"Up to Ten" features over 1,300 free games for kids on the most-visited independent kids website in the world (as of February 2011). The games here all require Flash and are very flashy -- perfect for young kids, as their attention will be held by the cute animations. The section of "coordination" games is particularly good for young learners, as the games teach computing basics. Try "Pick a Pretty Bunch of Flowers," a simple game where kids have to pick daisies within a time limit, or the click-and-drag mouse game called "A Word for a Picture."
"The Idea Box" is another website that provides games and educational resources for parents with young children. The 80-some game ideas listed are not all online games; some are just ideas for games to be played in real life, like the "Bus Stop Backpack Game." This game requires some work from you, but gives your kids something fun to do while waiting for the bus: a Velcro tic-tac-toe. The "Idea Box" also has printable coloring pages and craft ideas for rainy days.
The DS is a kid-friendly video game system. Its portability appeals to kids, and the touch-screen stylus input system lets children do kiddie things with it, like draw and color. Developers have begun to design games that are simple enough for preschool and kindergarten-aged kids, including My Virtual Tutor, a reading game for for kids. Games rated "EC" for the DS are approved for early childhood; the rating applies to the content and also the ease of play. Other EC-rated games: Freddi Fish and Friends, The Wonder Pets and Ni Hao, Kai-Lan.
Designed by a parent so that her daughter would have easy access to games and fun websites, "Pratt's Educational Resources" includes a links page with sections for online stories, dress-up games and miscellaneous online games from different providers, including Disney, PBS Kids and more education-minded sources like "Literacy Center." Pratt's has a special section for Spanish-learning games, including the Disney Latino Playhouse, which features dozens of fun games for young kids in Spanish.