When my oldest daughter was in preschool, this was a favorite game in our house. I can’t begin to guess how many times she and I played this game. A perfect card game for beginners, its cards feature great photographs which you will recognize from the popular series of I Spy books. There are only two cards in each set, so the game is very quick and simple. We just started trying to teach my three year old today. She is having a little trouble catching on, but she is already enjoying it. I definitely recommend this to any parent. It is very affordable too. While it retails for $6.99, I found it online for $5.43 at arsatoys.com.

Kids like to fish. They like to dangle empty fishing poles off decks. They like to reel. They like to fish for real fish in real water. They like to fish for fake fish in no water. That said, I’m willing to bet they will like the Magnetic Fishing Pole Game. From seller uppercasecomma at etsy.com, the chocolate neon paisley fish with fishing pole for $7 is a great deal and a great gift idea. Each of the 3 fish has a different color stitching (magenta, chartreuse, and blue) and is 4.5 x 2.5 inches in size. The pole is 18 inches with a 23-24 inch line. For kids 3 and over, this could provide hours of fun this summer (and, later on, beat the winter blues)!

The Selecta Piccobello Laundry Game is a board game in which the object of the game is to see which player will be able to hang and dry all their clothes first. It may be a little unusual, but  the setup is very colorful and the the little details like clothespins and baskets for the clothes are delightful.

Board games are a great way to interact with others, whether they’re family or friends. It gets everyone focused and  involved.

You can view this item at hazelnutkids.com, where it is priced for $32 and recommended for ages 3 1/2 and up. I just had a thought, and I’m sure you’d agree, that this would make a perfect baby shower gift and/or activity.

It’s not too early to be planning ahead for summer. This Beach Towel with Tumbler Competition Game by Haba can also double as a rainy day activity right in your own living room. It comes with six plastic tumblers, two plastic pegs, one foam die, towel, and instructions - because I have no idea how you play this game - but it looks fun and easy. Of course, the towel is machine washable and tumble dry. Visit KangarooBoo.com to view this item, priced at $19.98 (on sale from $40).

My son received this as a Christmas gift from his aunt and uncle this evening at our family celebration, and although he hasn’t had a chance to play with it yet, I can’t wait to open the box myself and tinker with it. Made by HearthSong, the Rockin’ Robots Balance Game features 20 robots and a spaceship. The object of the game is to balance all of the robots and get them onto the spaceship. It looks like it can be played as a game with 1 to 4 players, or just an an exercise in practicing balance if a child wants to play with it alone. The game promotes hand-eye coordination, patience, and logic - all important traits for children (and adults) to develop. Recommended for ages 4 and up, you can purchase the Rockin’ Robots Balance Game for $24.98 at HearthSong.com.

Since he was 2, my son has been in love with the “I Spy” series of books by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick. It’s great for developing comprehension and memory skills. He has collected them all, and is now graduating to the “I Spy” games. Last year, for Christmas, he received both the “I Spy” Preschool Game and the “I Spy” Memory Game.

This is the first time I’ve seen the I Spy Private Eye game, made by Briarpatch. It is also a memory game, in the vein of all of the other “I Spy” products. This one, however, includes picture cubes and a timer. Players have 30 seconds to memorize the images on nine picture cubes. Then they pick a card, and find the images that match the cube.

Although the manufacturer says this game is for ages 5 and up, I think my son, who’s 4 1/2, might find it under our Christmas tree this year. You can find it at amazon.com, where it costs $16.99.

I’m a big fan of board games, so I’ve been eagerly anticipating the age at which my younger daughter will be able to enjoy them with the rest of the family. With her third birthday falling right around Christmas, I’m looking forward to purchasing a few games as gifts for her this holiday season.  It is very important to me, however, that they be high-quality, without all of the little plastic parts that drive me crazy, or batteries that are constantly in need of replacement.

This Memo Fantasy Frog Wooden Memory Game from Chelona recently caught my eye.  It is adorable as can be, with ten cute little frogs for all kinds of matching fun.  The games help little ones learn colors, counting, and other valuable skills. Best of all, everything is made from high-quality wood.  You can purchase this great little game for $39.99 at PetitBaby.com.

We have had a number of Plan Toys over the years and they have all been durable and well-loved.  I was recently shopping for something else entirely when this toy from the company caught my eye.  I was drawn in by the bright colors, but as I checked out the Plan Toys Bug Balance Game, I was equally intrigued by the idea.

This eco-friendly toy is made from recycled rubberwood and is painted with vegetable-based paints.  Players roll a  die and then try to balance ladybugs on the limbs of the tree.  It looks like a lot of fun.  I think it would be easy enough for very young players, but interesting enough to keep the attention of older children (and adults), too.

You can purchase this great little game for $17.99 at NubiusOrganics.com.