Hi, A month ago, I posted about Boardwalk games. At that time, I did not realize that there were problems with the introductory text (such as "how to play"). I gained the help of a technical writer, and this produced an animated powerpoint slide show on how to play. (The powerpoint viewer is also freely available) It is now kid tested, and mother approved.
These games involve the ramping up of both luck and skill. While they can be played more-so by luck at the start, one's ability to develop strategy on a variety of fronts is also available. You can grow a brain with these games, in a number of dimensions.
Variations: Hopscotch - simplest (luckiest) Lucky Seven - more options (second luckiest) Sqatsi - more options again, highly strategic (third luckiest) Cheshire - Most options, most strategic (least lucky)