May 16, 2017 by Krista

The 5 Best Puzzle Games You’ll Love to get Lost in

Hi and welcome! I’m so glad you stopped by today! You’re busy and your brain is full of appointments, errands, grocery lists, meetings and all of life’s happenings. You depend on your phone to keep you organized and on top of everything, right? But, during those brief moments when you find yourself waiting somewhere or before you put your phone away for the night, how do you spend your time? Checking your email? On social media? Watching videos? My go-to are good puzzle games.

Something about disconnecting from social media, leaving work behind and giving my little brain cells a challenge is the perfect way for me to take 10 minutes for myself. I can shut out all the noise and just focus on the problem at hand. That brief disconnect doing something just for me helps me come back ready to tackle whatever is next on my agenda. These apps are some of my favorite ways to spend those brief 10 minute breaks and leave me feeling ready to jump back into life.

WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE TIME TO PLAY PUZZLE GAMES

You might be thinking you don’t have time to play games. You’re an adult, after all, with adult responsibilities and obligations. No time for games. I get that. I have kids to care for, errands to run, meetings to attend, work to complete. But, allowing ourselves some down time will ultimately make us happier, healthier people. That’s right, I’m saying it. Playing games can make you healthier.

Think about how much time you spend on social media. How do you feel after you get off Facebook? Did you find anything you’ll actually, really try on Pinterest? Or was it just a mindless 10 minutes of pretty pictures and projects you know you’ll never think seriously about? Maybe you could find a few less minutes to spend on social media and a few more minutes to spend challenging yourself. I know I could.

Puzzle games let you leave the politics, the world problems and the stress behind, even if for just a few minutes. Puzzle games give you a solvable problem to focus on and then leave you to your own reasoning and intellect to figure it out. Puzzle games are similar to imaginative play for children. It’s a creative outlet that, when explored, can help us be more productive in other aspects of our lives. Even as adults, we need to practice problem solving to be any good at it.

FINDING THE BEST PUZZLE GAMES FOR YOU

This list includes a lot of different kind of puzzle games. Not every puzzle game is great for every person. Math is not my strong suit and, while I enjoy the occasional Sodoku game, I don’t typically enjoy games that require a lot of numerical calculating. But word puzzles, those are my jam. Some of the types of puzzle games included in this list are:

number games
word games
quick reaction games
escape games
physics-based games
mystery games

There is bound to be a game you’ll love. Maybe even two or three… or five. Some of these games are great while I’m waiting at the doctor’s office or in the pickup line after school. While some are better for when I’m standing in line at the grocery store. And yet others are better when I’m winding down for bed. Figure out what works best for you!

THE 10 BEST PUZZLE GAMES YOU’LL LOVE TO GET LOST IN

Some of the links included in this list are affiliate links and are for your benefit. Some of these apps are free or may include in-app purchases. If you choose to purchase any apps through these links, I will receive a small portion of your payment. Your cost does not increase in any way and purchases made through these affiliate links help me keep this site running. These are puzzle games my family uses and I personally recommend.

LITTLE ALCHEMY

In Little Alchemy, you start with the four basic elements: earth, fire, wind, and water. By combining the elements together, you can create new products. There are over 500 new elements that span from bacteria and algae to vampires, skyscrapers and more. This game requires some critical and creative thinking – and maybe a google search when you get a few hundred elements in and can’t figure out your next combination. This is one even older children and teens can enjoy. I like to play it with my almost 8-year-old; some times he comes up with combinations I would never have thought of.

GEM MINER: DIG DEEPER

This is a strategy game. You are a miner and your goal is to mine ore, minerals and fossils and then trade them in for money. You can use the money you earn to buy bigger and better mining equipment that will help you get deeper into the mine. I enjoy that no matter how many times I play this game, it’s never the same. This is another game that older kids and teens can enjoy as well. Game play is easy to learn, fun and engaging.

Heads Up! This exact game isn’t in the App Store, but I’ve linked to one that’s similar and supposed to be really good – although, I’ve never played it personally.

Best Puzzle Games for Mobile Devices - Gem Miner Dig Deeper

THE ROOM

The Room is an escape game with a bit of mystery game mixed in too. You are transported to and then trapped in a room. You must find clues, solve puzzles and figure out how to get yourself out. What I really love about this game is that it can be as difficult as you make it. There are optional hints you can receive if you get stuck, which helps me keep game play moving enough that I don’t get frustrated and bored. The stories included with the game are a bit wild, but that’s part of the fun. There are currently three editions of The Room, each even better than the last. I’m currently working my way through the last one and it’s just as enthralling as the first one was – totally worth the cost. And the graphics, they are absolutely amazing. This game is hard to put down.

