Today’s roundup is a running list of children’s games for kids between the ages of two to eight. This is a hand-picked list, continually updated to add new and awesome games, with today’s update offering six new titles, bringing the total to a whopping 70 children’s games. To say this is a giant list of the best mobile children’s games is an understatement, and since this is a curated roundup, you won’t have to worry about too many unexpected surprises, unlike the titles you’ll find when browsing on the Play Store. So if you’re tired of crawling through piles of horribly monetized kids games on the current app stores, come and step into the sunshine with us here at AP as we have the good stuff you’ve been looking for.
Townscaper
Townscaper is a sandbox game that’s all about building beautiful Italian cities in the middle of the ocean. Building these gorgeous towns is as simple as tapping on the screen; literally, that’s it. So easy a young child can do it, which is why Townscaper is an excellent game for children, there’s nothing to read, and there are no goals. The game looks great, it plays great, and there are no goals, plus there’s no need to read. It’s a perfect game for all ages, and it’s a hoot to boot, so don’t miss out. This one’s a classic in waiting.
Monetization: $4.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Pokémon Playhouse
Unlike most Pokémon games on Android, Pokémon Playhouse is entirely free and designed to appeal to children. Kids can easily interact with several different Pokémon while exploring various locations, and there’s even a grooming aspect that’s similar to what you would find in a Tamagotchi game. All in all, this is a casual exploration game that offers a few mini-games, all designed to target kids between the ages of 3-5, so it is the perfect introduction to the property for children that can’t yet read.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Molly of Denali: Learn about Nature and Community
Molly of Denali – Go on an Alaskan Adventure comes from PBS Kids, and it is a tie-in product for the station’s TV show of the same name. This is a kids game that targets children ages 4-8, and it offers mini-games themed around the show where the player can explore nature. It’s a free release that does not contain any in-app purchases or advertisements. So if you’re looking for a fair game for children between the ages of 4-8, Molly of Denali – Go on an Alaskan Adventure is a safe choice.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Daniel Tiger for Parents
Daniel Tiger for Parents isn’t necessarily something you would give to your kid to play, as it’s more a guide to help parents discuss specific situations with their children in an approachable manner. You simply pick the subject you are looking to cover with your kid to then watch a video or listen to a song about the subject through the app itself. So while Daniel Tiger for Parents may not be a game per se, it still retains a lot of usefulness regarding children thanks to the media contained within. Oh, and be sure to check out the rest of the PBS KIDS apps and games, as they are all honestly monetized and kid-friendly.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
sugar game
Bart Bonte’s sugar game is another minimal release from the developer, and it’s one that’s super accessible thanks to its simple mechanics. The goal, pour sugar into cups. This sugar will fall from the top of the screen, and the player will draw lines to direct the sugar where it needs to go. While the game is rated E for everyone, the player will need to be able to read numbers to play, as this is a puzzle game where the number on the cups illustrates how much sugar to pour. Still, the game is a hoot, and just about any kid should be able to have some fun with this one.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $1.99 apiece
Pet Bingo by Duck Duck Moose
Pet Bingo by Duck Duck Moose is an educational math game intended for children between the ages of 5-10. Not only is the title completely free to download and use, but it contains a whole slew of math skills to learn. This includes addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, measurements, and geometry. This way, your child should be covered no matter their current learning level. Plus, if you find you would like more content, you can simply check out the rest of Duck Duck Moose’s excellent catalog.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Toca Kitchen 2
Toca Boca is one of those publishers that stick to their guns. Not only are all of their games free of in-app purchases, but they are also open-ended and gender-neutral. Their most popular release Toca Kitchen 2, is, in my opinion, a perfect example of their ethical design. In the same vein as Cooking Mama, it is a fun little cooking game that allows kids to explore any wacky combination of food they can think of, to then serve it to an NPC for humorous results.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
The Cat in the Hat Invents: PreK STEM Robot Games
The Cat in the Hat Invents: PreK STEM Robot Games is an educational game designed to get kids interested in STEM, and it’s completely free to play. Essentially, The Cat will engage your children to problem solve, which is a big part of STEM, and of course, engineering tools will be used throughout so that your child grows accustomed to standard terms for the field. Like most educational games, there are many mini-games to explore, which should keep players busy for a good while.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Khan Academy Kids: Free educational games & books
Khan Academy Kids offers educational games and books for young children. This is an app that not only contains a robust curriculum for language, reading, math, and general logic, every learning experience can be personalized to suit a child’s problem areas, which is an excellent feature for kids that don’t enjoy school. Plus, the whimsical design ensures that your kids will have a blast while learning, which makes this release a total win in my book.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Tornado Time Free
Tornado Time Free is an older game, but it’s a good one. It’s simple in scope, as there’s only one stage, and you only have one goal, destroy as much of the town as possible. Basically, it is your job to get the highest score you can by demolishing a small town. While this type of setup is repetitive in nature, I doubt many children will notice the lack of variety. Plus, it’s super fun to destroy the town over and over again. What kid wouldn’t enjoy that?
