Best Educational Games for Kids in 2026: Picks by Age, from Toddlers to 12

Short answer: Our top pick for ages 4 to 15 is Askie, which turns riddles, jokes, stories your child steers and every "why?" into learning through play, by voice. For toddlers, start with Khan Academy Kids or PBS KIDS Games, both free with no ads. For preschoolers, Thinkrolls and Pok Pok build thinking through play. For kindergarten, Teach Your Monster to Read is free in a browser and ScratchJr is a free first step into coding. For ages 7 to 9, Prodigy Math and codeSpark make practice feel like a game. For ages 10 to 12, Scratch and Minecraft Education let kids build their own worlds and games.

Most lists of "best educational games" mix up apps, videos and worksheets, and rarely say which age a game actually suits. This guide is only about games, and it is organised the way parents decide: by age band first, then by device and by whether you want to pay. If you are looking for learning apps more broadly, our best educational apps for kids guide covers reading libraries, tutors and language apps, and our best apps for 3-year-olds goes deeper on that one age.

Quick picks by age

• Ages 4-15, top pick: Askie for playful learning by voice: riddles, jokes, stories the child steers, pictures of their ideas and answers to every "why?".
• Toddlers (2-3): Khan Academy Kids for a free, structured path; PBS KIDS Games for free games with familiar characters.
• Preschool (3-4): Pok Pok for calm, open-ended play; Thinkrolls for logic puzzles that grow with the child.
• Kindergarten (5-6): Teach Your Monster to Read for phonics, free on the web; ScratchJr for first coding; Starfall for reading in a browser.
• Ages 7-9: Prodigy Math for maths practice inside an adventure game; codeSpark for coding puzzles with no reading required.
• Ages 10-12: Scratch for designing their own games, free; Minecraft Education for building, often already available through school.

The comparison at a glance

Every detail below comes from the game's own App Store or Google Play listing or its official website, checked on 8 November 2026. "Ages" is what the developer says, not a store rating. Scroll the table sideways on a phone.

"None declared" means neither store listing declares advertising. "Not stated" means the company does not publish it, not that the answer is yes.

How we compared these

We did not run a hands-on test lab. This comparison is based on each game's public store listings, its official website and documentation, and the developer's own age guidance, all read on 8 November 2026. Each game name in the table links to the primary source we used. Where a company does not publish a fact, we say so rather than guess.

One thing worth knowing before you read any store page: Apple's Kids category uses three bands, "5 and under, 6-8, or 9-11". That is why several games here show "Made for Ages 0-5" on the App Store while the developer describes them as suitable for ages 2 to 8. Neither is wrong; the developer's range tells you more about how long a game will last your child.

Disclosure: Askie is made by us, and we have a commercial interest in its inclusion. Nothing on this page is sponsored, and no company paid to be included or excluded. Facts about the other games come only from their public information, as described above.

What makes a good educational game

A good learning game does five things:

1. The learning is the gameplay. A child sorting shapes to open a door learns more than one answering a quiz to earn a sticker.
2. Mistakes are safe. The best games let a child try again without a loud failure sound or a lost streak.
3. It fits the age. Pre-readers need spoken instructions; older children need real challenge.
4. No ads and no easy purchases. Check whether purchases sit behind a parent gate, which Apple requires in Kids category apps.
5. It ends. Games without endless levels or reward loops make it easier to stop.

Our top pick

1. Askie: Best for learning through play by voice, ages 4-15

Best for: Curious children who learn by talking, imagining and asking "why?", and families who want one app that grows with their child from 4 to 15.

Askie is our voice-first AI companion for children ages 4 to 15. A child simply speaks, and Askie answers like a patient friend. The learning happens through play: a riddle at breakfast, a joke about the planets, a made-up story the child steers out loud ("make the dragon scared of mice"), a picture of their idea, and a real answer to every "but why?" in maths, science, reading, writing or languages. Answers adapt to the child's age, so a five-year-old and an eleven-year-old hear different explanations.

Games are good at practice, but they rarely answer the question a game raises, such as why volcanoes erupt or how magnets work. Askie does exactly that, which is why it pairs so well with every game below. If your child's questions outrun your answers, our guide to why children ask so many questions is a good place to start.

What stands out:

• Voice-first, so children who cannot read or type yet can join in.
• Riddles, jokes, stories, pictures and questions in one app, in many languages.
• No ads, settings behind a parent-only PIN, and parents can review conversation transcripts and created images.
• Multi-layer safety filtering.
• iOS, Android and the web.

What to know: It is a voice companion, not a level-based game, so there are no levels or scores, and it needs an internet connection.

Price: Free plan, then $14.99/mo Premium or $39.99/mo Premium Max

Best educational games for toddlers (ages 2-3)

At this age a "game" should need no reading, have one clear thing to do on each screen, and never surprise you with an ad.

