PC games are a wonderful toy as well as an educational tool. A few short years ago, the best PC games were rated, and time and again it was the educational games that also provided a lot of entertainment were the ones chosen. Granted, it is a well known fact that any household with a PlayStation or Game Cube platform will contain a large number of games that are specifically chosen by the children residing in the household, and it is just as well known that many of these games are neither educational nor age appropriate. This has caused many a parent to eye them with something akin suspicion.

On the hand, many PC games are usually well known for their being educational tools, and many schools have invested a lot of money in following the PC game reviews and thus have purchased games showcasing Clifford, the big red dog, Dora, and other characters that not only will offer the children a chance to embark on little adventures, but items such as math, spelling, and even shape recognition are continuously enforced with the help of these PC games.

Yet parents do not need to despair! PC games do not have to be expensive. Instead, there is a veritable cornucopia of free PC games that are yours to play for free. Simply log on to the Internet, dial up the appropriate sites, and you and your child will be able to enjoy hours of fun and excitement playing Bookworm on AOL. This is one of the most popular PC games and stresses the ability to recognize word patterns. Another game that children enjoy is Tetris. The idea of matching shapes and strengthening eye-hand coordination are great tools for growing children. It is quite apparent that these kinds of games are a favorite of kids and parents alike.

For those who would rather not play online, there are also a number of free PC download games that may be added to your hard drive. Some are PC game demos which do not have all the levels that the pay version offers, while other free PC game downloads are simply that: free. Yet keep in mind that PC game downloads are notorious for occasionally having a Trojan or virus piggyback onto their software, and before searching for free downloadable PC games, make sure that your virus software is up to date and engaged! Failure to do so may have disastrous consequences to your computer!