Finding the perfect PS4 games for kids amidst Sony’s extensive catalog can be challenging. In this ever-expanding world of gaming, we’ve compiled a list of both new and timeless PS4 games for kids, ensuring you’re well-prepared for Christmas and birthdays. The best part? These games offer fantastic fun for adults as well!
“There is no need to feel guilty about buying PS4 games for kids. Many games are proven educational tools for children,” Science News for Students affirms. Studies show that kids willingly spend more time reading about games at home than in school. If concerns about violence arise, fear not – our list features low-violence PS4 games for kids. Science now supports the idea that video games do not cause real-world violence. And if you need PC games for parents only then check out our other list here.
“Kids diagnosed with ADHD because they can’t pay attention will play games for 9 straight hours on the computer,…The game focuses attention in a way that school doesn’t.”
G.K. Chesterton: “Fairytales don’t tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairytales tell children that dragons can be killed.”
Minecraft PlayStation 4 Edition – Minecraft story mode season 2
A fan favorite and timeless classic, Minecraft has encouraged kid’s creativity on PS4 since 2013. Now, Minecraft PlayStation 4 Edition is available on PS3, PS4, and PSVita. This super fun pixel world grows fast on kids and parents alike. In the world of Minecraft, kids can use cubes to create a wide variety of structures. Farm for materials and fight off creatures but with minimal violence impact as creatures turn to dust when defeated. Minecraft has simple controls and is used by parents and teachers as a fun way to educate children. Improve your kid’s logic skills, spatial reasoning, creativity, and math with Minecraft on PS4.
The Sims 4
Another fan favorite, The Sims 4 is the latest in the famous Sims series and became available on PS4 in 2017. Maxis and EA’s The Sims 4 is a popular and kid-friendly simulator without all the expansion packs of PC saving you some dollars. The Sims 4 is a great game for creativity and kids can customize their sims hairstyles, clothing, build custom houses, build relationships with other Sims, and pursue careers. The Sims 4 latest expansion pack Seasons was just announced however there are no expansions available on PS4 yet. Inspire kids for the life ahead and read more about The Sims 4 here.
Stardew Valley
Get your kids farming in Stardew Valley, an indie farming simulator RPG available on a ton of platforms. If PS4 is not for you, Stardew Valley is on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, and now PlayStation Vita. The story of Stardew Valley starts with your character abandoning a dreary office job to take over grandpa’s beloved farm. Featuring a rich storyline and social interaction, Stardew Valley will have kids planting and harvesting crops, mining, clearing land, raising livestock, and crafting. There is a lot to do in the game and Stardew Valley is very kid friendly. Be warned though, parents may find themselves addicted to this one too!
Kingdom Hearts III
The Kingdom Hearts series is a fantastic action RPG featuring many of kid’s favorite and popular characters. While I recommend starting somewhere at the beginning of the series such as with Kingdom Hearts, picking up at Kingdom Hearts 3 won’t send you to hell. However, Kingdom Hearts 3 is the final chapter in the Dark Seeker saga meaning it’s the end of the story. Moreover, the Kingdom Hearts series features extremely fun action and puzzle solving along with great characters like Goofy, Donald Duck, and Riku. Characters in the series come from Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and Square Enix’s Final Fantasy. Kids and parents will both find themselves drawn in by the in-depth and engaging story ending with Kingdom Hearts III. Kingdom Hearts III releases on PS4 and Xbox One January 29, 2019.
Little Big Planet 3
Recommended for ages 6 and up, Sony’s Little Big Planet 3 makes you a ‘sack person’ or puppet in a big world. Narrated by none other than Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, Little Big Planet 3 is not only pleasant on the ears but on the eyes as well. Graphics aren’t too realistic and no real violence occurs in the world of Little Big Planet. Most importantly, Little Big Planet 3 fosters children’s creativity through an online system that allows kids to create their own shareable and playable levels. Further, creativity flourishes in the customization possibilities for ‘Sackboy’ and ‘Sackgirl’ playable characters. Endless content, positive themes, great voice actors, and playable from a young age – yep this game ticks all the boxes!
Lego Worlds – Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2
Everyone needs a classic Lego game or set in their life and of course, that includes the kids! Lego Worlds and Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 are 2 fantastic Lego themed games that can be enjoyed by kids aged 6 and up. Lego Worlds is just what it sounds like – a world of Lego where you can create and do anything, very similar to Minecraft. There are 2 DLC packs for Lego Worlds that add monsters and space themed items in addition to the vehicles already in-game. Lego Worlds also features an online and multiplayer feature allowing kids to play with friends or parents.
Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 is the sequel to Lego Marvel Super Heroes and features the same core gameplay of time-bending and a competitive four-player Super Hero battle mode. Kids get an opportunity to fight as some of their favorite Marvel characters and practice some very cool time manipulation abilities. Battle across space and time to save the universe from Kang the Conqueror and solve some puzzles while you’re there!