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Gocco Zoo – Paint & Play
Gocco Zoo offers an enjoyable game where you can raise zoo animals as well as paint them. Heck, you can even event new species of animals if that’s what floats your boat. Essentially this is a title that mixes together the fun of a painting app with the joy you can get from taking care of digital creatures. So if you enjoy feeding animals as well as slathering them with beautiful colors, then this is the game for you, you weirdo.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Starfall.com
Starfall is an educational app that offers simple content for pre-K users through third grade. The app provides many games that delve into popular subjects, like reading, math, and even singing. An internet connection is required to play, so this is a title best played at home. So if your child is just learning their ABCs and 123s, Starfall is a quality choice that won’t break the bank.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $5.99 apiece
Pikmin Bloom
Niantic is well known for its augmented reality collection game Pokémon GO and is at the forefront of AR tech. Even though most of the studio’s games follow a similar design, Pikmin Bloom is a little different from the rest. This is a game about walking, and the goal, always, is to walk, so think of it as a fun step counter. What makes it fun is that the entire thing is themed around Nintendo’s Pikmin franchise, and you’ll get to grow Pikmin from seedlings with every step you take. Yes, the game does contain in-app purchases, but the shortcuts Niantic sells aren’t necessary if your goal is to walk. So if you’d like to get your kid out and about with an app that encourages healthy activity, perhaps Pikmin Bloom is what you’re looking for.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $99.99
Ordia
Using slingshot mechanics for movement is nothing new in mobile games. Angry Birds was undoubtedly one of the first to popularize the mechanic, and few releases have felt as satisfying. A new contender called Ordia is the latest release to take on this mantle. All you have to do is slingshot your way from one end of the stage to another, but of course, once you make it to some of the later levels, you better believe you’ll have to contend with more than a few obstacles as you navigate your way to the end of each stage. This one is going to take a lot of hand-eye coordination, so you’ll want to make sure your kind can handle this release before handing it off to them.
Monetization: $5.49 / no ads / no IAPs
LEGO City Explorers
LEGO City Explorers is a rocket launching game, much like Kerbal Space Program. It’s inspired by NASA, and so it contains a bunch of videos of real-life astronauts at work, which I would have loved as a kid. It would also appear that the game ties into a few of LEGO’s retail models, which should add an extra layer of interactivity to the game if you plan on purchasing those specific products for your kids.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
PLAYMOBIL Mars Mission
Much like LEGO, Playmobil tends to release free mobile games as advertising for its block-building toy line. These games are often delightful, and PLAYMOBIL Mars Mission definitely fits with this description. It serves as an educational game of sorts, though much of the gameplay revolves around collection-based missions. Despite the slightly repetitive gameplay, it’s a fun little game, though I’m not too sure how “educational” it actually is. At the very least, your kids should have a blast as they explore Mars in this PLAYMOBIL release.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Rise of the TMNT: Power Up!
