Best educational games for kids in 2026 (ages 5–12)

There are thousands of "educational" games, and most are not very educational. This guide helps you choose by what the game actually does, with the kinds of game that tend to work at each age.

How to judge a game

• Does it teach through play, or is learning a quiz in the middle of a game?
• Is progress based on skill, not on watching ads or paying?
• Can the child stop easily? Look for natural ending points.
• Is it age-appropriate? Content, language and difficulty should match.
• Does it respect privacy? No ads, no unnecessary data.

Ages 5 to 7

Look for games that practise early reading, number sense, patterns and sorting. Simple puzzle games, matching, drawing and story apps work well. Short sessions are better.

Ages 8 to 10

Children can handle strategy, logic and creative games. Good options include:

• Puzzle and logic games
• Maths games where numbers drive the story
• Building and design games
• Coding games that teach sequences and loops
• Typing and reading practice

Ages 11 to 12

Look for bigger challenges: strategy, building, coding and games where they plan and make decisions. Open-ended creation tools, such as designing levels or short stories, are particularly valuable.

Beyond apps

• Board and card games teach turn-taking, maths and strategy.
• Unplugged AI games teach how AI learns. See 12 AI activities for kids.
• Making games. Designing one teaches more than playing one. See game design for kids.

A word on Roblox and similar platforms

Some experiences on big platforms are creative and educational, but many are not. Use parental controls, and see Roblox parental controls.

Keep a limit

Even a good game takes time from other things. Count educational games within your overall screen time, and see screen time rules.

Try Bip

Bip is an iPhone app of five-minute AI lessons where every lesson earns coins, which your child can swap for game time. It is in testing; join the waiting list on this site.