When the short, cold days of winter force your family to spend more time indoors, the Internet has hundreds of ways to keep your child entertained and learning while clicking away at the computer.
While our editors have reviewed the games, there may be content on outside sites that is not age-appropriate, so it's a good idea to sit with your child when he first visits a new website. Click on a link below to get started!
Best for Babies & Toddlers
Books, soft toys, blocks, and other real-world activities are best for little ones — there's no need for them to be online now. But if your baby is clamoring to get at the keyboard, try Kneebouncers. Any key she presses yields fun sounds and cute graphics. Or visit the Clifford site for coloring sheets, video clips, and more.
Preschool & Kindergarten Picks
Introduce your child to the computer with simple games and amusing activities featuring characters he already knows and loves.
- Clifford Valentine's Day Cards
Your child can create and print cards to color and send BIG love to her friends and family. - Tonka Truck Sounds
Can your truck lover figure out which vehicle makes which sound? - Arthur: The Effective Detective
Your child must give good clues so Detective Fern can figure out which friend she picked. - Bob the Builder
Click around Bob's town for loads of activities, games, and friendly fun. - Going to the Closet
With a few clicks, your preschooler can go on an animal adventure with Zoboo.
Artistic Activities
Give your young artist new ways to express her imagination through music and drawing that harnesses the power of technology.
- Make Your Own Comic
Help your child create an original comic strip using artwork from Goosebumps Graphix. Don't forget to write cool captions! - National Geographic Music Mixer
With cool sounds and funky beats, your child can have a roaring good time mixing up his own tunes. - Captain Underpants Comics
Set your budding cartoonist to work designing her own strip starring epic hero Captain Underpants.
Puzzles & Brain Boosters
From trivia tests to puzzles to matching activities, each of these games boosts your child's critical-thinking and problem-solving skills while he plays.
- I Spy
Fast-paced jigsaw puzzles, matching madness, picture riddles and more: There are a ton of things for your child to spy here. - Pentominoes
Try this deceptively tricky challenge inspired by the hit book Chasing Vermeer. Need a puzzle to go? Get a printable version. - Sudoku
Get in on the craze! This site features 4 levels of difficulty, plus helpful hints if you want them. - Can You See What I See?
Can your child find all the hidden objects? Zoom in and take a peek inside the Dream Machine. - LEGO Bits & Bricks
Your child will use problem-solving and coding skills to puzzle the way through each level and save the planet Cybit. - Puzzled States
Boost your child's knowledge of the fabulous 50 states with this geography game.
Wonderful Word Games
Your child will rejoice in word puzzles and scrambles that challenge her to find new words and use language in new ways. These games are great for building vocabulary and reading skills.
- Word Girl: Synonym Toast
Stop the avalanche of bread slices from taking over the world! - Letter Lasso
Every day, your child can discover a search-and-find word puzzle with a new theme. - Fowl Words
Chickens squawk as your child types letters on their eggs to make words. The more words he finds, the more points he'll gather.
Amazing Math and Super Science Sites
Adding an interactive element to math and science makes them sizzle with excitement. Animation and crazy characters help draw your child in to each of these sites.
- Scientific Explorations
Meet scientists from the American Museum of Natural History and learn about space, insects, Darwin, and more. - Magic School Bus
There are a million fun stops for your child to explore on this bus — how about a tour of the human body to start? - Dino Times
If your child is a dinosaur fanatic, she'll love proving she knows her stuff with this quiz. - Guess the Number
Your child guesses higher or lower numbers until he matches the right one. - Put Annie Back Together
Annie's fallen apart! You child can help her by putting the bits and pieces back into the right place and learn about the human body.
Just for Fun
Sometimes, a kid just has to kick back and enjoy herself. Feel good about letting your child play these non-violent, happy games that may just slip a little learning under her radar as she plays.
- Goosebumps Graphix Monster Match
Quick, match the monster cards before they sink into the ooze ... and remember, you only have nine lives! - Underpants vs. Blunderpants
You and your child can fight for power juice in this two-player game where the Captains collide! (Can also be a one-player game.) - Moebius Strip
A fast-paced puzzle game that challenges your child's visual skills to connect loops of twisty, turny strips before the board fills up.
While-Away-All-Day Sites
Some sites had so many great games and activities for kids, we couldn't pick just one (or even two) to highlight. Each of these sites is filled with kid-safe, friendly fun.
- Prongo
Divided by age level, this site is filled with simple learning games that support math, problem-solving, matching, and more key skills. - Brainpop
This incredibly rich site can teach your child about subjects from how CDs work to what causes acne through enticing animated movies and activities. - Orisinal Games
The charming, simple games on this site are unlike any other — entirely kid-friendly and filled with adorable characters and whimsical music.