Rise of the TMNT comes from Nickelodeon, and it’s completely free to play. It’s a simple serving game where you have to multitask to create pizza for your four favorite reptiles. You can earn Pizza Points as you play, which can then be redeemed on the Playmates website for select toys. So really, this free game serves as an advertisement of sorts for the Nickelodeon TV Show and the Playmates toy line. But hey, it’s hard to argue with free, especially when the majority of branded titles on the Play Store are filled with in-app purchases.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Jet’s Bot Builder: Robot Games
Jet’s Bot Builder is themed after the PBS kids show Ready Jet Go. It’s a robot-building game aimed at children ages six to eight. The goal of the title is to design robots that will help the player traverse many different obstacles. The more obstacles you conquer, the more areas you’ll get to visit. The idea behind this release is that the gameplay should instill STEM concepts into your young’n, though there’s obviously no guarantee to this claim.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery
If you’re looking for a relaxing narrative game for your child, then look no further than Behind the Frame. The story revolves around an aspiring artist finishing off the last painting for their upcomig exhibit. Players will get to piant, sketch, and recoler paintings to bring them to life, all while advancing the story. So think of it as a visual novel with a few mini games spread throughout. The art is superb, the music is great, and the story is solid. While thi sis a short game, it’s defiintely worth the asking price.
Monetization: $4.99 / no ads / IAPs $0.99 apiece
Doug dug.
Okay, Doug dug is a personal favorite of mine. While it’s not a new game by any means, I feel it does not get the praise it deserves. Essentially this plays a lot like a mix of Mr. Driller and Dig Dug. Thankfully the controls are quite simple, which should allow any kid to grasp the main mechanic of digging down as far as you can. Oh, and unlike many games, you never use the in-game currency for anything other than trying for the highest score. Doug dug is all about high scores.
Monetization: $0.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Dinosaur Mix
Dinosaur Mix is a goofy game all about combining different parts of dinosaurs to come up with some wacky and original creations. Once a dinosaur is designed, you can explore with your buddy to search out eggs that can further change the creature’s appearance. Of course, exploration is key if you’d like to find every egg, though really, this is a game where the journey outclasses the destination, so it’s more an enjoyable sandbox than a game you have to rush to beat. Ideally, this design choice should keep your kids busy for a good while.
Monetization: $2.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Crashy Bash Boom – Toy Tank Smash ‘Em Up for Kids
Crashy Bash Boom is a delightful toy tank game for children. This is a title that plays like one big sandbox, and so anyone can jump in to start smashing some tanks into anything they like. So instead of watching as your kid smashes real-world toys together, potentially ruining your purchases, you can plop them in front of a tablet with this game loaded to allow for endless devastation that won’t break the bank.
Monetization: $0.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Un Pas Fragile
Un Pas Fragile is a beautiful narrative game designed for all ages. There’s no text to read. The art does all the work in relaying the tale of this title. This story revolves around a frog that dreams of being a professional ballet dancer one day, which results in an adorable slice-of-life game that shouldn’t be missed. Keep in mind that the title will only last 10 minutes or so before you’ve completed the entire story, but trust me when I say the experience is well worth the asking price.
Monetization: $1.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Reading Raven: Learn to read phonics adventure
Reading Raven is an educational game that provides step-by-step reading lessons through the use of phonics (of the Hooked on Phonics fame). You can expect lessons for just about any reading level, ranging from pre-reading to the ability to read complete sentences. You can even configure multiple profiles for all of your children, which should alleviate any issues using only one app to teach various lessons for many different reading levels. Sure, the game’s graphics are simple, but the lessons within are definitely on point.
Monetization: $1.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Fox Tales – Kids Story Book: Learn to Read
If you are looking for a great interactive story to read to your kids, or simply something to help them learn how to read, then look no further than Fox Tales – Kids Story Book: Learn to Read. Not only does it feature plenty of adventure game aspects for your child to interact with, but it makes for a great bedtime tale, thanks to its heartfelt story. There are 45 pages with hand-drawn illustrations with a total of 84 hidden stars to be discovered, which should provide hours of entertainment and replayability for any child between the ages of 5-12.
