Games

PBS Kids
http://www.pbs.org/kids/
An interactive site for kids, ages 2-12. Has received high ratings in many Web reviews. Provides information about many PBS children's programs.

Maya & Miguel . Home (English) | PBS Kids GO!
http://pbskids.org/mayaandmiguel/english/friends/maya/index.html

Prongo Fish Game
http://www.prongo.com/fish/game.html
Ages 3-6
Create your own fish tank. Great for kids learning to use the mouse or for kids who just want to be creative. Click on fish in the bottom of the tank and then click in the fish tank.

Maze Games
http://www.prongo.com/maze/index.html
Ages 3-6
Pick a maze and use your mouse to draw your way to the center.

Drag and Drop Game
http://www.prongo.com/drag/index.html
Ages 3-6
Drag the pictures to the correct word box.
Great for kids learning to read

Kids Ranch Coloring Book
http://kidsranch.org/games/coloringbook/coloringbook.htm
Ages 6-9
Choose pictures and color with your mouse

Top Web Games
http://www.topwebgames.com

Riley's Off Road Race
http://www.kidscom.com/games/rileyrace/rileyrace_flash.html
Ages 4-15
Use keyboard arrow keys to avoid crashes.

Riley's Hoop Fever
http://www.kidscom.com/games/rileyhoop/rileyhoop_flash.html
Ages 4-15
You have 60 seconds to make 10 points.

Special Agent Undercover
http://www.fbi.gov/kids/games/undercover.htm
All ages
Bobby Bureau is about to go on an assignment. Your job is to create an effective disguise.

Flash Games
http://www.flasharcade.com

Shockwave Games
http://clevermedia.com/arcade/

Shockwave Games
http://shockwave.com/sw/home

Ezone Games
http://www.ezone.com

Ice Shots
http://www.kidscom.com/games/iceshots/iceshots.html
Ages 4-15
Help Riley score as many goals as you can against the opposing team.

Race carts 500
http://www.kidscom.com/games/kc500/kc500.html
Ages 4-15
Build a race car.

Kids Ranch Games Asteroids
http://kidsranch.org/games/games.htm
Ages JH and above
Use the keyboard controls described below to maneuver your ship, destroying as many asteroids as you can while avoiding collision with them. Also watch for the flying saucers armed with guided missiles.

Party Top
http://www.partytop.com
Action, adventure, puzzle games, humor, links.

FBI Kids and Youth Page
http://www.fbi.gov/kids/games/games.htm
Age: Kindergarten - 12th Grade

Happy Puppy
http://www.happypuppy.com/
Ages: All Ages
Games of Happy Puppy. Happy Puppy provides users with hundreds of computer games that can be downloaded for a free trial period as well as games that can be purchased. Be aware that while generally light hearted in appearance and content, some of the games are of the graphic "shoot ëem up" genre. On the other hand, educational titles and games for young children also are available.

Kids Com
http://www.kidscom.com/home_flash.html
Games and Writing. Ages: 4-15. Commercial site with advertisements.
This site has promise. An easy-to-understand graphical interface leads children from one area to the next. The games are fairly simple but fun for younger children (one even teaches Internet safety). Every week the site holds a writing contest in which children write stories about things like a "a bear who lives in Canada and wears a hat.

While advertisements are sprinkled through the sites, they are clearly marked with a cute little bug so that children know it is a commercial. On the negative side, advertisements pop up that take over the entire screen and some questionnaires can ask detailed questions (remind your children of Net Rule #1). Also, the languages options, Spanish, Dutch, and French, were just vaporware - software that does not exist or work as advertised - at the time this site was reviewed.

Kids' Space
http://www.kids-space.org/
Ages: 3 - 12 Writing, Music and Graphic Arts.
A truly international site, Kids Space is a well-designed place for children to get to know one another. Children can listen to recorded music and songs from other children in different languages. They also can send in their own recordings. Still in development, the site has the first stages of a music exploration program in place. Kids will be able to try out different instruments and learn how music works.
Another area takes a unique approach to pen pals. Children post drawn pictures and leave their name, age, city and country of origin, and an e-mail address. Other children then look at the pictures and write short stories about them. For example, a picture of a fire truck prompted another child to write a story about a fireman saving him. The stories are posted alongside the pictures for everyone's entertainment.
If your child decides to use this site, follow SafetyNet Step Never post your child's e-mail address in a public place. Instead, use your own e-mail address so that you can intercept any inappropriate mail sent to your child. Along with this precaution, your child should use a nickname rather than his or her real name. After the initial correspondence with new pen pals, your child can start using his or her own e-mail address.