Free Games

The old adage “nothing’s ever free” is not always the case in the cyber world. Some things are free in a sense when you’re browsing the world wide web. One thing most kids look for is free games. Depending on their exposure to and experience with games, they may find plenty to be enthralled with.

Many sites that operate in conjunction with a product’s parent company offer free games for kids. Examples include Post Cereals, Disney, Nickelodeon, and Lifesavers Candy. Several magazines that target parents also offer free games for kids. These types of sites usually offer free games that are spin-offs or ancillary productions of the parent company’s shows or products. The free games found at these types of sites range in complexity and design, but are very useful for entertaining young children and familiarizing them with a computer key board and mouse.

Many educational sites can also be found that offer free games with some redeeming educational value. For a child whose interest in games ranges outside the educational realm, you may have difficulty finding games, free or otherwise, that will hold their attention. However, most kids will be more interested in educational games when the alternative is to crack open a book for practice.

For older kids who have had exposure to computer games and are searching for more sophisticated design concepts, the appeal of many of the free games available may be minimal. Some of the more sophisticated games that appeal to older kids may be available for free in a limited capacity and require membership for access to the entire game. Be aware of sites that your child visits when searching for free games and be sure that they do not provide personal information for membership without your permission. If you do not want to pay for membership to a site for games, encourage your child to search for games that can be played without downloads or membership fees. If the computer is the only source of games in your home, you may find that some sites offer good values for access to pay-to-play games. As always, use common sense when searching online and allowing your child access to the internet.