Best Puzzle Games for Mobile Devices - The Room

WHERE’S MY WATER 2

This physics puzzler is great for all ages, even my 3 year old can play well enough to enjoy it. The second edition of this game is definitely worth the memory space. I love that each level has three different ways to play. You can play just one or all of them. The added challenge of reversing gravity or avoiding the ducks instead of collecting them makes each level extra gratifying. This one is perfect for both quick or extended game play and the characters are fun.

WORD MIX

The beauty of this game is in the simplicity. It’s a basic word unscrambling game. You have 5 letters and 60 seconds. Your objective it to find as many words with those letters as you can. Words must be at least three letters long and nouns are not eligible. Each set of letters will make at least one 5-letter word. Figure out a 5-letter word and you get to advance to the next level. Each word you correctly guess earns points on your score. You can also earn bonuses, such as super hint, extra time and a second try. Rack up as many points as you can before that 5-letter word eludes you and you have to start back at zero.

Heads Up! The App Store doesn’t have the exact game, but I found a similar one for you.

DISNEY EMOJI BLITZ

If you love the match 3 games, then this is definitely a game to try out. Between the lovable characters and the friendly competition on the leader boards, this game is addicting. Earn emojis that you can actually use on your mobile device. I picked up this game in December when I saw my kids playing it, thinking that these emojis would be great for our trip to Disneyland in January. Here it is May, and I still play just about every day. I love the timed game play and the demand on my full attention for 60 seconds. Game play is simple and easy to learn, but there are ample options. You can earn bonuses (extra lives, extra spins on the prize wheel) by watching ads. The ads are annoying (turn the sound off), but they are all family-friendly and most are 30 seconds or less.

ROUTER AQUA

This is a fun puzzle game. Game play is simple and easy to learn, but the puzzles can be quite complex. You start each level with a set of dots, two of each color. Your objective is to draw a solid line, connecting the dots of the same color. Your lines can not cross each other and you are trying to do it in the shortest line length possible. I enjoy this one when I’m waiting for just a few minutes.

Heads Up! Unfortunately, I couldn’t find this one, or a similar one, in the App Store.

PAPER.IO

This is an arcade-style game, but there’s an element of strategy in there too. I’ll admit, I’m awful at this game… but it’s still fun! Your objective is to occupy as much space as you can with your designated color. You can travel away from your “home” to collect more space, but if you are run into while you’re out it’s game over. If you do the running into, however, the other player dies and their space opens up. If competition is your thing, this is definitely one to try out.

Heads up! I believe there is a free version, but it is loaded with terrible, annoying ads and I definitely think it’s worth the upgrade to get rid of them. Also, this game is not available from the Amazon Apps Store

DOTS: A GAME ABOUT CONNECTING

This game is simple, easy to learn, and fun to play. Basic game play is entertaining, but completing the challenges and earning the badges adds a new element to the game. Your objective is to connect as many like-colored dots as you can. Connect dots in a square to score extra points. The game has three modes: timed for quick action play, moves for thought-out, strategic play and endless for relaxed play. You collect all the dots you connect and those can be used to get power-ups. Initial download is free, but there are in-app purchases available.

PLAGUE INC.

This is a simulation game wherein the choices you make will lead to your success or demise. You are trying to infect the world with your newly developed pathogen. Choose where patient zero is located and mutate your pathogen to spread quickly throughout all the world. You’ll also evolve the symptoms and side effects of your disease and as the seriousness increases so does the world’s efforts to eradicate the germ. Can you effectively infect the world’s population before the world’s scientists develop a cure? This game is engaging and replay value is great. No matter how many time you play, it’s a new game each time.

YOUR TIME IN FRONT OF A SCREEN CAN BE GOOD FOR YOU

It’s no secret that we are a technology addicted society that often spends more time immersed in digital life than in our real lives. While connecting to others is a wonderful thing, being constantly connected can do more harm than good. How would things change if you used a little bit of your screen time to disconnect instead being constantly connected to everyone all of the time? Would you be more relaxed? Less stressed? Happier? Take a break and find out what a little time away could do for you.

Share your favorite puzzle games in the comments. If you struggle with getting good sleep, click that next button to check out 3 apps that will help you sleep better.

