If your children haven't discovered the world of Minecraft yet, i promise you, it is only a matter of time before they join the 7 million other registered players out there. Minecraft is this amazing sandbox game which allows players to build constructions, anything you can imagine, out of textured cubes in a 3D world. These building blocks range from sand, stone, and diamonds, to lava, wood, and water, and can be used to build anything in your created world. You can even spawn animals, craft swords and armor, and fight creepers! Once you have mastered your new world and experimented with texture packs and mods, go to the Official Minecraft Site and download the updated and complete version of the game.
Mario has been a favorite of the ages and now you can play it on your computer for free. This game is a beautiful recreation of Super Mario Bros. imitating the usability of the retro 1985 Mario games, and it has an added feature of a portal gun!
Both games are easy to download to your computer, and there's no pop up ads, making the games even more child-friendly. These games may not turn your child into a "PC Only Gamer", but it may give you a few hours of peace before they ask you for the next thing...or maybe not. Good luck!