With Halloween a faint and distant blur, you can almost smell the stuffed turkey and sweet potato pie fumes of Thanksgiving Day floating through the city already. That beautiful aroma can only mean one thing; Christmas is peeking around the corner. Soon, a thousand fake Santas will flood airwaves and magazine ads with their hands out, preparing to swindle you out of your hard-hustled money in the name of seeing your kids smile on December 25th.
This Christmas, all kids seem to want are mindless video games and fantasy-based toys that will do nothing more than further distract them from the important things in life like homework, chores, and middle-of-the-day napping. Instead of pitching in on their zombie-like mindstates, why not buy some gifts that will actually contribute to their mental health and overall betterment?
These 7 puzzle games may not be the first choice for the average kid this holiday season, but at some point, your ungrateful children may appreciate what you’re trying to do…
Simon
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Simon is the dazzling electronic light-show offspring of the age-old game “Simon Says.” You remember “Simon Says,” it’s that game children usually end up playing in the backyard at family gatherings when they can’t find a wi-fi signal for their smartphones. Invented by Ralph H. Baer and Howard J. Morrison in 1978, Simon exercises the child’s mind as well as heightens their sense of perception by giving them a series of light and sound patterns to imitate. It works great with younger children also, helping them learn the colors while keeping them quietly mystified. Emphasis on quiet. While some video games have the same effect, parents can rest assured that the only violence that may spring from this activity is between the kids who can’t wait their turn to play it.
Rubik’s Cube
Rubik’s Cube — invented by a Hungarian sculptor named Ernõ Rubik in 1974 — is a timeless twisting and turning puzzle of problem-solving and decision making that once even spawned it’s own cartoon, however creepy and uncomfortable as it may have been. For what seems like hundreds of years people have been continually stumped by the 3D puzzle on all seven continents. There’s even an episode of “Seinfeld” dedicated to it, further adding fuel to its immortal cult classic influence. And if you don’t know at least one person who “solved” it by pulling the pieces off and re-attaching them accordingly, or slyly peeled off and rearranged the stickers to make them seem like a genius then you didn’t have enough friends growing up.
Tristan Wilds is G tho…
Tetris
Tetris is a video game, but its popularity blossomed during a time when video game systems were considered toys. Even though it’s almost 30 years old, Tetris still packs the same cerebral punch as it did the first time I stuck it in my Nintendo Entertainment System as a youngster. Created by Alexey Pajitnov in the 1980s, it teaches kids to think quick by presenting falling tiles and patterns to follow, as well as exercising their cognizance and mental reflex. On a personal level, I required all of my children to play the free-falling block placement puzzle game when they were still young enough to be intrigued by the blocks, bright colors, and music from a far away land, for obvious reasons. Truth be told, when I’ve had an especially hard day in the real world, I turn it on (and play online — of course) and zone out just to see if I can get further than I did the last time. Titillating relaxation at its finest.
Connect Four
Connect Four is primitive decision-making on an epic level. It’s like the illegitimate lovechild of Chess and Tic Tac Toe even though it’s nothing more than recycled checker pieces and a plastic frame. Not only do you have to think a couple steps ahead of yourself in a limited environment, but without forecasting your opponent’s moves, you’ll repeatedly lose and the frustration of losing on such a simple game can drive people insane. I’ve seen it happen back in the day. The key to winning lies in the anticipation and prediction of each move, although much like Tic Tac Toe, he who moves first usually controls the game. That in itself is a valuable lesson that kids can pick up and run with.
Operation
Operation — for all it’s silliness and unbelievability — is a great Milton Bradley game that teaches children patience. On the same token, a kid can learn about their anatomy (somewhat )and even be exposed to the possibility of pursuing a medical career someday. I don’t advise it for children who are faint of heart because of the goosebump-raising buzzer that howls when you’ve made the wrong move, but it’s a step in the right direction if a curious, patient child is what you’re trying to build at home.
Jenga
Jenga is a game that centers around concentration and focus, and just like any other human ability, the more you exercise and practice it, the better it — and subsequently you — becomes. The players take turns moving long blocks around on a column in an attempt to build a tower while trying NOT to the be the cause of it toppling. The skill needed to win Jenga goes against everything that it means to be a kid; slow movement, clear thinking, and the ability to block out distractions. Kids are usually the distraction themselves, so when I see kids playing Jenga, I snicker at the simple irony loud enough to disturb them, and continue on my merry way.
