When it comes to kids and video games, you want to keep them safe from excessive violence, but you also want them to have fun. With that in mind, we’re going to take a look at some great Nintendo Wii games for 6 to 9 year old boys and girls.

Top Wii Games for 6 to 9 Year Old Boys

• Endless Ocean – Interesting for explorers and curious children full of imagination.
• Super Mario Galaxy – Huge game with many levels to conquer.
• Boom Blox – Knock ‘em down without a mess!

Top Wii Games for 6 to 9 Year Old Girls

• Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey- Fun for girls.
• Carnival – Lots of games for little girls.
• Go Diego Safari Rescue – Realistic with great graphics.

Top Wii Sports Games for 6 to 9 Year Olds

• Playground – Various playground games.
• MarioKart – Racing
• Wii Sports – Lots of sports games – good for two players or more.
• Wii Play – Fun play time on the Wii.
• Wii Fit – Teaching fitness and good health!

Here are a few tips for finding video games for children of all ages.

• Ratings - Pay attention to warnings and ratings on the cover of the game.
• Rent First - To keep from spending money on a game your child never plays, have them rent the title first to see if they really like it. If they do – and don’t beat it while renting it – then it might be a good idea to purchase.

If you have other suggestions for Wii games for 6 to 9 year olds, leave a comment below and let us know. With so many games out there these days, it is easy to be overwhelmed. With a little help from us, you can know what you are going to get before you get to the store and look over all the games. We really want to hear from you, so leave your thoughts below.

When it comes to five year olds, Spiderman is on top of the superhero list for many children (and adults too, but that’s another story!) Wherever the fascination and adoration of spiderman comes from, it’s pretty much undeniable. Not every 5 year old is a Spiderman fan, but if they are, here are some games they are going to LOVE.

Spiderman Plug’n'Play

The batteries are said to run out quickly on this “plug and play” TV game. Still, the fact that an expensive video game system isn’t needed is appreciated by many parents.

The price is a bit high on this game, but five year olds that love Spiderman are going to have a blast playing this game.

LeapFrog Leapster® Educational Games

The LeapFrog Leapster has some Spiderman goodness for 5 year olds. The original Spider-Man game and Spider-Man The Case of the Sinister Speller are sure to be hits with little ones.

Of course, you’re going to need to have the LeapFrog Leapster console to play these games.  If you already have a LeapFrog, these two games will be liked by five year olds and will teach them lessons at the same time. (Way to go Spidey!)

Memory Spider-man and Friends Edition

Ah, the classic memory game, this time with Spidey and friends. The game includes 72 character cards, storage tray and instructions. “The city is in trouble and these super heroes need to help, but first you must find them!” Exciting! Well, for a five year old, but that’s the point. Good choice as a Spiderman gift for a five year old – girl or boy.

Spiderman, Spiderman

does whatever a spider
spins a web any size
catches thieves just like flies

Look out!
here comes the Spiderman

is he strong?
listen bud
hes got radioactive blood
can he swing from a thread
take a look overhead
hear that?
there goes the Spiderman

in the chill of night
at scene of the crime
like a streak of light,
he arrives just in time

spiderman, spiderman

friendly neighborhood Spiderman
wealth and fame, he’s ignored
action is his reward

look out
there goes the spiderman …

In the gaming world, there’s a fine line between a game that’s too simplistic and one that doesn’t have enough elements to make it interesting enough for repeat plays. Straddling that line with apparent ease is the Days of Wonder game Small World. A fairly basic objective combined with more strategic and always unique game play makes this game a great introduction into a lot of more strategy based board games.

The premise of the game is fairly simple: you are living on some mythical, far away island, trying to conquer as many territories as you can in order to earn gold. In order to do this, you can pick a race. Maybe you fall in with trends and want to be a vampire. Maybe going against the grain and being a goblin sounds more appealing. With eleven different races, there are certainly plenty of options. Each comes with their own unique traits that can help you take over territories and get more gold. What’s more, they’re matched with a special power that, when used correctly, can help you even more.

The characters and the powers are always randomly matched, making every time you play the game a completely different strategic experience. While orcs may have been your money maker in the last game, you may find that this time around, amazons are the way to go. To keep all of the races a powers straight, the game comes with a easy cheat sheet for every player. What’s more, to keep the game challenging, it has a built in end – with each separate board, there are only a certain number of turns per game. The question becomes how can you adapt the choices of races and classes to the limited time period you have to make the most money.

Small World is a great family game. The quirky characters and magical setting inspire kids and draw them in. While they may have a hard time grasping the different powers and how they help players win the game, the basic goal – to take over land and get gold – is simplistic enough that they can easily understand the point of the game. It’s this universal appeal more than anything that makes Small World a lot of fun for every player.

If you’re looking at the best games for 8 year old boys, you’ve no doubt gone straight to the video game section. While these games do offer hours of fun for children, there are many great board games out there that the whole family will love as well.

Classic games like Sorry and Clue are fun for all ages. They require strategy and wit to solve and win, making these games great to play as a family, or just for them to play with a few friends. Unlike video games, these will be played over and over again, even as the child gets older. I know many adults who will still pull out games like Battleship on a rainy day.

If your 8 year old really likes video games, there are a few games out there that boys will love. Lego Star Wars is a huge hit for any fledgling Jedi. Star Wars Clone Wars is a huge hit on TV, and kids love to play when they get to act out the adventures of their favorite heroes of the universe.

If your child is big on sports, Backyard Baseball will be a huge hit with them, no pun intended. The game is intended for younger audiences, and an 8 year old boy will find it a laugh riot when they hit the ball and watch it do a lot of different crazy things, or throw a unique pitch that zigzags or freezes right before the plate.

Searching for a great game for a 4 year old? Don’t look hard. There are some oldies, but goodies out there and some sure-to-be new great favorite games too.

Candyland

Candyland is the perfect introduction to classic board games. It is a race to the finish along the rainbow colored path. Race along through the gumdrop forest, past the gingerbread house, to the Candy Castle. The first one to the finish wins the game. Don’t get stuck in the muddy swamp along the way! Hasbro also has an updated version of the classic Candy Land theme–the Candy Land Castle Game. This game takes on a new twist in this 3D version. Children will love sorting shapes and matching colors with the gingerbread shaped game boards.

How about classic card games? Go Fish is a family favorite. These cards by eeBoo are colorful, cute, and in the shape of colorful fish. Lots of fun for small hands! How about Old Maid? Do you remember the first time you didn’t get stuck at the end of the game with the old maid in your hand?

Get Up and Go Puppy Pursuit Games by Melissa and Doug is fun for all. Kids love hide and seek games. Finding plush puppies is more fun than ever. Follow the clues like “Look for me in the corner” to find the missing puppies in this egg-hunt type game. With Easter right around the corner, you can’t go wrong with this game!