September 30, 2015 by Krista

Save Your Memories with Amazon Cloud Drive

Just the other day, my mom brought me her cell phone and “Can you fix this?” A daughter’s favorite words, right? But, she is my momma and she did raise me and all that stuff, so… I started looking around to figure out what the problem was. Turns out her phone was so full of photos that it wouldn’t do much of anything else. At all. “What do I do?” she asked. “I don’t want to lose all my photos!” And then I introduced her to the wonderful world of cloud storage. Do you have Amazon Prime? Did you know that if you do, you already have access to Amazon Cloud Drive? You get unlimited photo storage and 5 GB of storage for videos and other files. Amazon Cloud Drive lets you securely back up and store existing content collections and automatically upload endless amounts of new content, including photos, videos, movies, music, and files. Amazon Cloud Drive can be accessed via the web on Mac, PC, and your mobile device. The easiest way to get started is using the Amazon Photo app, available on Android and iOS devices, which automatically backs up your camera roll – freeing up valuable space on your device, so you can take more pictures and videos!

SAVE YOUR MEMORIES WITH AMAZON CLOUD DRIVE

Setting up Amazon Cloud Storage is easy and only takes a few moments. Here’s step-by-step directions to get you started. Don’t lose precious moments because your device gets lost or ruined. Take a moment and set this up, especially if you already have Amazon Prime! If you don’t have Prime, Amazon has two price plans:

Unlimited Everything Plan ($59.99 per year—equivalent of less than $5 per month): Store an infinite number of new and existing photos, videos, files, documents, movies, and music in Cloud Drive.

Unlimited Photos Plan ($11.99 per year—equivalent of less than $1 per month): Similar to the Prime member benefit – non Prime members can also store an infinite number of photos in Cloud Drive without worrying about taking up space on phones, cameras, or other devices. This plan also includes 5 GB of additional storage for videos or other documents and files.

Ok, ready? Watch how easy it is to set this up. It does take a little bit of time – maybe 20 minutes – but it’s so worth knowing your photos won’t be lost even if you have some sort of disaster. Now, it’s on your desktop and you can backup your computer. But what about all those photos on your phone?! Installing Amazon Cloud Drive on your phone is even easier than on your desktop – and probably what you really want anyway. Save the photos! Here’s what to do to set it up on your mobile device. In addition, the Amazon Photo app allows you to access your photos and personal videos across devices (for example family photos you may have uploaded via the web). I set up instant upload to the cloud for the gallery on my mom’s phone. She was able to delete the photos that were taking up 13 GB on her phone. Her phone ran much more smoothly after that. Shocking, I’m sure. But she can now see photos she takes with her phone on her larger tablet screen. And, whenever she takes new photos, they will automatically back up to the cloud. Even if she looses her phone or it breaks or it gets ruined, her photos and files are safe. That is the most important thing to me in cloud storage. Instant upload for my photos and lots of space to store them all. I use my phone not only to capture photos of my kids and our lives, but for my blog as well. I love knowing I won’t lose my photos if something happens to my phone, but it is also incredibly convenient to have my blog photos automatically backed up to the cloud. It cuts out a step in the whole “composing a post” process, because I don’t have to transfer my photos to my computer. Not only that, I don’t have to worry about storing them on my hard drive, taking up valuable hard drive space; and, there’s no threat of my hard drive crashing and loosing all the time I’ve spent on editing those photos. I spend an average of 1-2 hours editing photos for a single post and I love knowing my time spent editing won’t disappear if my computer crashes. Storing to the cloud is just super convenient! Cloud storing makes sharing photos easy! Photos and files can be shared via private links from within the Amazon Photo app or by selecting a folder or file to be shared using the web interface on your computer. Sharing your photos is fast, easy and secure. As with anything you put online, there is a chance that someone somewhere will try to get their hands on it. Amazon has secure servers to store your photos and files. Your photos are protected within your account.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

August 13, 2014 by Krista

Five Sight Word Apps to Help Your Kids Learn to Read

Hey, my friend! Are you trying to help your kiddo learn to read? Me too!

It can be HARD, right?! Even my five-year-old has told me, “Mom, I don’t like English. It’s hard!” And he’s RIGHT! It IS hard. English is incredibly hard! And sight words can be the hardest of all. It’s easy to get discouraged when we get something wrong over and over.

Sight words aren’t long words, or difficult to say or even hard to recognize. But, a lot of sight words are cheater words.

Most of them don’t follow the rules. They are hard to sound out for a beginning reader. The silent -e. The hard -c sound. Words that look like they should rhyme, but don’t. Or words that shouldn’t rhyme, but they do!

Have you had this struggle with your child too? As parents, it’s hard to watch our kids struggle, right? My kindergartner would refuse to practice or even try. Tears, tantrums, the whole nine yards. Until we found something that works for him.

He has always liked his “tablet time”. I’m sure there are a lot of people out there that would hyperventilate with horror at the amount of screen time this kid has under his belt. But, that’s fine.

