads of its games and you can then choose to purchase the ones that you like.  A new game is added each day, so there's always something new to try. Some of these games I've already reviewed on my webpage, but I thought I'd share them here as well.  Some games are so new I haven't had time to add an review. 

Merriam Webster's Spell-Jam -This game was just recently added and I downloaded it just this week.  It's actually the reason I decided to post this entry.  It's a Spelling Bee style game!  You get words to spell via audio and you can click the letters or type in the answer.  I thought it would be really fun for those of you who have been following the National Spelling Bee competition.

Wild Thornberrys Australian Wildlife Rescue - This games requires you to consult your field guide to determine what the best course of treatment is for each animal you rescue.  You must also read up on what your rescued animal likes to eat and collect the correct food from the surrounding territories.  The games does require a lot of reading but my children have learned a lot about Austrailian wildlife since we bought this game.  Note: Even though the game is called the "Wild Thornberry's" there's no sign of these Nickolodean charaters in the game.  The only "characters" are the animals you rescue. 

Diego's Dinosaur Adventure - Diego is definitely the star of this game as are dinosaurs.  Both my 3 year old and my 6 year old have enjoyed this game which they are able to play independently.  There are a variety of different "games" that you can play.  Download the free trial and see if your kids enjoy it too.

Professor Fizzwizzle - This game is still a little too complicated for my 6 year old to advance very far.  The game requires you to strategically place barrels and other items in order to get through a specific game screen.  Doing so assist you in completing a puzzle.  The game also includes a level editor so you can make your own challenges.  Because this game is intended for a slightly older child, we only downloaded the free trial.  It is a game that I plan to revist when my son is older.  I enjoy giving him problems to solve and when the problem is disguised as a game, he doesn't mind solving it!

LEGO Bricktopia - This is a number of so-called ball and bat games.  The basic game is to launch a ball or some other projectile which then knocks out blocks, bounces down and if all goes well hits your "bat" and bounces back up to knock out more blocks.  My son really likes them all but this one has a interesting twist.  As you knock out the blocks, some are LEGO pieces that you can collect on your bat and periodically "store".  These saved bricks then are used in the bonus round to build LEGO objects.  In the bonus round you are given a series of objects to build and have to drop your saved bricks into the correct position to build the items.  It's much more difficult than it sounds and I believe helps to develop problem solving and spacial awareness skills.  (That is if I could ever drop a brick in the correct place!) 

We just recently tried LEGO Fever which I like even more.  I confess, the "story" behind the game is pretty lame but the logic skills required to make it through the levels can be quite challenging.  It's not too hard to get through a level, but each one has an "expert" goal such as saving 3 extra people or finishing in 5 moves or less.  The limited move puzzles are the most challenging because to achive the expert level you really  have to think about how you are going to get to every goal on the screen before taking any action.  To view LEGO Fever along with all the other games specifically for kids click: HERE 

(Note- some of the kids games use characters you might not care for such as a certain ocean dwelling guy named "Bob" )

Ocean Express - This is one of several puzzle games in this style. The object is to fill the cargo hold of your ship with tangram style shapes, maximizing efficiency.  Each cargo hold is shaped differently and the shapes that must be loaded arrive in random order on a coveyor.  I found it to be fun and challenging for my six year old and myself. 

I also like SandScript, BookWorm, Flip Words and Word Crispies(spelling games) and TangleBee (requires problem solving).  I am personally addicted to Peggle but its not really educational unless you count trying to aim your ball correctly as an important skill to learn. LOL!  The site has just recently added Boggle as well.  I haven't had time to try Boggle yet but hope it will be a good option for helping my kids get more interested in reading.

Since we are all computer geeks here at my house, we purchased a Game Club pass in order to spend less per game.  But if you don't want to commit to purchasing a specified number of games you may still find opportunities to save by checking the website.  Different games are offered at 50% off from time to time- you just have to watch for the ones you want. 

Note: These games are linked via my Big Fish Games "ID" so if you do decide to purchase one I might get a credit.

For free online games you can visit the HWTK Links for Schooling-Learning Games page.  On this page I've assembled a long list of websites that offer all kinds of games and there's a brief review of each site too!

 It's summer- enjoy!

If you are really a fan of games, you might also want to take a look at Real Arcade. I am an affiliate but I've not signed up yet myself because we have the Game Club through Big Fish and even *I* can see that two game clubs is excessive.   But, if you do give them a try, you can get two games free.  Here's a link:  Get two games FREE with GamePass