- Free online games - Renjith Krishnan
With younger children fast becoming ever more computer literate at home and school, it is good to know there are plenty of safe, entertaining games out there kids can play for free online. Understandably, current fears over online safety in chat rooms encourages a cautious approach, and fantastic initiatives like the BBC’s Caught in the Web, narrated by former Doctor Who favourite David Tennant, do much to help kids stay safe. It's also why Disney’s wonderful online game Club Penguin is so reassuring for parents.
What is Club Penguin?
Club Penguin is an interactive game for children, where penguin avatars wander around a virtual world, chatting, playing games, winning coins, buying things and looking after their fluffy little pets called puffles. The game is free to play, but it also has a membership scheme requiring monthly payments. This is not compulsory, but members do get to access special features. The upside of all this is that Club Penguin doesn’t rely on advertising to generate revenue. It is also able to ensure live moderators are always online, monitoring the penguins chatter. In addition, chat features are also subject to filters, whereby children can only use pre-approved words and phrases.
Club Penguin is a free online game fast earning itself an excellent reputation. Kids also consider it a very cool game to play. It’s good fun, and a brilliant educational game to boot. Kids won’t even realise they are learning as they play, but the focus on creating a friendly, generous environment teaches good social skills. Earning coins through the various games on the site, and then spending them, also helps improve maths skills, and looking after puffles gives a virtual insight into the responsibilities of keeping pets.
Play Online with CBBC and Cbeebies
The websites of UK children's TV channels CBBC and Cbeebies are chock full of kids games related to their programming. They adhere to a rigorous safety policy and are free from advertising (except for their own programmes, that is). Play free games such as Bob the Builder’s Project: Build It, Kerwhizz or Trapped: Escape the Tower. All fun games, all for free.
Bike Games, Car Games, Shooting Games
The website Games Freak has loads of great free online games for kids. It’s particularly useful if your youngsters are dotty about cars or bikes or even horses, as all the free games are categorised as such. The downside to this website is that with so many free games all assembled on one site, advertising does have a tendency to spring up.
So it’s important to be a little bit careful about what kids are actually clicking on. Once the games are up and running, it’s no real problem. It’s just that an awful lot of them are sponsored by big companies Kids can get a bit frustrated if they click on the wrong thing and land on a form for a home insurance quote, or suchlike. Still, there are many games to choose from, so it’s really just a case of finding the ones that best suit. They are all simple games to play, even if they’re not quite at the same standard as the aforementioned Club Penguin.
Further Reading: Other articles about entertaining kids which may be of interest include Great Books for Kids and Best Movies for Kids.
Michelle Strozykowski - Michelle Strozykowski lives in a small brewing town smack bang in the middle of England. She loves films, especially arty European ones ...
