games

For family fun, try an ingenious brain game. Three excellent choices are Cranium: The Family Fun Game,by Cranium, Inc., The Whole Brain Game, by Creative Mind Games, and Evolution, by Platypus Games. … [Read more...] about Let the Games Begin

For a fun approach to logic and deduction, try two decoding games: Mastermind, by Pressman, andCoda, by Winning Moves Games. In Mastermind, the Codemaker uses color and sequence to create a code that the Codebreaker must solve. The game consists of a plastic playing board with 10 rows of peg holes, four per row, and an 11th row shielded from the Codebreaker’s view. Code pegs in six colors are used to make and break the code. Beside each row is a cluster of four smaller peg holes where the … [Read more...] about Cracking the Code

Two new board games combine language skills with playing strategy. For immersion in the complexity and uniqueness of the English language, Bethump’d with Words (Discovery Edition) by Vermont Word Nerds is an excellent choice. For spelling and vocabulary enhancement, try Oxford Dilemma, by Smartegg Games. … [Read more...] about Words for the Wise

Toys. Kids love them. But as a parent, how do you determine which ones offer some sustenance and which are useless, moneymaking gadgets designed for visual appeal? Recently at a local toy store, my husband and I became dismayed when we looked down into the shopping cart. For our two-year-old, we were purchasing board books, Play-Doh, and magnetic letters and numbers with the intention of enhancing his language and creative skills. But for our nine-year-old, there was a pack of Yu-Gi-Oh cards and … [Read more...] about Finding Good Educational Toys

If your children are interested in the night sky, I recommend two astronomy kits, Star Explorer, by DaMert Company, and Star Theater 2, by Uncle Milton Industries. … [Read more...] about Reach for the Stars