Monetization: $2.49 / no ads / no IAPs
ELOH
ELOH comes from Broken Rules Interactive Media, the same people behind the gorgeous adventure game Old Man’s Journey. So this chilled-out musical puzzle game is not only a great release for kids; it should appeal to all ages. It’s a great puzzler to play when you want to sit back and relax, and you can share the experience with your children since the entire thing is super easy to pick up. So if you or your kids enjoy musical rhythm games filled with puzzles, ELOH is an excellent choice.
Monetization: $2.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Lightbot Jr : Coding Puzzles
All the parents out there who would like to get their child interested in coding early should look at Lightbot Jr : Coding Puzzles. Essentially Lightbot Jr is an easier version of the popular Lightbot : Programming Puzzles. It is intended for children between the ages of 4-8. There are 42 levels where your child can play as Boybot or Girlbot as they solve problems rooted in computer science concepts. And if you find that your kid enjoys this game, then you will also want to check out the rest of Lightbot’s fantastic catalog.
Monetization: $2.99 / no ads / no IAPs
HELP: Matching Games with Fun Puzzle Gameplay
HELP is an app that contains five separate games from notable developers, and it is being sold for $2.99, with the net proceeds going towards a children’s charity called War Child UK. So if you have a hankering for some quality puzzlers appropriate for all ages and would like to also contribute to a children’s charity, look no further than HELP.
Monetization: $2.99 / no ads / no IAPs
KIDS
Kids is an odd little game that only lasts up to thirty minutes of playtime, so be aware that this is a title that’s more about the experience than it is about long-lasting gameplay. Luckily what’s beneath the surface is worth the asking price. The black and white art is probably the first thing most people will notice, which is simple yet striking. The gameplay, if you can call it that, revolves around moving with and against crowds to see which choices empty the stage first. The mechanics are intuitive, and the black and white cartoony design should appeal to children, making this a fun little title to play around with just to see what happens.
Monetization: $2.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Kids Piano Games PRO
Kids Piano Games PRO is something of an educational music game. It starts your kids on the path of learning the piano and provides them the skills to identify particular instrumental sounds. Basically, this game encourages your children to explore music creatively by helping out a band of friendly monsters who are preparing for a concert. There are eight musical notes available, which should allow for an easy way to learn how to play some of the most popular children’s songs.
Monetization: $2.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Hey Duggee: We Love Animals
BBC Worldwide has been quietly releasing Hey Duggee branded games on the Play Store for some time. While I can’t speak for the rest of their apps, these Hey Duggee games are all pretty solid, and if I had to choose one, I would go with Hey Duggee: We Love Animals. It is an infectious little game where you are tasked with caring for an assortment of cute cartoon animals. Much like a Tamagotchi game, you will need to feed, exercise, provide water, and even sometimes bandage your pets in order to keep them as happy as possible.
Monetization: $2.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Learn to Read with Tommy Turtle
Learn to Read with Tommy Turtle is an educational game that should help anyone under the age of eight learn how to read. There are many different mini-games to choose from, and they all revolve around solving puzzles by reading, which should encourage your youngsters to learn new words as they play through the title. Best of all, this is a premium release, so you won’t have to worry about leaving your children unattended as they play.
Monetization: $2.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Zap Zap Kindergarten Math
Zap Zap Kindergarten Math is an educational adventure game perfect for children aged 3-6. You can expect a collection of fast-paced math games that will offer a solid introduction to mathematics. This content mainly includes addition and subtraction, place values, measurements plus data, and the gamification aspects really help keep your child interested in learning.
Monetization: $2.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Hidden Through Time
Hidden Through Time is a delightful hidden object game that offers wonderful art, cute animations, and enjoyable gameplay. Primarily players will spend their time deciphering clues in order to find all of the hidden objects in each level, so reading is necessary. More importantly, each stage is pleasantly animated, which makes it easy to stare at the screen for hours as players hunt down every last hidden object in this release. If your kid enjoys titles like Hidden Folks, then they’re going to love Hidden Through Time.