2. Khan Academy Kids: best free all-rounder

Khan Academy Kids offers reading games, maths games, phonics lessons and interactive storybooks for ages 2 to 8. Its App Store listing says it is "100% free, no ads, no subscriptions", and books and games can be downloaded for offline play. It follows a set learning path rather than free play, which suits parents who want structure.

3. PBS KIDS Games: best for familiar characters

The PBS KIDS Games app has 280+ free curriculum-based games for ages 2 to 8, with characters such as Daniel Tiger and the Wild Kratts, and 50+ games for Spanish speakers. Recent versions let you download games to play offline, and many of the same games run in a browser at pbskids.org/games. Quality varies from game to game, and there is no single learning path.

4. Pok Pok: best for calm, open-ended play

Pok Pok describes itself as "a low-stimulation app of Montessori-inspired activities" for ages 2 to 8: a town, dinosaurs, blocks, drawing, a marble machine and more. Its listing promises "No ads. No language. No winning or losing." It is a subscription after a free trial, on iPhone, iPad and Android. It teaches through exploration rather than lessons, so do not expect letters and numbers drills.

5. Sago Mini World: best for pretend play

Sago Mini World is a collection of pretend-play games for ages 2 to 6, part of the Piknik subscription that bundles apps from Sago Mini, Toca Boca and Originator. Downloaded games play offline. Its listing says subscribers get no ads or in-app purchases, but the Google Play listing declares both, so subscribe or set purchase controls before you hand it over.

Best educational games for preschoolers (ages 3-4)

Three and four-year-olds are ready for simple cause and effect, sorting and the first letters and sounds.

6. Thinkrolls: best for logic and early STEM

Thinkrolls by Avokiddo offers "over 3000 logic puzzles, games, and activities" for ages 2 to 8, covering maths, science, problem-solving and early coding. It is described as "100% Ad-Free" and playable with no WiFi. The full app is a subscription after a 7-day free trial; the older one-off Thinkrolls puzzle apps are also on the App Store and Google Play.

7. Endless Alphabet: best for letters and vocabulary on iPad

Endless Alphabet from Originator turns each word into a puzzle with talking letters, followed by a short animation that shows what the word means. There are no high scores, failures or limits. On the US App Store it is a one-off $8.99, designed for iPad and also available on iPhone and Apple silicon Macs; it is on Google Play too. It needs an internet connection the first time it runs, to download its words.

Also worth a look at this age: codeSpark has a pre-coding track for ages 3 to 4 (see ages 7-9 below), and Teach Your Monster to Read starts at 3.

Best educational games for kindergarten (ages 5-6)

This is the learning-to-read window, and it is where free games are strongest.

8. Teach Your Monster to Read: best for phonics, free on the web

Teach Your Monster to Read is made by a non-profit supported by the Usborne Foundation, and it "covers everything from letters and sounds to reading full sentences." All of its games are "completely free to play via our website." The iPhone and iPad app, suitable for ages 3 to 6, costs $8.99 on the US App Store, with no in-app purchases and no in-game adverts. The money funds the free version.

9. Starfall: best for reading and maths in a browser

Starfall says its Learn-to-Read program is "Free for every child, forever", and that Starfall is "100% ad free". A paid membership unlocks activities from Pre-K through 5th grade, including maths such as geometry and measurement, across computers, tablets and phones.

10. ScratchJr: best first coding game

ScratchJr is free and built for "young children (ages 5-7)". By snapping together picture blocks, children make characters move, jump, dance and sing, creating their own stories and games. It comes from MIT Media Lab's Lifelong Kindergarten group and Tufts University, and is published by the non-profit Scratch Foundation. It runs on iPad, iPhone, Apple silicon Macs and Android. There are no lessons built in, so most children need an adult for the first session.

Best educational games for ages 7-9

Children in this band can read instructions and want a real challenge, and this is where in-game purchases start to matter.

11. Prodigy Math: best for maths practice that feels like a game

Prodigy Math is a fantasy adventure where children answer maths questions to win battles, covering grades 1 to 8. Prodigy says its questions are "fully aligned with state-level curricula", and the parent page says the in-game questions are free. An optional membership adds parent tools such as goals and practice sheets, plus extra in-game rewards. It plays on iPhone, iPad, Android and in a browser. The App Store listing also sells in-game currency, so set purchase controls first. As with any reward-driven game, check that your child is still reading the questions rather than racing for the next prize.

12. codeSpark: best for coding with no reading required

codeSpark is "designed for kids ages 3-10 with no reading required" and teaches sequencing, loops, conditionals, events and debugging through puzzle games. Its listing says "No ads, no micro-transactions". It is a subscription after a 7-day free trial, on iPhone, iPad and Android.

