Safe Apps For Kids To Design Video Games

Read update

This roundup has been updated with 6 new games for 2021

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

About The Author

Matthew Sholtz (1726 Articles Published)

Matthew is a furious nitpicker and something of a (albeit amusing) curmudgeon. A person who holds an oddly deep interest in Android and advancing the state of gaming on the platform. Some may say a ridiculous task, but it is one he is willing to take on from the comfort of his armchair.