Monetization: $2.99 / no ads / IAPs $1.99 apiece
Petting Zoo
I wouldn’t say Petting Zoo is a game per se, but more an assortment of interactive pictures. That means there is no real goal other than to see how many crazy reactions you can find by tapping and swiping on the 21 available animals drawn in this app. I would imagine any child should find these differing reactions humorous and amusing, which to me says that Petting Zoo is an excellent choice for your kid’s entertainment.
Monetization: $3.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Human Heroes Einstein On Time
Human Heroes Einstein On Time is an educational game perfect for any child who wants to learn how to tell time. The title stars Albert Einstein, and the English actor Stephen Fry voices him. The game is very polished, and obviously, the voice work is top-notch. Plus, it’s a premium release, so you won’t have to worry about your kids running into any advertisements or in-app purchases while they play.
Monetization: $3.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Thinkrolls 2 – Logic Puzzles
Avokiddo is another top-quality kid-focused publisher that releases highly polished educational apps with ethical monetization. One of their most popular games is Thinkrolls 2 – Logic Puzzles, a logic puzzler for kids 3-9 years old. The graphics are bright and colorful, the controls are spot-on, and the lack of in-app purchases and advertisements alleviates any worries of needing to spend any more money on the title past the initial asking price.
Monetization: $3.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Smart Kids Puzzles
Smart Kids Puzzles is a slick-looking wooden puzzle game for small children. The puzzles take the shape of many random animals where it’s the player’s job to assemble a bunch of colored puzzle pieces into the shape of the target animal. While none of the puzzles are overly complicated, I would imagine that’s by design so that even the youngest players can earn a sense of accomplishment.
Monetization: $3.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Human Heroes Curie on Matter
Human Heroes Ltd has been pumping out polished educational games over the last year or so, and Human Heroes Curie on Matter is one of the newer titles in the series. This time around, you’ll get to interact with Marie Curie instead of Albert Einstein. Primarily this is an educational title that offers a solid mini-game collection, all with a few interactive stories sprinkled in-between. So if you’re looking for a polished educational game that offers slick art and quality voice work, Human Heroes Curie on Matter is an excellent choice.
Monetization: $3.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Sago Mini Robot Party
Sago Mini Robot Party is all about allowing your child’s creativity to shine through creating an assortment of robots out of hundreds of different robot parts. Your kid can mix or match to their liking, all in order to assemble the silliest creations their imaginations can muster. And if robots are not your child’s most significant interest, I would wholeheartedly recommend checking out the rest of Sago Mini’s games. Every single one is targeted towards preschoolers while offering entirely trustworthy monetization practices that any parent can appreciate.
Monetization: $3.99 / contains ads / no IAPs
Nighty Night Forest
Nighty Night Forest is more a bedtime story than a game, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some interactivity to be found in this release. There are actually seven interactive animals included in this release, and there are even a few hidden surprises for those that search them out. Primarily this app offers a story that’s the perfect length for bedtime, and there’s even an auto mode for those times your child would prefer to control the app themselves instead of waiting for a parent to take control.
Monetization: $3.99 / no ads / IAPs $0.99 apiece
Gamma Blues
Gamma Blues is an interesting game that’s very minimal in its design, but don’t let its simplistic nature fool you as this is an enjoyable release. The gameplay is easy enough to grasp that even a child can handle it. Simply hold down on the screen to expand the color in the center. This color must match the incoming lines of color from the top and bottom of the screen. If it does not match, you simply take your finger off the screen to make the center color smaller until it changes into a new color that matches the game’s ever-encroaching lines. Basically, the primary mechanics revolve around color matching and timing, which should be ideal for children of any age.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
Feed Johan Candy
Feed Johan Candy is a game that gives away its hilarious gameplay right in the title. Your job is to feed Johan candy by throwing it directly at his face. The more candy you can make him eat, the higher your score, and really, that’s about all there is to it, which makes it a perfect choice for children. The off-the-wall concept should appeal to just about anyone. After all, who doesn’t enjoy throwing candy at strange bearded men named Johan?
