With prices for kids’ games running up into the $100-and-more category, it’s still possible to find inexpensive games that will provide kids with loads of fun. Although an under $10 price tag does limit your choices, you should still be able to find many age-appropriate, entertaining and even educational games that fall within that budget.
Considerations
Before buying games that sell for under $10, it is helpful to check with parenting resources that make recommendations for selecting toys, such as the Parenting website or the Parents website. After making a list of recommended toys that retail for under $10, parents might also make note of toys in a slightly higher price category and look for those on sale.
Computer Games
Among the choices for under $10 computer games are a variety of age-appropriate choices. Grade-school age kids can play “Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures,” which stars cheese-loving Wallace and his dog Gromit from the award-winning movie shorts. For older kids, “Tales of Monkey Island” weaves a funny and odd story of Guybrush Threepwood, who wants to be a pirate. “Little Pet Shop,” for younger children, lets a kid play games and puzzles as the owner of his own pet shop. Another game for the younger set who are Thomas the Train fans is “Thomas and Friends, Building the New Line.”
Variety Games
Three engaging dice games fit the under $10 category. Farkle, the classic dice-rolling, risk-taking game, allows players to build their scores slowly or to take risks and try to accumulate points quickly. In Jax Doodle Dice, the dice are decorated with doodle, and the object is to match the doodle to your cards. The Left Center Right Dice Game is easy to learn as players roll dice and make decisions about how many chips to pass in which direction. In the Dutch Blitz Card Game, players try to compose sets and get rid of their blitz cards. For little ones, the board game of Chutes and Ladders provides lots of entertainment for under $10.
Classic Games
Some classic childhood games still entertain kids of all ages and fall easily into the under $10 range. Both traditional checker games and Chinese checkers are inexpensive choices, along with such time-honored favorites as pick-up sticks and dominoes. Card decks of Old Maid, Go Fish and Crazy Eights all sell for under $10. A variety of concentration-type memory games, some updated with themes related to TV shows and movies, are available in easy-to-play versions for younger players and more challenging editions for older kids.
Warnings
Parents need to particularly check safety aspects of inexpensive toys for parts that could come loose or injure children. It is also a good idea to check the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s list of Toy Hazard Recalls before making a purchase, as it contains many toys that sell for under $10.
Photo Credit
- games image by Patrizier-Design from Fotolia.com
