Solitario

My 6-year-old figured out the jump-and-capture rule after about ten minutes, and now she beats me half the time. The little wooden carrots are chunky enough that they don't roll off the table, which is a big deal in our house. We play it almost every evening before bed.

The wooden board is solid and the carrot pieces fit nicely in the dents, so my daughter can play without them sliding around. She's been working through the puzzles for almost an hour, and I can see her planning her moves instead of guessing. Nice quiet activity that actually makes her think.

My kid actually sits still for this, which says a lot. Placing the carrots to leave the center dent empty makes him think a step ahead, and I've caught myself playing it after bedtime too.