There is no greater gift you can give parents than a single player logic game for their kids.
I'm serious.
Single player logic games do the following:
- Increase kids' brain power; and
- Keep the quietly busy for house of independent play.
Convinced, yet? I thought so.
We happen to have a rather larger than average collection of solitary logic games for kids for precisely the reasons I outlined above. (Also because we are game addicts.) Today I'm sharing a gift guide list of awesome games. Each of these brain teasing logic puzzle games makes kids smarter and has been a quality investment in my children's future and my sanity.
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Best Single Player Logic Games
Here are some of the best single player logic games, all of which my kids and I love:
Find it: ThinkFun Rush Hour (ages 7+) | Rush Hour, Jr. (ages 4+) | Extra challenge cards
Rush Hour has long been my top game recommendation for kids. I've bought the original, or the version for younger kids, Rush Hour, Jr., for more birthday presents than I can count. Challenge cards in several levels each display puzzles that kids solve by rearranging the vehicles to drive the red truck off the board. Splendid.
UPDATE: ThinkFun now has My First Rush Hour for preschoolers! It's so great it was featured as a game of the month.
Find it: Balance Beans
Balance Beans is a math logic game that uses puzzle cards organized by skill level. Each puzzle involves setting up the red beans and then figuring out which beans to add to the see-saw in order to make it balance. It is actually more challenging than it sounds. But the thing that sold me is that each puzzle can also be solved by algebra. That's right! Algebra! Which is why my 11-year-old math nerd enjoyed it so much. Although older sibling may enjoy the game, stick to ages 5-8 for gift giving.
Find it: Colorku | Expansion packs
Colorku is a colorful, oversized version of Sudoku. We have gotten so much mileage out of this game. Even though it was pricey, it was totally worth it. My son has spent many independent play hours improving his thinking skills with this game over the years. The wooden board and marbles are a pleasure to use. Challenge cards come in different levels and expansion packs are available. Ages 8 and up.
Find it: Katamino
If you are looking for an heirloom quality game for your kids that will continue to be a fun challenge into their adult years, look no further. This puzzle game can be played as a single player game or with 2 players, making it very versatile. Ages 6 and up.
Find it: Camelot, Jr.
This one player logic game has wooden pieces that are lovely for little hands to hold. Challenge cards contain puzzles that kids solve by creating pathways between the princess and prince. Bonus: kids can use the blocks as part of their pretend play. Ages 4 and up.
Similar games:
- Castle Logix, ages 4 and up; we featured it as a game of the month
- Day and Night, for ages 2 and up
- Smart Car, ages 4 and up
Find it: Code Master
This single player game consists of an avatar game piece with 4 crystals, a book of guide scrolls, colored tokens and a map book. The player choses a skill level and a map, and attempts to navigate the map by creating a sequence of actions based on placement of tokens. The object of each challenge is to collect the required crystals and land on the end portal. Code Master is excellent for developing visual perception and deductive reasoning skills. Ages 8 and up.
Find it: Little Red Riding Hood | Three Little Piggies
This award-winning, fairy tale logic game merges storytelling with logical thinking! The game includes a story book, plus 48 challenging puzzles. Kids strive to get Little Red to grandma's house before the wolf gets there! Not a fan of Little Red Riding Hood? Three Little Piggies is a very similar game. Ages 4 and up.
Find it: Simon Electric Memory Game | Simon Travel Version
Do you remember this marvelous game? I love leaving our Simon game lying aroud to be rediscovered by the kids on a rainy day. They always rise to the challenge and although it's not silent, it sure keeps them occupied. And I know they are stretching their memory, visual perception and attention skills. Win-win! Ages 7 and up.
Find it: Block by Block
Block by Block is an excellent logic game to take on your travels. It is a 3D puzzle game. Kids must solve puzzles by arranging the blocks in the formations illustrated on the challenge cards. Also check out the colorful version this game: Shape by Shape. Ages 7 and up.
Find it: SET
SET is a family card game, but it is very versatile and can also be enjoyed by a single player. The player aims to gather "sets" of cards based on logical rules. We featured it as a game of the month, so hop over there to learn more if you want! Ages 6 and up.
Find it: Logic Links
Logic links is a great hands on single player logic game in which kids exercise spatial and logical deductive reasoning skills and they solve clues in order to put colored discs in the right order. We got so much use out of this game and it really stretches those thinking skills! Ages 6 and up.
Find it: IQ Link | IQ Twist | IQ Focus
When you want a portable puzzle that will work those thinking muscles on the go and which doesn't use a screen to entertain, these two logic games are exactly what you need. From personal experience I know the IQ family of games will also keep kids busy on long trips! Games are played by solving puzzles by fitting irregularly shaped pieces on the game board. Ages 6-8 and up.
joana says
IQ Twist I have this one and three more of this kind . I love to challenge "my children " with them, and my son really loves them and always makes a fuss when I take them with me to work
Monika says
Thank you for listing the games, your article helped me a lot is choosing presents for my child.
TechyKids Canada says
These are some really interesting games to help kids develop their logical thinking and reasoning skills. These skills are not only useful for academic performance but also for life Thanks for sharing!
Rebecca says
This is similar to Block by Block, I think ... but we love Djeco's Cubissimo. Everyone from 5-75 in our family has enjoyed it!
Erica says
Thanks for the recommendation!