Preparing a child for school can be easier for a parent if they remember to make learning a fun activity. Most teachers will tell you that building basic skills before entering school is one of the most important tasks that a parent can do. Knowing their name, address, and phone number is not enough anymore, they need skills.

Educational games help to build learning skills, social skills, the ability to focus and attend to task. A preschooler should start their first day of kindergarten class with some basics that will make their time at school less stressful. There are some children that attend preschool and daycare but in a tight economy, cash strapped parents can help their preschooler at home, while having fun.

Here are some of the best skill building games for preschoolers on the market today.

• Preschool LOTTO Game is designed to have a child match a picture of their card to a picture on a game card. There are 6 different game boards with 6 different pictures. This is intended to help in the development of visual recognition skills, taking turns and focusing.

  Children from 3 to 6 years of age are recommended. Sold by EeBoo Co. and can be bought through Amazon. Sells for $10.95 to $13.95 new.

• Alphabet & Numbers Simple Puzzle Pairs is designed for preschoolers age 3 to 6, and is a recipient of the Parenting Magazine Top Toy Award Winner!

  Sold by EeBoo Company and sells for $10.95 to $14.95 new.

  The object of this game is to match up puzzle pairs such as the "V" to the picture of a violin, or the number "3" to the picture of three dots and etc.

• Candy land is a classic child's first board game and has been a favorite for generations. Teaches children to focus, take turns and color recognition. Child draws a card and moves plastic gingerbread figure around the board until they reach the candy castle. Manufactured by Hasbro and sells new from $8.99 to $10.99.

• Leapfrog®Leapster® is a hand held electronic game that uses the Leapfrog® learning cartridges so it is good to uses with children's games from age 4 to 10. Since it comes with two built-in games and is expandable with many cartridges to choose from, it is worth the price of $49.00 to $59.00. Some of the preschool titles are Finding Nemo, Thomas and Friends, Dora the Explorer, and the Disney Princess. The cartridges run from $11.99 to $59.99.

  I recommend the kindergarten game which teaches 45 essential reading and math skills including phonics, spelling, logic, counting, and terms. The basic idea of this game is to earn tickets so they can buy monster parts and finish a complete monster.

This game has won both the Parents' Choice Recommended Award winner, 2004 and Award of Excellence, Technology & Learning Magazine, 2004.

• Pegs and Pegboard Set with Pattern Cards Preschool Educational learning Toy Game by World Class Learning Materials and sells for $19.95. It helps with visual motor coordination and is useful for all children, especially those who may have a mild handicapping condition. The child picks a patterned card with precut colored holes and pushes the correct colored pegs into the outline of each figure. There are other variations of this activity that used colored laces. This is so good for teaching them to tie their shoes.

• V-Tech Preschool Learning Tote 'n Go Laptop Plus. here's a laptop for a preschooler 3 years and up, that looks real enough, so they'll stay away from the adult's.

Made with little people and hands in mind. Portable, with 30 built in activities to keep them

occupied for hours, while learning valuable skills. Runs about $23.00 to $27.00 new.

V-Tech makes other computers-type games for children that will help them prepare for school.

Well there are some good choices for preschoolers to help make learning essential skills fun and less stressful for parents.

There's an educational game for every budget and interest level. Board games are useful to teach social skills, basic math counting and color recognition.

The electronic games are good for children who do not have company so they can work on important skills alone. whatever you choose, make sure it has some learning involved.

Learning doesn't have to be hard on the child or family.