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
Tiny World
Tiny World is a cute and colorful game with simple controls. You either tap on the left or right side of the screen to control your vehicle’s direction and speed. As it traverses its curved World, it is the player’s job to keep control of the bags stored on top of the vehicle. Any bump in your path may knock out a few of these bags. Once every bag has fallen off the top, the game is over. This is why you’ll want to see how long you can last without dropping these bags, all to acquire the highest score possible.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
Road Trip – Endless Driver
Sure, Road Trip – Endless Driver may look like another endless runner, but it is its blocky design and simple swipe controls that really create an engaging experience. Plus, you have a ton of different ways to crash outrageously, which should be amusing to most children. You can unlock thirty-three cars, and it’s all done through gameplay, thanks to the absence of any in-app purchases. This way, your kid can play at their own pace without you needing to worry about the game hitting them up to spend your money.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
UniCorn – Born of Corn
Alright, UniCorn – Born of Corn was recently one of our WTF releases covered in a weekly games roundup, and it’s perfect as a whacky game for children. The goal of UniCorn is to throw an ear of corn at a horse to turn it into a magical unicorn. As you play, you can unlock new characters as well as new animals to throw corn at, and there are even a few hidden secrets to discover for those daring enough to explore the bounds of this wild release.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $0.99 apiece
The VideoKid
The VideoKid is a fun little throwback to the arcade game Paperboy, but instead of flinging newspapers at your customers, you’re tasked with throwing video cassettes. There’s a pleasant ’80s vibe to the whole thing, and the old-school gameplay design should surely appeal to any gamer, young or old.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $1.99
Toddler Educational Puzzles: Pooza for Toddlers
Toddler Educational Puzzles is an educational puzzler for toddlers. While the game’s description boasts all sorts of unprovable claims, the puzzle within are varied and designed well. There are over 600 puzzles to explore, and the drag-and-drop controls are perfect for youngsters that still haven’t mastered their movement. Best of all, the app is free to try, and if you like what you see, you can unlock it in its entirety through a single in-app purchase.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $2.99 apiece
Dad Jokes Duel
Dad Jokes Duel is a goofy local multiplayer game where you sit with a friend/parent to tell each other horrible dad jokes. If you laugh at a joke told by your opponent, they are awarded a point. Whoever has the most points by the end of the game wins the whole enchilada. It’s a simple setup, but if you or your kids are fans of super lame jokes, this is indeed a great game to install.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $2.99 apiece
Sesame Street Alphabet Kitchen
Just about everybody is going to be familiar with Sesame Street. After years of quality educational content on TV, Sesame Workshop has finally expanded to a handful of Android games in the digital world. One of their standout titles is Sesame Street Alphabet Kitchen, a vocabulary-building app that will help your child practice their early literacy skills. This is done by blending letter sounds to create words, all within an enjoyable Sesame Street environment.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $2.99 apiece
Pango One Road : logical labyrinth for children
Pango One Road is an enjoyable maze game filled with adorable characters. Pango’s job will be to plug up the holes in each maze so that the end-point can be reached. The art is excellent, the characters are adorable, and the gameplay is fun. Plus, you can try before you buy, making for superior monetization that’s perfect for a children’s game.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $2.99
Highlights Monster Day – Meaningful Preschool Play
The Highlights brand should be recognizable to most adults. Its line of magazines was definitely popular when I was a kid, and so is a well-known name in education. Highlights Monster Day – Meaningful Preschool Play is a game from Highlights, and it offers lessons about the routines of everyday life, which should ideally encourage good habits in your kid through positive gameplay. You’re free to try the game, and if you like what you see, you can unlock it in its entirety through an in-app purchase.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $3.99 apiece
My Very Hungry Caterpillar
My Very Hungry Caterpillar is a virtual pet game that stars the caterpillar from The Very Hungry Caterpillar picture book line. This means players can feed the caterpillar, draw with him, pick him up, or take a quick look into his toy box. It will be up to the player to help him explore nature by picking fruits, playing in a pond, or growing flowers. It’s a stress-free pet game that’s perfect for children. What’s not to like?
