TwinCol

Games for your brain, indeed... and also addictive! Follow the squares of colors and patterns, and match them up by clicking on pairs. Seems easy enough, right? Try getting up to level 6, where the squares are moving across the panel at a fast pace, and intersecting with each other. Careful; some colors may look alike, but will have different patterns.

http://www.gamesforthebrain.com/game/twincol/

Soundory

Any auditory learners out there? Of course there are - who doesn't remember a tune? The Soundory will test your music I.Q. by matching squares with auditory snips, rather than visual cues. You can go as long as you want on the play button to memorize the clip, then click another square to match up the tune - from Stones to classical. Love this one!

http://www.gamesforthebrain.com/game/soundory/

Design a Hot Air Balloon

Design your very own hot air balloon - in the shape of a fish?? Sure, why not! Choose your shape, add some accessories like Christmas lights, gears, baskets, or throw in a few kids too! Choose the background you want to fly over, and then paint the whole thing.

http://www.highlightskids.com/Magazine/May09/h1magazineFlashObjects/h10508MayArtist.asp

Color Blocks

In this strategy game, kids have to get rid of as many blocks as possible, clicking on color coded blocks that are aligned next to each other. Take a good look at the grid and plan your strategy before clicking to earn maximum points!

http://www.highlightskids.com/Magazine/Feb08/h1magazineFlashObjects/h10208colorColumns.asp

Volcano!

Want to build a volcano and have it erupt? Then try out your volcano knowledge, answering questions to build up the forces for a monster volcanic eruption.

http://www.scholastic.com/play/volcano.htm

Katie's Club House

Help Katie build her clubhouse, in time to win a competition. How will she do it? By answering the vocabulary questions correctly, starting with filling in missing letters from a word bank, then providing the matching definition.

http://justkidsgames.com/play.php?KatiesClubHouse

Build a Bug

Kids will first have to build a bug with this game, starting by choosing a head, then thorax, abdomen, legs, etc., with a given set of points to buy parts. They must also save some of those points to buy defenses for their bugs. Why? After building a bug, that insect must cross some islands and streams in order to get to the finish line. But beware: several insects, frogs, birds, and bats are out to have them for dinner! Players will have a chance to answer trivia questions on insects to buy more time, health, and points.

http://justkidsgames.com/play.php?BuildABug

Build a Sand Castle

Click on the presets to add islands, streams, trees, or bushes, select a water or sand background, and then add turrets, walls, arches, and moats in this online and interactive sand castle building game.

http://www.resort-guide.co.uk/castle/castle.html

Poisson Rouge

Kids from 4 - 8 are sure to love this highly interactive, colorful and appealing site. They can play with both an English and a French alphabet, stomp and hop and click to the music buttons, click and burst a big red balloon, move some buzzing bees around, learn about optical illusions, try a puzzle and more. Loads of fun!

http://www.poissonrouge.com/

Pack a Picnic

The Berenstain Bears would like to pack a delicious summer picnic, but there's only one problem - they have to find all the food first. Young kids will enjoy clicking around the Berenstain kitchen to locate hot dogs and apples, etc., as well as in the garage for sports items and chairs. Scroll left and right with the arrows to extend the pictures and find the hidden objects.

http://pbskids.org/berenstainbears/games/pack_picnic/index.html

PinkyDinkyDoo Podcasts

You can download all of Pinky's stories here via podcast (all free), and print out activity pages to go along with each of the episodes. Kids learn "great big fancy words" with each episode, such as "hullaballoo" or "suspense".

http://pinkydinkydoo.com/podcasts.html