The kids' software directory
Games and platforms kids play
Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft, consoles and mobile games: age rules, chat, spending and the parental controls on each.
- 23 researched
- 1 to know about
Researched by Peabody
Facts from each maker's own pages (terms, pricing, privacy), with our one-line take. A to Z; we rank nothing until we have tried it.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
7 Billion Humans
Tomorrow Corporation · ages about 10 and up
A great buy for puzzle-loving kids 10 and up who are ready to think like a programmer; younger children will do better with block-based coding games.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Among Us
Innersloth · ages about 9-16
A good family or friends party game in private lobbies; keep younger kids out of public lobbies.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Nintendo · ages about 6-14
A calm, creative pick for younger kids; keep online visits to known friends.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Brawl Stars
Supercell · ages about 10-16 (App Store 13+)
Fine for tweens whose phone blocks purchases; skip if a child struggles with spending pressure or time limits.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Clash Royale
Supercell · ages about 9-16 (App Store 9+)
A real thinking game for strategy-minded tweens; lock in-app purchases on the phone first.
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
Fortnite
Epic Games · ages about 10-18
Suits tweens and teens whose parents set up Epic's controls; skip for young kids who are not ready for combat games or social play.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Gacha Life and Gacha Club
Lunime Inc. · ages about 9-14 (App Store 9+)
A creative toy for tweens if a parent watches what they post online; the dated privacy policy and age mismatch are reasons for caution with younger kids.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Genshin Impact
HoYoverse (Cognosphere) · ages about 13-18
Better suited to older teens with firm spending rules; skip for kids who are drawn to chance-based spending.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
k-ID Family Connect
k-ID (Kidentify Pte. Ltd.) · ages parents of children and teens who play online games
Useful for parents whose children play k-ID games, since it gathers consent in one place; it is not a general parental-control app.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Meta Quest (parent-managed accounts for ages 10-12)
Meta Platforms · ages 10+ (10-12 with a parent-managed account)
Workable for 10-12s with an engaged parent who approves each app; too much for kids under 10, as Meta itself says.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Minecraft (Java and Bedrock)
Mojang Studios (Microsoft) · ages about 7+ (PEGI 7, ESRB Everyone 10+)
Great for creative builders when a parent sets multiplayer and spending controls; families wanting structured lessons should look at Minecraft Education instead.
Desk researchFree
Mission: Mars
Museum of Science, Boston, with Filament Games · ages about 8-14 (the museum says all ages)
A good pick for kids who already play Roblox with parental controls set; families who keep children off Roblox should skip it.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Nex Playground
Nex Team Inc. · ages about 4 and up, with families
A good fit for families who want active, shared screen time with tight safety settings; skip it if a yearly subscription or an always-present camera is a deal-breaker.
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo · ages about 5-16
A strong family console for younger kids; set up the Parental Controls app before handing it over.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
PlayStation (Family Management)
Sony Interactive Entertainment · ages any age (child accounts)
Families with a PlayStation should make child accounts and set a spending limit on day one.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Pokémon GO
Scopely Explore (formerly Niantic, now part of Scopely) · ages about 6-16 (with a parent for young kids)
A fun family walking game when a parent plays along; not one to hand to a young child to wander with alone.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Roblox
Roblox Corporation · ages about 5-16 and up
Workable for kids whose parent links an account and sets limits; skip for young children if you will not manage chat and spending.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Steam (Steam Families)
Valve · ages 13+ by the terms (younger only through a parent in practice)
Good controls for families of teen PC gamers; younger kids are outside Steam's own age rule.
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
Toca Boca (Toca Boca World)
Toca Boca AB (a Spin Master company) · ages about 6-12
A creative sandbox for imaginative kids; lock down purchases before handing it over.
Desk researchFree
TypingGames.Zone
TypingGames.Zone · ages about 6-adult
Fine as an extra, ad-supported practice arcade for kids who already learn typing elsewhere; families who want an ad-free, tracked typing course should skip it.
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
VRChat
VRChat Inc. · ages 13+ (better for older teens)
Only for older teens with parent oversight; skip for kids under 13, as the terms require.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Words With Friends
Zynga (Take-Two Interactive) · ages about 10-adult
Works for families who want a shared word game with older kids and will manage chat and spending; younger children or kids who should not meet strangers online are better off with an offline word game.
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
Xbox (Family Settings)
Microsoft · ages any age (child accounts)
Any family with an Xbox or Windows gaming PC should set up the family group and app; it does nothing for other consoles.
Know before you buy
Shut down, exposed children's data, or said unsafe things in tests.
WarningFree
Rec Room
Rec Room Inc. · ages was about 10-18
Closed; a reminder that purchases and creations on any online platform can vanish when the company does.