- Let's Play Sandwich Stacker Cookout Game
- (Cranium, $13)
We're not sure if evolutionary scientists have ever pinpointed an innate human "stacking instinct," but take a look at any baby with a set of blocks and it's obvious: Kids are born with an inherent desire to pile things up. And to thrill in the clatter and tumult of knocking said pile over, of course. So pretty much any stacking game is a surefire draw for little ones. Here, Cranium has taken the basic manual dexterity test and sprinkled in exercises in color and shape awareness. After checking the ever-changing sandwich board, a player may need to add a yellow ingredient (like a slice of cheese or a splotch of mustard) or a circular food item (like a slice of tomato or onion) to the Dagwood-worthy burger. The chunky, oversized pieces are easy enough for tiny hands to handle, but savvy players can get more strategic as they learn which ingredients pose bigger challenges for the next stacker—like the slab of Swiss cheese cut at a wicked angle or the ultrawavy lettuce wedge. Good brain food all around. —Ages 2 to 7
- FlapDoodle
- (Wiggity Bang Games, $25)
From Lewis Carroll to Dr. Seuss, nonsense has long held a special place in the realm of children's entertainment. For the most part, though, absurdity tends to steer clear of board games, perhaps because of the reliance on rules. Flapdoodle, however, embraces the ridiculous to such an extent that winning can be a bummer, because it means the game is over. On any given turn, you may have to make your index fingers do a "worm dance," stand up and sing in a fairy voice, or hold a flashlight under your shirt and say, "Look, I'm a paper lantern!" Even the more straightforward questions border on the bizarre ("Name three people who have never been in your kitchen"). Sure, there's a finish line, but does reaching it really matter when you're pretending to make a little bed and put your foot to sleep? —Ages 5 and up
- Endless Ocean
- (Nintendo, for Nintendo Wii, $30)
Less a game than an experience, this scuba-diving simulator doesn't ask much more of you than to swim around lush coral reefs at a Zen-like pace and check out the various colorful forms of sea life that dart across your path. The game's "plot" casts you as a marine researcher out to explore the big blue, but there's no pressure—take time to feed the fish, play with dolphins, and simply enjoy the quiet beauty. —Ages 2 and up
- Kidz Sports Ice Hockey
- (Destineer, for Nintendo Wii, $20)
It's ice hockey—but the athletes still have all their teeth. Easy to learn, pick-up-and-play controls allow even inexperienced gamers to take command of a three-person team—boys or girls—and hit the ice for quick-paced action. Playing well earns power points that players can call upon to perform fun fantasy moves that are more Cartoon Network than NHL. Bonus mini-games let you take on some target practice or try your turn behind the goalie mask. —Ages 5 and up
- Buzz! Jr.: Robo Jam
- (Sony, for PlayStation 2, $40)
Four players customize their own droids—with cute accoutrements like steel pigtails and (literal) spiked hair—and compete in a series of challenges to make it to the top of their robot academy class. You'll be blasting asteroids, squashing space bugs, scanning for differences among a squad of similar cyborgs, and keeping time with a musical rhythm. The special Buzz controllers used to play the game have oversize, color-coded buttons, making them easier for kids (or out-of-practice parents) to use. —Ages 2 and up
