Early childhood video games - just right for little kids!

Early childhood video games are dominated by games for your PC, and on this page we're going to take a look at what's available and what your child can do with these games on your computer.

Other game platforms such as Playstation 2, Nintendo Wii or Game Boy Advance have almost no video games rated EC - although their E or "Everyone" rated games sometimes include titles that small children will enjoy.

However, these platforms may well offer a wider selection of EC rated games for kids in the future - we'll just have to wait and see!

Video games for little kids rated EC or Early Childhood contain content suitable for children from around 3 years old and up, and as a parent you shouldn't find anything inappropriate in the material.

So - by choosing a game that is created just for younger kids, you can be sure that the material is designed for fun, creativity or learning - and that your child won't be exposed to anything upsetting or just downright incomprehensible!

Let's take a look at what's available:

Early childhood games for your PC

Browse early childhood video games for your PC

The great advantage of PC games for little kids is that you already have a computer to play the games on; you don't need to buy any other kind of platform, and your child may already be familiar with tapping the keyboard and clicking the mouse.

Two tips:

1. Before purchasing a game for your PC, do check that the game will run on your computer's operating system; for example, if the game only runs on Windows XP, you can't expect it to work on Windows 98
2. When browsing on Amazon, check out the reviews from other customers - they often give invaluable information that will help you decide whether the game is suitable for your child

What kinds of activities do these games offer?
Your child may have to use a number of skills to play the games, such as problem solving, understanding cause and effect, and decision making. They may need some basic reading skills as well as the ability to manipulate numbers or sort shapes - the types of skills preschoolers are learning anyway.

Popular video game titles

My Little Pony PC Play Pack
Your child can choose whether to be Sunny Daze, Sky Wishes, Pinkie Pie or Sparkleworks... and prepare their pony for the Friendship ball! This preschooler oriented game gets your child baking cupcakes, picking flowers - oh, and there's a whole castle to be decorated, too!

Dora the Explorer Fairytale Adventures
Kids accompany Dora on a "learning travel adventure" and enjoy familiar songs from the TV series, as well as some puzzle solving and fairytale classics as they try to rescue Boots - who has become Sleeping Boots :) Can Princess Dora lift the spell and save poor old Boots?

Playhouse Disney Stanley Tiger Tales
3 to 6 year olds can join Stanley in the jungle, as he looks for his swim tube tiger! The game presents kids with "kid sized problems" with a little animal help along the way.

Other top kids' video games

• Giggles Computer Funtime for Baby - My Animal Friends
• Dragon Tales - Learn and Fly with Dragons
• Dora the Explorer: Lost City Adventure
• Sesame Street Elmo's Preschool Deluxe
• Strawberry Shortcake Amazing Cookie Party
• Fisher Price Big Action Garage
• Blues Clues - Blue Takes You to School

As you can see, there's a great variety of early childhood video games available, with many familiar characters that kids already love.