by Jade Green

Created on: May 27, 2008   Last Updated: September 05, 2011

To find free online games for your toddler, you needn't look any further than who they see every day.

Nickelodeon's Noggin.com is a great educational tool for toddlers and parents alike. With preschool-based games and a page allowing you to track your child's progress, Noggin.com seems to be the future of interactive sites for children. Both Nick.com and Nick Jr.com also offer free games starring every one of your child's favorite Nickelodeon cartoon characters including, of course, Spongebob Squarepants, Dora, and Diego.

Cartoon Network's easy to use website at cartoonnetwork.com has games right on the front page, as well as videos (to watch episodes you may have missed,) and of course a shop for all your cartoon needs. At PBSkids.org you'll find music, games, and coloring pages featuring Clifford, Sesame Street characters, and more. Did I mention these games are free?

A few more great sites are offered by manufacturers of your children's favorite toys. Barbie's interactive website can be found at everythinggirl.com as well as links to Polly Pocket, My Scene and Pixel Chix. These games are great for preschoolers and even older children who enjoy dress up and fancy versions of simpler games. Littlest Pet Shop has their own site where kids can even play online with a toy - a trend becoming increasingly popular as computer users get younger - and the animated version of the toy can interact with a plethora of different surroundings and star in games as well. All of these sites are updated frequently with new games added often, so it's unlikely boredom will set in with these. Ads are kept to a minimum, but they are in themselves a reminder of the toy, so keep that in mind when letting kids play.

A couple more fun sites are bigideaFUN.com, which has simple Veggie Tales, Larryboy, and Penguins games. These games require downloading, but there are also fun items like wallpapers and Instant Message icons. At bemboszoo.com, you'll find a visually interesting way for toddlers to learn how to read, featuring an option to watch even if you don't have flash.

All of these sites are very easy for toddlers to navigate and have a lot of game choices to keep them busy. Some like noggin.com do have the occasional pop-up ad, but for the most part seem to be free of advertisements. Want to use these sites for every day play? Just click "Add to Favorites" on your Internet Explorer's toolbar and returning to them for more play later will be a breeze.  And if you're not sure how to do it, ask your toddler; trust me, they know how.

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