At five to seven, the two things that matter are control simplicity and forgiveness. A game that needs three keys and a fast reaction will frustrate; a game where a single tap does something satisfying will hold attention. Everything here can be started without reading a paragraph of instructions, and none of it punishes a mistake harshly. An adult nearby is still a good idea for the first round.
Five year olds are still learning that a mouse click is a deliberate act; a stray double-click can undo their work, which is discouraging. Prefer games that respond to one input at a time. By six, most children can hold a simple goal in mind for a minute or two, which is when short level-based games start to make sense. At seven, the appetite for rules appears — this is the point where a simple strategy game becomes more interesting than a colourful tap-fest.
Read the game's own first screen together. It usually shows one picture and one word, and that is enough.
Keep an adult within earshot rather than in the chair. The value of these games is independent play, and hovering turns it into a performance.
Every game here was opened and played before it was added to this list — we check that it loads, that the controls work with a mouse and with a finger, and that nothing inside it asks for personal details. The full standard is on the how we review games page. The list is reviewed periodically; when a game stops working it is removed rather than left broken.
If you are looking for something more specific — a quieter game, a two-player option, or something for a particular age — the collections index has the other lists, and the parents' guide explains how the site handles data and advertising.