If you have children, you know the feeling of annoyance when you need to distract the child and do some work. However, instead of wasting time on some minor games, you can introduce them to games that can improve their cognitive or physical abilities. Yes, they exist!
With that in mind, I have listed some of the best iPhone and iPad games for kids. I’m sure they will love them.
1. Kids games for kids 2, 3, 4 years old: the best educational game
The first five years of a child’s life will be home to some of their most important experiences. At this age, cognitive abilities often develop the fastest. So when you introduce them to games, you want those games to help them develop.
Kids games for 2, 3, 4 year olds help improve children’s ability to understand and follow instructions. From problem-solving skills to creative nuances, you’ll find games that cater to almost every aspect of a child’s development.
The app uses cartoon characters to keep the child’s attention. These characters interact with children based on their reactions to games. As if the characters are holding the child by the hands and leading him through different games.
Age: 0-5 years old | Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $0.99)
2. Angry Birds 2: The best turn based strategy game
The Angry Birds franchise has been a huge success since its release in 2009. Since then, it has been updated to reflect the rapid changes in available technology. Now there is even an augmented reality version of this game!
Either way, you’ll find that it’s a puzzle game at its core. In fact, this game improves logical thinking as well as hand-eye coordination. Therefore, I highly recommend this game for kids ages 4 and up.
The graphics and sound of this game will hold the attention of children for a long time. Moreover, levels continue to increase in difficulty, thereby adding to the complexity of the gameplay.
However, this game can be addictive. Parents should monitor the amount of exposure their children receive.
Age: 4+ | Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $0.99)
3. LEGO DUPLO WORLD: A good alternative for preschoolers
LEGO continues to be a popular franchise with kids and adults alike. Until a couple of decades ago, LEGO building blocks were used as a creative tool to develop creativity in children. Since children are now introduced to mobile phones at an early age, LEGO DUPLO WORLD is a good choice for teaching preschoolers.
The game is open in its experience and uses different strategies like Number Train and Family Camping to teach kids different skills. You will find exercises and exercises for logical thinking that will allow your child’s creative inclinations to manifest.
LEGO DUPLO WORLD is worth downloading. Fair warning – in-app purchases can be a bit pricey.
Age: 0-5 | Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $3.99)
4. Disney Story Realms: Cultivate the Habit of Reading
Reading is one of the most important habits. Unfortunately for us, this habit is fading fast. If you want your child to develop a habit of reading, it’s best to start small.
Disney Story Realms offers interactive stories based on the franchise’s most popular characters. This includes Toy Story 4, Moana and the fan favorite The Lion King. Plus, these interactive stories and worlds are added frequently, so your child won’t get bored either.
However, most of the content is blocked by paywalls. You will need to become a paid member to allow you and your child access to more stories and worlds.
Age: 6-8 | Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $4.99)
5. Pokemon GO: Best for physical activity
It’s easy for kids these days to become lazy with the multitude of technologies at their fingertips. If you want your child to be active from an early age, Pokemon GO is a good option.
This game became a sensation and is still one of the best games for the iPhone. As an augmented reality game, Pokemon GO requires you and your child to walk outside to catch Pokemon in the wild.
Because the game uses augmented reality, your child will give their full attention to the 3D Pokémon on their phone screen. The gameplay is simple but will require them to walk and become active.
It also instills logical thinking in your child as he will need to use strategies to catch the Pokémon. Overall, Pokemon GO is a good package for kids ages 9 and up.
The app needs a few patches to fix some of the glaring issues you’ll run into. However, it won’t interfere with your child’s experience.
Age: 9+ | Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $0.99)
6. What would you choose? Rather: the best party game
Have you ever run into trouble when your kids join a family game night? Or did you find it difficult to bond and make friends with different children? What would you choose? Rather be the perfect conversation starter for them.
This is a party game with good and safe content for kids. What’s more, it’s the perfect game filled with fun for the whole family.
The essence of the game is simple. Various clues will set up two unlikely scenarios, and the player must choose one of the options they are presented with. These scenarios are often funny and can break the ice and start interesting conversations.
I would recommend this game for kids over 10 years old. However, you must remember that the hints are often repeated and the game can be repeated after you have played it several times.
Age: 12+ | Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $1.99)
7. Sago Mini First Words
Speech development is one of the most important aspects of growing up a child. With the Sago Mini First Words app, it becomes much easier to keep up with your child’s growth in terms of dialogue and articulation.
The application contains several fun games to help your child with speech therapy. These games are based on proven methods and have been developed in collaboration with speech therapists to give your child the care they deserve!
Each game has been personalized to help children under the age of 5. Plus, the app uses interactive videos to teach your little one the perfect ways to use their first words. There are hundreds of videos based on your child’s development, and monthly updates ensure none of the games or methods are out of date.
However, in-app purchases are quite expensive. The annual subscription is worth the premium!
Age: 0-5 years old | Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $0.99)
8. Fruit Ninja: Best for improving motor skills.
Fruit Ninja has been one of the most popular mobile phone games ever since modern smartphones became widespread. To this day, I still enjoy chopping and slicing random fruits on my screen.
It’s also a game that can greatly improve hand-eye coordination as your reflexes need to be fast in order to get a high score. If you have a child over 4 years old, Fruit Ninja will keep them entertained.
The game also has a small element of strategy, as the player must slice certain fruits which give them a power-up. Your kids will stay alert as the game has countless blades to collect and different modes to challenge them with.
What I didn’t like about its latest version is the in-game currencies. They are important for continuing to progress in the game, but basically they can only be bought with real money.
Age: 4+ | Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $0.99)
9. Crossy Road: The best arcade game for kids
This game tries to answer the age-old question: “Why did the chicken cross the road?”While you may not find the answer here, you will find a great arcade game for kids.
The game takes time and strategy as the chicken must get to the other side while avoiding numerous obstacles. Crossy Road is an endless game and it gets more and more difficult as the game progresses.
This is a great game for kids ages 9 and up. This will not only improve their logic skills, but also help their motor reflexes.
However, it suffers from one of the most common issues in endless runner games. This can get boring after playing for a significant amount of time.
Age: 9+ | Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $0.99).
10. Puzzingo: The best puzzle game for kids
Puzzingo has a variety of puzzles to help your child get creative and keep them entertained. The game has over 100 puzzles with live animation and interactivity. These puzzles are made to help your child learn and improve their memory, spatial awareness and fine motor skills.
Your child will have a festive time when they try to put the shapes, letters and numbers in order. This amount of interactivity also helps develop their cognitive skills. What’s more, the game is updated frequently, so your kids will have something to try.
However, you will have to pay a premium to get access to all the puzzles.
Age: 0-5 | Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $2.99)
11. Despicable Me: Minion Run – Alternative arcade game for kids
Kids love the Despicable Me movies. The most enjoyable characters in the series are still obscure minions. This game lets you control a minion in a Subway Surfer style situation.
Despicable Me: Minion Run is an endless runner where your minion has to race through different locations. While dodging obstacles and gaining power-ups along the way, your reflexes must be fast in order to get a high score.
There is even a small plot element that will keep your child engaged. They have to help the minions build a tree house and collect a large amount of wood and hammers. This is the perfect casual game for kids ages 9 and up.
However, I found that the game is repetitive in the later stages. Thus, children may lose interest after a while.
Age: 9+ | Price: Free (In-app purchases start at $0.99)
That’s all!
It can be difficult to find the best games for kids on the App Store due to the amount of content available. However, I have tried to pick the best iPhone games for kids based on different requirements.
Did I miss a game your child loves? Write your thoughts in the comments below.