When he was two-and-a-half years old, he could correctly identify a pentagon, a hexagon, a trapezoid and an octagon in everyday items. My inner mommy would cackle hysterically when people gave me compliments on teaching him such complex shapes at such a young age. If only these people knew he was learning all this from an app on my tablet and I didn’t do much more than encourage him. Half the time, I was just as surprised as they were that he knew them!

This boy learns well with his allotted tablet time and I’m not going to refuse to use the resource when it works so well for him. And I’m so glad there are people out there that develop quality apps that we can use! They are definitely one of my mommy heroes.

In our house, practicing sight words is not a fight anymore!

Does that sound nice? Want to see if practicing sight words during screen time can help your kids actually enjoy the task? Great! But which apps should you try? No worries, Momma! I’ve done all the work for you.

I tried at least a dozen different sight word apps before I let Big J loose. I narrowed it to six and let him play with them. He chose his favorites and now he gets 20 minutes a day of sight word practice.

Best of all, he LIKES it and he’s learning! I don’t get frustrated because he won’t try, he doesn’t get frustrated because it’s hard. He can see that he’s making progress and he likes to read the early readers with me now. And he can pick out some of the sight words, which was the goal all along, right?

Our Favorite Sight Word Apps

Sight Words Learning Games. This is my favorite app. The lite version of this app has two games for your kiddo to play. Both are great. Big J’s favorite is the gear game. This app features the 220 Dolch sight words (plus 90+ nouns) in five skill levels. It also has uppercase, lowercase and combined forms of the words. In the full version, there are six games, including a set of flashcards. The lite version is available for free and the full version is currently $1.99 in the Play Store. Also in the App Store and in the Amazon App Store. I will be back to this company.

- Phonics Spelling and Sight Words. This app is good for after your kiddo has been working with sight words. I wouldn’t use it as an introduction for sight words because it’s geared a little more toward drills and practicing, rather than playing. But now that Big J understands and knows some of the words, it’s good practice. It also works on letter blending. This app has 300 words divided into two levels, Pre-K and K.
  Available for free in the Play Store and the Amazon App Store.
  
  (Some of the reviewers were complaining about the ad content in the app. I personally haven’t had any questionable ads pop up while we’re playing (I usually have to help Big J with this one a little so I usually see everything that pops up on the screen), but you might want to keep an eye on it.)

- Words for Kids – Reading Game. It’s also called Bud’s First Words. This game encourages kids to learn new vocabulary words, as well as begin to recognize sentence structure and recognize sight words. There are over 350 vocabulary words and is a great app for English as a Second Language Learners. This app is targeted more toward younger readers (great for preschoolers, kids with learning disabilities or new language learners) and doesn’t have an intense focus on the actual sight words, but I like that it shows Big J that sight words show up in everyday life. There are in-app purchases in the lite version or your can get the full version ($2). Both versions are available in the Play Store (lite|full) as well as the Amazon App Store (lite|full). It’s also available in the App Store There are Japanese, Korean, and Spanish versions as well in the Play Store. I’m going to have both my boys try the Spanish version.

- Kids Reading Sight Words. This is another app by Intellijoy. I really, really like their apps. They are engaging and entertaining for my kids, but still have a great educational aspect. These are the apps my kids will play and not even realize they are learning. Their sight words app uses the 220 Dolch sight words in five skill levels to identify sight words and common words at their reading level as well as develop reading fluency. Available in the Play Store (lite|full), in the Amazon App Store (lite|full). You can find the app in the App Store as well, though I don’t know if there is a lite version. I couldn’t find it. I love all of Intellijoy’s apps and this one is worth every penny. Promise. (I have purchased the lifetime All-in-One pack that Intellijoy offers on Android. I don’t know if this is an option for Apple devices – I couldn’t find anything in my brief search. But, I love having access to all their high-quality games. And customer service was super helpful when I changed phones and I couldn’t access my all-in-one pack.)

Princesses Learn Sight Words. Not just for girls, my friends. Although, I’m sure any princess-loving little lady out there would adore this app too. I wasn’t sure if it would be a hit or not with Big J, but he loved the music and the games. While there are definite improvements that could be made to this app to increase the sight word learning process, it’s not a bad way for a kid to spend ten or fifteen minutes. This app allows kids to recognize sight words in a story-based context, which helps them recognize them in other text they see. The games aren’t super educational (memory, coloring, stickers, bingo and songs) but it is fun and the kids are still being exposed to educational content. In-app purchases are available. Get the app in the Play Store, Amazon App Store, and the App Store for free. There are also versions of Princesses Learn Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and more. Check out all the Early Languages Apps in the Play Store.

What are your favorite sight word apps or other educational apps?

This post was written by Krista and originally appeared on While He Was Napping.