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $4.99 apiece
Multiplication Kingdom — Times tables maths game
Multiplication Kingdom is a fun little game all about memorizing multiplication tables. Your goal is to help Akilan the Dino discover treasure by practicing and memorizing your multiplication tables. The first ten tables are free with the download, and if you enjoy the content, then you can purchase more tables through the game’s only in-app purchase. The whole thing is ad-free, even if you haven’t paid to unlock the rest of the content. So whether you want to play on the cheap for a quick experience or want to throw down $5 for the full game, you won’t have to worry about annoying ads.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $4.99 apiece
PJ Masks: Moonlight Heroes
PJ Masks: Moonlight Heroes is a simple endless runner that any child should be able to grasp. It features the characters Catboy, Gekko, and Owlette from the Disney Junior TV show PJ Masks. These three heroes each have their own unique ability for movement, where one flies, one crawls on walls, and one runs super fast. The meat of the gameplay is all about gaining the highest score through collecting as many orbs as possible. And if endless runners are not your kid’s favorite style of game, then you should check out the rest of Entertainment One’s titles, because just like PJ Masks: Moonlight Heroes, they are all free of in-app purchases and advertisements.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $4.99 – $7.49
Miffy’s World – Bunny Adventures
Miffy’s World – Bunny Adventures is an adorable game connected to the LEGO DUPLO WORLD brand based on the Nick Jr. series. Join Miffy. The game will see the player help Miffy throughout her day, so players will help her through her daily routine by bathing in the morning or exploring outdoors. So please think of this as a simple life sim that targets children to enforce solid habits, such as brushing one’s teeth.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $1.99 – $5.99
Pop Art Painter 3D
Pop Art Painter 3D comes from OHM Games, the Paper Plane Planet’s creators, one of my favorite mobile flight games. This release offers something a little different, as it’s a 3D art game where you shoot streams of paint at invisible objects to unveil their true shapes. New art is added daily, so you shouldn’t run out of things to paint, and there is even an augmented reality feature where you can show off your painted items in the real world.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $6.49
Jigsaw Puzzles Real
Jigsaw Puzzles Real is just that, a puzzle game where you can solve jigsaws. Since the game works just like a real-world jigsaw, children should be able to figure out how to play quickly. So if your kid already loves solving jigsaw puzzles, then an app that offers thousands of puzzles to solve should ideally keep them busy for a while. Best of all, you can choose from puzzles that range from nine pieces (easy for children) to hundreds (for the more skilled players), so this game should appeal to any jigsaw-lover, no matter their skill level.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $7.49 apiece
Mathmage: A fun math game for kids aged 5-9!
Mathmageis a match game for kids aged 5-9, and it plays as a logic-based puzzler where the story will advance as you solve math-based puzzles. The story is worthwhile and endearing, which should drive the desire to play despite the educational content. So if your kid doesn’t enjoy math, perhaps a story-based adventure that offers math-based puzzles is just the ticket to interest your kid.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $7.99 – $8.99
Endless Alphabet
Endless Alphabet is an educational game from Originator Inc, and it was designed to teach children the alphabet through interactive puzzles that star adorable monsters. There are 100 words to explore and learn, though only seven puzzles are free from the outset. If you like what you see, then you can unlock the entirety of the title through a single in-app purchase.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $8.99 apiece
Fiete World – Creative dollhouse for kids 4+
Ahoiii Entertainment offers many games designed for children that are themed around a sailor named Fiete, and the latest release from this studio does not stray from this trend. Fiete World serves as an exploration game where players can ride along in a pirate ship, fix a tractor, and even save a submarine crew. Basically, this mini-game collection serves duty as an educational game for children, and it isn’t half bad.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $2.99 – $12.99
Steppy Pants
If you are looking for a game that will keep your kid rolling on the floor in laughter, you will want to check out Steppy Pants. It is a game of coordination where each tap on the screen moves one leg of your character. Think QWOP, but way more straightforward. Now add in the fact that the game is played in an assortment of ridiculous situations, such as avoiding cracks on a sidewalk or jumping from one piece of furniture to another while avoiding the lava on the living room floor, and you have a game that captures all of our collective childhood imaginations into a humorous walking simulator.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $9.99