13. Kahoot! DragonBox: best for maths concepts

The DragonBox games, now part of Kahoot!, turn maths ideas into puzzles. Kahoot! recommends Numbers for ages 4 to 8, Big Numbers for 6 to 9, Algebra for 5 and up, Multiplication for 8 and up, and Algebra 2 and Geometry for 9 and up. They run on iOS, Android and Chrome, and need a Kahoot! Kids or Kahoot!+ subscription.

Best educational games for ages 10-12

Older children get the most from games where they build, design and make their own rules.

14. Scratch: best for designing their own games

Scratch is designed especially for ages 8 to 16, is used by people of all ages, and is provided free of charge. Children code games, animations and stories in a browser using blocks, and can share them with the Scratch community. Decide together whether projects will be shared publicly.

15. Minecraft Education: best for building across school subjects

Minecraft Education offers lessons, build challenges and worlds across subjects. Minecraft says your child "may already have access through their school account", so ask the school first. Families and homeschools can also buy a commercial licence, listed at $36 per user per year on the licensing page. It runs on Windows, Mac, Chromebook and iPad.

16. Code.org: best free coding courses

Code.org offers free courses in computer science, AI and data science, with tracks for ages 5 to 11 and 11 and up. Its Game Lab and App Lab let children design games, animations and apps.

17. Seterra: best free geography game

Seterra is a map quiz game with 400+ quizzes, free to play in a browser and available in 12 languages, with apps for iOS and Android. It is quiz-style practice rather than open play, and each quiz is short enough for a quick session.

Best educational games for iPad and tablets

Tablets suit young children because touch is easier than a mouse. The strongest iPad picks above are Pok Pok, Thinkrolls, Endless Alphabet and ScratchJr, all built for touch, and none of them declares ads. On Android tablets, Khan Academy Kids, Pok Pok, ScratchJr, codeSpark and Prodigy Math all have Google Play versions. Before handing over any tablet, block or require approval for purchases in Screen Time (iPad) or Google Family Link (Android).

Best free educational games online

If you would rather not install anything, these play in a browser:

• PBS KIDS Games at pbskids.org for ages 2 to 8.
• Teach Your Monster to Read, every game free on its website.
• Starfall's Learn-to-Read program, free and ad-free.
• Prodigy Math, free to play in a browser.
• Scratch and Code.org for coding, both free.
• Seterra for geography.

Free vs paid: what you actually get

Free does not have to mean worse. Khan Academy Kids, PBS KIDS Games, ScratchJr and Scratch are free because non-profits or public broadcasters fund them. Teach Your Monster to Read and Starfall fund their free versions with a paid app or membership.

Paid games come in three models:

• One-off purchase: Endless Alphabet and the Teach Your Monster app. You pay once and the game is yours.
• Subscription: Pok Pok, Thinkrolls, codeSpark, Sago Mini World and Kahoot! DragonBox. Use the free trial on purpose, and put a reminder in your calendar before it renews.
• Free to play with paid extras: Prodigy Math. The learning is free, but the game is designed to make children want the extras.

Subscription prices vary by country and promotion, so we do not list them; check the store before you subscribe.

How much game time is right?

The World Health Organization's guidance for children under 5 says that for children aged 2 to 4, sedentary screen time, which includes playing computer games, "should be no more than 1 hour; less is better." For older children, what they play and whether it crowds out sleep, play and time together matters more than a single number. Our guide to screen time balance has practical ways to set limits that stick.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best educational games for toddlers in 2026?

Khan Academy Kids and PBS KIDS Games are the strongest free choices for ages 2 to 3, both with no ads. Pok Pok and Sago Mini World are good subscription options for open-ended play.

What are the best educational games for 5-year-olds?

Teach Your Monster to Read for phonics, ScratchJr for first coding, and Thinkrolls for logic. Teach Your Monster to Read and ScratchJr cost nothing to try.

What are the best free educational games for kids?

Khan Academy Kids, PBS KIDS Games, ScratchJr, Scratch and Code.org are free. Teach Your Monster to Read and Starfall's reading program are free in a browser.

Are educational games actually good for kids?

A well-designed game can give useful practice, especially when you play together and talk about it afterwards. The game matters less than the time limit and what it replaces.

Is Askie an educational game?

Yes, in the playful sense. Askie is a voice-first AI companion for ages 4 to 15 that makes learning feel like play: a child can solve riddles, hear jokes, steer a made-up story out loud, ask for a picture of their idea and get an age-appropriate answer to any question. It has no levels or scores; the play is in the conversation.

The bottom line

Start with Askie, our top pick for learning through play by voice from age 4 to 15. Then pick one game per age band from the table, try the free option first, and play alongside your child for the first few sessions. The best educational game is one your child chooses on their own and can put down without a fight.