Are there effective educational children games that I could do with my child?

Almost any game you play with a child is educational. It's how children learn, through play.
I used to set up little assult courses for my brother, now he's a bit older, when I do it i put in little maths problems or something. Kids tend to love maths.

How old is your child?

My nine-yr-old enjoys this site for problem-solving sorts of things:

http://www.coolmath4kids.com/

She is ten.

My son is crazy for the board game "Clue". It's a problem solving game!

Learning is about having fun, which is why games are effective. Of course, different people find different things to be fun which makes answering these types of questions so difficult.

Why not let your child choose something that interests her?

My older sons really liked strategy games-- we played some turn based computer games that gave us the chance to figure out and discuss strategy. One of my sons really liked the funny little card/dice games you can buy at book stores in the US that involve cows and space aliens and strange rules about transmorgification).

Then there are the classics. I taught my kids poker (which every kid should know how to play) and chess.

My daughter is 5 years old... and the ability to cheat (i.e. hide the ice cream cone card in candy land) was a innovation that impressed me (she had the sophistication to understand what card she needed to get to win the game, and the creativity to figure out how to ensure she got it).


But, it is the time you spend interacting with kids that is more important than the specific activity.

Build things together - real things. I built a small boat with my Uncle one summer and it was a hell of a learning experience.

Learn something new together - if you don't play an instrument, learn one along with them. That way you can share in both the excitement and the frustration of something new.

Cycloptichorn

I think that's a great idea: choose an activity new to both of you and learn it together.
cooking lessons
karate
painting
roller skating or ice skating
dancing
any sport
build something