Games for Children Age 5

Board Games

• Children are often able to sit and pay attention long enough to play a board game with parents or older siblings. Children's versions of adults' games such as Kids of Carcassonne allow five-year-olds to learn the basics of strategy and forming alliances as well as following rules. Some classic board games, such as Sorry, are enjoyed by five-year-olds as well as older children and adults.

Card Games

• Classic card games such as Go Fish and Old Maid utilize a standard deck of cards and work especially well when traveling, as they are small but do not utilize small pieces that might get lost. War is another classic card game for children and adults of any age, and it helps children learn about numbers while not requiring too many complicated rules. Slapjack allows kids to get a little wild as they aim to be the first to slap the Jack when it is turned over. Other card games, such as Memory or Uno, help kids develop thinking and memory skills they will use later on in school.

Computer Games

• Children at age 5 often want to play games on the computer like their older siblings and parents do. Some games for kids that age, such as Kite Building Adventure or Olivia of the Deep, are available over the Internet on children's websites such as Nick Jr. Other games exist as software to install directly onto the computer, such as Clifford Musical Memory Games and Strawberry Shortcake Amazing Cookie Party.

Physical Games

• Five-year-olds often enjoy games that involve movement, and parents appreciate that kids burn off some energy playing. Classics including the Hokey Pokey and Simon Says encourage children to listen and follow directions. Simple games of catch or throwing plastic "horseshoes" allow children to develop physical skills while also learning about winning, losing and teamwork. Physical games such as Hide and Seek and "tag" work well indoors and out, and can occupy several kids at once.

Video Games

• Many families own at least one video gaming system, and many five-year-olds enjoy playing games on them. Familiar characters such as Dora the Explorer and Diego are featured in Nintendo DS games such as Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Mermaids and Go Diego Go: Safari Rescue. Muppet Party Cruise features favorite Muppet characters for the Play Station 2 (PS2) gaming system. The PS3 system offers action games for kids such as Spiderman, while the Wii gaming system offers titles such as Disney Princess and Emergency Heroes that are appropriate for five-year-olds.