If I can't buy it or get it free without ads, it doesn't go on the iPad (I test with my iPhone if I'm unsure), and thus my kid isn't exposed to it (device is locked down tight to prevent purchases/etc, and I sync the apps on there after they've been reviewed by me).
"So what's in common with these two games? They're both originally mobile games." (Emphasis mine.)
The sad part is that once converted to HTML5 these games won't be able to run on many (most?) mobile devices. Current mobile browsers are too slow or non-standard to run HTML5 based games. The exception is iOS 5 powered devices (iPhone/iPad) since the browser now includes hardware acceleration for both HTML5 canvas and CSS3 animation transforms.
But I think Chrome for Android 4 (which I believe will replace stock Android browser eventually), IE10 for Windows 8 phones / tablets, and Firefox on B2G will change this. I've seen B2G already running mobile web games smoothly on Android hardware.
That's unlikely, mobile device lifecycles are way shorter than those of desktop computers. Even native game developers often don't target mobile devices that are outdated.
Many smartphone users are prevented from upgrading their firmware/OS. So even if the device lifecycles are shorter, developers cannot ignore legacy devices. If we look at the current Android stats for top entertainment app users:
In late 2003 I was laid off from my job as a hardware/firmware design engineer. I spent the next two years away from work. During this time I spent nearly a year on self-study, got married, and then went travelling with my wife in Europe and south-east Asia. We worked on and off while travelling to be able to afford to continue our adventures.
If you are a self-motivated learner I would highly recommend a study break. The stuff I learnt during my break helped me secure my current job. I spent most of my time learning about web development, both client-side and server-side technologies. I now teach these technologies at a local college. I also do contract web work on the side.
As others have mentioned, be sure to pick some solid learning outcomes. Map out your study goals. Give yourself timeframes and be sure to reward yourself when you meet these milestones.
I'd recommend either blogging about your experiences or putting together a portfolio of work. This will come in handy when future employers ask about the gap in your resume. Working on one or two open-source projects might also be worth while.
Learning to live frugally and within your means is also key.
I second the idea of creating a portfolio of work as a blog. I have done this and it lead to several opportunities for training workshops and consulting.
I had a 7 year old recently ask me about dieting and weight-loss strategies because of an in-game "one weird trick to lose weight" ad.