Endless Wordplay
Not only are all of Originator Inc.’s educational games fantastic, but Endless Wordplay is hands down its standout title. Sure, the in-app purchases may appear expensive, but trust me on this when I say that each and every one of them is worth the asking price. There is no other publisher on the Play Store creating educational games of this quality, and in this instance, Endless Wordplay sets the stage for your child through spelling, word building, and rhymes like no other.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $6.99 – $14.99
Kaiju Rush
Kaiju Rush is a delightful Kawaii-themed city smasher. The simple one-touch controls allow the gameplay to remain accessible, and the wide assortment of collectible monsters should keep players coming back. The primary goal is to see how long your monster can last in each city as they smash as many buildings as possible. The further you can travel, the more buildings you will find. You’ll even unlock new monsters this way by moving further and further beyond your previous attempts.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $2.49 – $14.99
Thomas & Friends Minis
Thomas & Friends Minis takes all of the fun from building real-world Thomas train sets and stuffs it into an augmented reality game. This way, you can build the track of your dreams without having to spend hundreds of dollars on new trains and tracks. Plus, you get the added benefit of customizing your trains to your liking, which would be difficult for a child to do in real life. So if your kid is a fan of Thomas or simply loves trains, this is an enjoyable ad-supported game that offers extra customization through its in-app purchases.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $19.99
The Unic
The Unic is a procedurally-generated puzzle game that’s all about matching patterns. It will be your job to hunt down duplicate designs, complete pattern selections, and build your own deck out of the designs you’ve collected. There are three game modes to choose from, no internet connection is required to play, and the gameplay is suitable for all ages.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $23.99
Toddler Kids Puzzles PUZZINGO
Toddler Kids Puzzles PUZZINGO is an educational puzzle game from 77SPARX Studio, Inc. The assortment of puzzles included in this title is intended to help toddlers and kids develop spatial recognition, matching, tactile, fine-motor skills, and build vocabulary. While I know the in-app purchases may appear to be high, rest assured they are for unlocking content and not nickel and diming your wallet. So make sure to check out the rest of this studio’s catalog, as each one of its games is fantastic.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $1.99 – $24.99
Gravity Box – Minimalist Physics Game
Okay, you may not at first be impressed with Gravity Box’s graphics, but trust me when I say that everyone needs to try this game. There’s no music, and each level is presented as minimally as possible, but luckily the physics-based gameplay is phenomenal. You play as a tiny box, and depending on where you tap on the screen; you’ll shoot out projectiles towards that area. The idea is that you have to use these projectiles for movement, primarily shooting in the opposite direction that you want to go. The thing is, many of the game’s levels are made up of tiny corridors, so you’ll have to use your surroundings to your advantage as you shoot your way to success.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.99 – $24.99 (all donations to remove ads)
LEGO DUPLO WORLD
Lego Duplo World is aligned with the Headstart Early Learning Outcomes Framework, so it’s crystal clear that this release is intended for educational purposes. This is basically a mini-game collection designed to encourage creativity for children ages five and under. While there are in-app purchases in this release, they are there to purchase new content packs, so they aren’t necessary but come in handy when your kids have already played through everything else.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $2.49 – $38.99
Toca Life World: Build stories
Toca Boca has been offering quality kids games for ten years now, and one of its most popular titles is Toca Life World: Build stories. This is a free-to-play game, so in-app purchases are included, unlike the developer’s premium content, which is something to keep in mind. Still, there’s no denying Toca Life World: Build stories appeal to a wide swath of players, and that’s thanks to the amount of content in this release. Think of a mashup of every favorite Toca Boca title, and that’s Toca Life World.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $99.99
UPDATE: 2021/11/21 12:38 EST BY MATTHEW SHOLTZ
This roundup has been updated with 6 new games for 2021
- Townscaper
- sugar game
- Pikmin Bloom
- Multiplication Kingdom — Times tables maths game
- Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery
- Toca Life World: Build stories
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