Why You Should Play Video Games on Your Computer
Did anyone else use to love the old computer games of the 80s and 90s? For me, it all started with a game of Chuckie Egg (does anyone remember that?) and then Tetris and Sonic the Hedgehog came along. I loved those games. Even hearing the music from the games now takes me back to when I was a kid. Later on, Pokemon became one of my favourite games and The Simpsons: Tapped Out game was brilliant too.
These days in our house, we love to play a wide range of games as a family, from board games to make-believe and of course we throw computer games into the mix too. We have young children and a teenager, who all love to play different games on the computer and we grown-ups like to have a go as well.
Our favourite games have changed a little over time and are now short web-based games. They add a fun little break to the activities of the day. They’re ideal if you ever have a spare five minutes. We choose games from family-friendly sites so that there is something that appeals to everyone.
The Benefits of Playing Video Games on a PC
Video games are fun, entertaining and they can be educational. There is such a wide range of web games available to suit all tastes. Games just for the fun of it, games that teach something as you play, classic nostalgic games and new games to make you think.
Playing web games means no downloads or sign-ups, you get to the good stuff quickly (our little ones don’t like to wait too long)! You don’t need to remember usernames and passwords and you can bookmark your favourite games to get to them quickly.
We like to play free games online as costs can quickly add up with a big family and you can play the games with no additional costs or equipment. The games are good too! If the computer is out and switched on, you’re all ready to play!
Our favourite web-based games are shorter. This makes them ideal to fit in when you only have a small amount of time or when you are keeping a close eye on the amount of screen time that children have had. For us adults too life is so busy, but there are times when you might be looking for something to do like a train ride or waiting for a doctors appointment or sitting at the hairdressers. The games can be good for a quick brain break from your day to day jobs too.
How Video Games Can Help With Schoolwork
To help with children’s homework, we’ve found some educational games that get children practising the skills they need in a fun and exciting way. Our children always find these games engaging and are keen to play, it helps to avoid some of the homework battles!
Playing reading games especially has worked well in our house for getting our kids to practise letter sounds, tricky words and even reading comprehension. It’s a good alternative to reading from reading books every night if you have a child who is reluctant to read. Likewise, games that get the players to use their maths facts and times tables has been a great way to get our children to practise.
Our Top 3 Free Family Friendly Websites for PC Games
It was tricky to narrow it down to just three websites, but after much deliberation here are our favourites. We mainly like them all, because within those sites there is a great selection of games to choose from.
- Plays.org – Hundreds of games on offer to choose from, for adults and children. There’s everything from racing games to arcade games. You can look through the entire games catalogue and play randomly generated games (great for finding new treasures).
- Topmarks – Lots of educational games are linked on this site covering all areas of the curriculum across different ages. It has an easy to use search option to find games you want to play. The games are often used in schools too, so you know they have that seal of approval.
- Lego Games – Family-friendly games that are great for everyone. The games are based on your favourite Lego sets and have ratings to help you decide which game to play.
Our Top 5 Web Games We Love to Play
This was an even harder choice to make. Here are the games that are our current family favourites, can you tell who picked which games? Everyone loves a classic, don’t they? There’s a little bit of a mixture here. However, there are so many games around that I’m sure it will change.
Why Playing Video Games On A PC is the Way To Go!
In conclusion, if you have got a few minutes to spare, then why not try a short game or two. Set boundaries that you’re happy with for how long you want to play each game and enjoy. Sharing scores, playing alongside others and competing for the high score or fastest time can make it even more fun. Fun is the name of the game and we could all do with more play in our lives!