“Doing household chores while raising a kid has never been easier. I pass the tablet to my kid and voilà!” says Marie, a mother of two.
According to research conducted by Childwise in 2015, children age 5 to 16 record an average of 6.5 hours of screen time. Moreover, by the age of 11, 53 percent of kids carry a smartphone.
Video games are of the activities that account for most of the children’s screen time. Even though video games are changing the ways kids have been educated traditionally, it still is a thin ice to walk on. It never is a good idea to get your kids exposed to games that could trigger violence.
Thus, parents are justified to express their concerns vis-à-vis the excessive indulgence of their children in video games. They try to shield their kids from the harmful effects that some of these games can have on their gullible and sensitive minds.
Thankfully, there are gaming platforms that feature games designed to benefit kids. We have compiled a list of such platforms in this blog to help your kids make the most of video gaming in a safe environment.
1. Sago Mini Friends
Sago Mini Friends packs a series of mini-games that promise to boost the creativity, dexterity and problem-solving skills of the kids.
The game starts by presenting a bunch of colorful characters to choose from. That character then explores a colorful neighborhood full of cartoon houses.
Once you knock on the door of one of those colorful houses, you are invited over for exciting playdates. They could involve fancy dress-ups, fixing birdhouses, or enjoying delicious feasts.
The game subtly develops empathy in the kids without compromising on entertainment. You can play Sago Mini Friends offline and discover enticing surprises along the journey to keep your kids hooked.
2. MiniMe 500c
MiniMe 500c is a platform that features educational games and videos for kids to make learning fun for them.
The games are grouped into categories with fascinating titles to spark interest in kids. Active Monkeys, for example, features sporting games. Strategy Ninja, on the other hand, is a category with problem-solving games that require the kids to get their strategic juices flowing.
Adventurous Hunters, Cool Beans, Smarty Pants, Super League, Cutie Pies, and Puzzle Genius are the names of other gaming categories.
Therefore, you can, without a doubt, rest assured that your kids will find a game of their liking and walk out with some positive learning. Your kids can embark on this fun learning journey after paying a small subscription fee.
Minimal subscription charges with no in-app purchases. Cool, right?
3. GoNoodle
Healthy competition is important for the growth of kids. However, it is equally vital for them to be engaged in mindful activities for their brain development.
GoNoodle is a gaming platform that cuts the ordinary and brings a rather unconventional experience for the kids. It uses the camera of the mobile phone and creates a virtual-reality kind of environment.
The kids immerse themselves in the fantasy and see themselves moving around, hopping, and running in the virtual environment. The kids complete small tasks through hand movements and by moving the device around.
All in all, GoNoodle is a very relaxing gaming platform and is sure to spark the imagination of your kids.
4. PBS Kids Games
Coming from the number one educational media brand in the United States “PBS Kids,” this gaming platform brings fascinating characters from the popular shows in action.
The platform features over 100 plus games from the widely acclaimed shows of the channel, including Wild Kratts, Super Why, Odd Squad, and Pinkalicious.
So, what can be expected from the games?
The platform encompasses a range of entertaining games — each one of them comes with a hidden motivation to teach the kids something new and increase their productivity all along.
Here on this platform, you have science games, math games, letter games, puzzles, mazes, dress-ups, and coloring. Not to mention, the app makes sure that the games can be enjoyed offline, and kids of all age groups are catered for.
5. DIY.org
This gaming platform brings a range of educational games that will fine-tune the skills of your kids, all the while keeping them entertained.
The games simulate real-life skills and combine them with off-the-charts gamification elements. Kids can choose anything from animations, cooking, sewing, photography, designing of machines, building structures from Legos.
The games start by providing introductory videos and tutorials and then go on encouraging the kids to build their hands-on experience.
So, if you want to know early whether your child has a Picasso in him or an Einstein, go ahead and give your kid access to this amazing gaming platform.
6. Toca Nature
It is important to foster a sense of responsibility towards nature in the kids. Thanks to Toca Nature, you can fulfill the gaming desires of your kids and, at the same time, get them connected to nature.
This cool platform enables kids to shape nature their way and watch it flourish. While young kids could enjoy simple and primitive tasks like planting trees and growing forests, the older ones could rejoice at digging irrigation canals and climbing mountains.
The kids further witness sunsets and sunrises, pick fruits and nuts, and feed them to the animals. As kids learn about the eating habits of the animals and their habitats, they become empathetic towards animals.
7. Lego Creator Islands
Every kid loves to play with Legos and make something out of it. The Lego Creator Islands takes it a step further by providing the same experience in a virtual environment.
Firstly, take a deep breath as you don’t have to worry about stepping on the plastic Legos and hurting yourself anymore.
Other than that, the digital environment aids in widening the imagination of the kids through animations, effects, and sounds. The story is set up on an island where you could make a variety of Lego figures.
Your kids would love to shift gears of their imaginations and come up with mesmerizing entities. Monsters, bridges, houses, animals, and cars are some of the exciting examples.
Ending Remarks
Now that you know where to seek safe and fun gaming activities for your kids, you are one step away from becoming the coolest parents!
Subscribe to a gaming platform of your choice right away and let the fun begin for your kids.
Let us know if we missed out on any platform that is worth-mentioning and give us a chance to interact with you in the comment section.