What are the best videogames for kids? Depending on the age of the kids you’re dealing with, it can be difficult to predict what games will go down well with them. Generally speaking, the younger they are, the more likely they will be interested in playing as their favorite cartoon characters. That said, there are plenty of games with nameless protagonists that certainly fit this bill, you just need to know where to look for them.
Times have changed a lot since the ‘90s and ‘00s. These days kids’ games are a lot better than they ever used to be, gone are the days of horrible movie tie-ins, and now we’ve got cartoon characters guest-starring in the best PC games. We’ve also got a list of the best indie games that are perfect for youngsters learning the ropes as they take their first steps into the world of gaming. Our best videogames for kids list goes in order from the games that suit young children, all the way to early teenagers.
Here are the best videogames for kids on PC:
Bluey: The Videogame
You may have read that the Bluey game isn’t great, and while that might be the case for grown-ups, little kids under the age of five aren’t as fussed about things like gameplay mechanics. Bluey: The Videogame takes players on a journey containing four interactive episodes of the TV show, giving your child a chance to play classic Bluey games like Keepy Uppy and Chattermax Chase.
Children over the age of six might struggle to see the appeal of Bluey: The Videogame as it is incredibly basic. If you have older kids, it might be worth checking out the game on YouTube to watch the episodes play out instead. Of course, you’ll miss out on the interactive aspect of the game, so if your kid really wants to control Bluey and her family, buying the game is your only option.
Peppa Pig: World Adventures
We’re going to be completely honest here, Peppa Pig: World Adventures is probably the worst game on this list, but your little kids are going to love it. Peppa Pig: World Adventures is as close to an interactive episode of the kids’ show as you can get, complete with a character creator, a closer look inside Peppa’s house, and an airport system to take you around the world.
If your child has even the slightest interest in Peppa Pig, this story game will have fans reliving classic memories as they continue to make jokes at Daddy Pig’s expense. As long as your child can follow along to the story beats, they should have very little problems making their way through the game. As far as the games on this list go, Peppa Pig: World Adventures is by far the most accessible of the bunch, especially for younger kids.
Donut County
Donut County lets you live out your wildest fantasies as a raccoon in charge of a remote-controlled trash-stealing hole. Raccoons have taken over Donut Country using special holes, and you play as a raccoon who has become obsessed with this powerful ability. The concept is incredibly simple, making it perfect for kids of all ages to enjoy. In this physics-based puzzle game, your goal is to consume anything in order to expand your hole, allowing you to swallow larger items.
Though Donut County does have a story, kids as young as three years old will quickly grasp the concept of the game as they use the hole to swallow up sandwiches, roadwork, and even fellow raccoons. Donut County should only last you around two hours, but young kids will happily replay the same levels over again if you let them.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Join your child on their first big platform game adventure in Sackboy: A Big Adventure, the former PlayStation exclusive that has been designed with multiplayer in mind. Sackboy’s friends have been kidnapped by the evil Vex and have been forced to design his nefarious Topsy Turver device. The colorful world of Craftworld is in danger of being spoiled by this device, but Sackbox can save the day alongside his teammates by making their way through unique lands.
Swing on jungle vines in leafy forests, trek through snowy mountains, and avoid being burnt to a crisp in Sackboy’s first PC outing. If your child can handle basic platforming, Sackboy: A Big Adventure is one of the best platformers to get started out on as it isn’t too punishing. Best of all, you can join in on the action by simply adding another controller to the mix as it supports up to four players.
Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master
Don’t let this rhythm game’s name put you off from introducing this game to your children, the Taiko no Tatsujin series has been around for over two decades, teaching players the way of the drum. While this game traditionally ships with a large drum controller, you can easily play this using a controller, though it might not be fun if you do. Your goal is to hit the red, blue, and yellow notes using your drum, be careful to stay in the right rhythm or things can become awkward very quickly.
Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master reminds us a lot of the Guitar Hero series of games, except this is considerably easier to get to grips with. There are multiple levels of difficulty, making it perfect for children as this serves well as an introductory rhythm game. Taiko no Tatsujin’s soundtrack may not have many pop songs that children will appreciate, but they may enjoy listening to some of Japan’s finest hits.
Minecraft
Once your child can learn to navigate a controller, or keyboard and mouse if they’re particularly hardcore, Minecraft is the perfect game for kids to learn as their first ‘proper’ game. There are two game modes to pick from: Creative and Survival. The former is great as an interactive sandbox game where you can build practically anything, while the latter turns the sandbox into a survival game where players must hunt and build camps to stay alive.
What makes Minecraft so special is that you can play with multiple people on a range of devices, making it one of the best co-op games available. It also helps that Minecraft is fun to play as an adult, so you won’t mind if your kid ever asks you to lend a hand building structures. Likewise, if your child gets anxious fighting off enemies in survival mode, you can join them to help fight off any creatures that appear at night.
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
The Lego games have always been fantastic for children of all ages, and The Skywalker Saga is no exception to this. There have been Lego Star Wars games in the past, but none of them are as feature-complete as this one. Most children over the age of seven should have no problem getting through these games on their own, but you can always lend a helping hand as the whole experience can be played locally with a second person.
Featuring all nine of the Star Wars films, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga lets your children relive some of the greatest movies ever made in the form of blocky action-adventure games. There’s even DLC that features all of the spinoffs, including The Mandalorian, Andor, Solo, and Rogue One to cover every Star Wars-related base.
Fortnite
Undoubtedly the most popular game on this list, Fortnite brings together players of all ages to fight against each other in one big battle royale game. Once your child has worked out how to use a twin-stick controller, it won’t be long before they get their hands on Fortnite. Fortnite combines building mechanics with a third-person shooter to create something that, on paper at least seems far too complex for most kids, yet they all become addicted to the game at some point.
Fortunately, there isn’t anything to worry about in terms of children seeing anything violent or untoward in Fortnite. If you’re concerned about play limits, there are parental controls to limit how long your child can play Fortnite and who they interact with in-game. Featuring support for up to four players, there’s no reason why a traditional nuclear family can’t get together to take down rival squads together.
Goat Simulator 3
Another sandbox adventure, this time you play as a troublesome goat looking to cause some mayhem. In Goat Simulator 3, players can pick from a variety of goats to cause a ruckus on the island, and up to three additional goats can get in on the action in local and online co-op. Let’s be honest, if you’re the type of parent to worry about what type of content your child is consuming, you’d much rather have them ramming into people as goats rather than roaming the streets of Los Santos.
We were surprised to discover that Goat Simulator 3 has an age rating of 12+, but this does seem a little high considering all of your actions are confined to things you can do as a goat. Sure, you might watch your kid playing in the middle of traffic as they smash cars at high speed, but remember, they’re doing so as a goat. Still, if you’re concerned your child might be swayed by some of the dangerous things you can do in Goat Simulator, you may want to steer clear of this wacky ride.
Roblox
Roblox is one of the few free PC games on this list, but it’s not a traditional game per se, but more a platform for user-created games. While you don’t need to spend any money to play the best Roblox games like Blox Fruits and Jailbreak, there are resources available like Blox Fruits codes to help obtain items without spending any cash.
We should stress that Roblox is for more mature children, preferably those aged 13 and older. While there are some Roblox games that are suitable for younger children, we’ve also seen violent and scary games that are definitely not for little kids. As long as you stick to curated Roblox game lists like ours, that should help you avoid anything you wouldn’t want your child looking at.
And that’s all you need to know about the best videogames for kids on PC. If you think you’re ready to take the training wheels off, why not check out our list of the best multiplayer games to open up a new world of videogames. Similarly, we also have a list of the best single player games if you want to discover a number of excellent solo adventures.