Hasbro Family Fun Pack
A staple in any family household is classic board games like Monopoly, Risk, and Trivial Pursuit. Now, get all your favorite board games jam-packed into one awesome package. Hasbro Family Fun Pack does just that giving kids and parents access to Monopoly Plus, Risk, Trivial Pursuit Live, and Boggle. There is also a Hasbro Family Fun Pack – Super Edition which includes Battleship and Risk: Urban Assault. All of these games are educational for children and easy enough to learn to play. Keep in mind the reviews for some of the online Hasbro packages have not been great. As a result, if you’re not into risks the regular board games might suit better.
Rayman Legends
Another great choice for the whole family is Ubisoft’s Rayman Legends on PS4. Rayman Legends features fantastic, bright graphics and environment in a classic platformer style. Kids will have tons of fun playing Rayman Legends without any exposure to bad stuff. In addition, level design is interesting and unique paired with unlockable characters and items. Don’t go past the catchy music levels and puzzles. There are also speed run levels all with varying difficulty. We recommend this game for children aged 7 and above, all the way up to grandparents! Rayman Legends is fast-paced with goofy humor and similar side-scrolling fun as Super Mario Bros.
Just Dance 2018
The ninth installment in the Just Dance series, Just Dance 2018 is a great sneaky way to get kids exercising and lots of fun for the whole family. Especially relevant, Just Dance 2018 has a ton of cool features to keep kids interested and rewards them for playing daily. Track progress, unlock rewards, and get daily login rewards. By using Ubisoft’s paid service Just Dance Unlimited players get access to over 300 songs with more added regularly ($29.99 / year).
In addition, without any subscription, Just Dance 2018 has an online feature called World Dance where players can dance with each other in a shared space. But wait, there’s more. As well as an 8 episode story mode Just Dance 2018 has a kid’s mode. Just Dance 2018 Kids Mode includes 8 routines specifically designed to promote healthy movement in children. Moreover, Kids Mode keeps children offline, autonomous and provides support catered to kids. Lastly, don’t fork out for a PlayStation Camera Just Dance 2018 offers a free app for smartphones that will capture movement.
Pix the Cat
This super cute and totally loveable arcade game, Pix the Cat, is made by Pasta Games and perfect for multiple kids. Pix the Cat is a wonderful game for developing kids skills and features multiple modes – Arcade, Nostalgia, Laboratory, and Arena. Arcade mode is the core of Pix the Cat and you guessed it, plays like a good ol’ arcade game. Next, Nostalgia mode is a Pix the Cat version of snake where kids get to collect ducklings. Further, Laboratory involves a huge range of mind-boggling puzzles and Arena allows kids to play their friends with up to a max of 4 players. Check out the trailer below to see how fun, innocent, and addictive Pix the Cat is.
Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy
Crash Bandicoot is sure to be a childhood favorite of many parents these days and now it can be your kid’s favorite too! The Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy is a remaster of the original 3 Crash Bandicoot games including Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back and Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped. Get 3 games in 1 fantastic remastered package with some new features in addition to old pillars of nostalgia like Crash Bandicoot. Most importantly, Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy has no sex, drugs, bad language, or consumerism with super low levels of violence.
The game is generally not too hard and kids should pick up on the controls and movement fairly quickly. Further, Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy has tons of playability with over 100 levels and 2 playable characters. All complemented by time trials, leaderboards, and all the goodness 90s kids are used to. We recommend Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy for kids age 6 and up.
DragonBall Fighter Z
Dragon Ball FighterZ is the latest Dragon Ball game to grace our consoles on both Xbox One and PS4. Most notably, Dragon Ball FighterZ is a brawler fighting game similar to classic fighting game Mortal Kombat but featuring your kid’s favorite Dragon Ball characters. Dragon Ball FighterZ is also available on PC and thankfully no blood or gore among the fighting. Different characters get a variety of special skills and powers and multiple kids can play. Further, while Dragon Ball FighterZ features a minor amount of language characters still present positive role models for kids. Additionally, story mode brings 2 sides together to fight against a common cause. We recommend Dragon Ball FighterZ for kids age 10 and up.
Fortnite
Now, Fortnite is a game for the older kids and one that we’d even recommend parents play with their children. Reason being, the most popular part of Fortnite is the online component Fortnite: Battle Royale. Fortnite: Battle Royale pits 100 players against each other with last man standing as the winner. While the offline single-player component of Fortnite is a survival action game with a strategic focus. Battle Royale changes the gameplay and atmosphere a bit.
Kids will encounter a large number of strangers online and most likely some bad language over voice chat. However, keep in mind voice chat can be disabled in Fortnite and other players can be specifically muted. Parents playing Fortnite with kids is not only fun for both but a sure way to keep an eye on the online environment your kid is playing in without intruding.
Violence is a key feature in Fortnite: Battle Royale but gore level is low and graphics are cartoonish. In-game item purchase is encouraged however not necessary as kids can play Fortnite without extra purchases. Ultimately teaching kids what’s important in an online gaming world is the best preventative for negative outcomes. We recommend Fortnite and Fortnite: Battle Royale for kids age 12+.
Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds
Wildly popular Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds is the amazing sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn. Both games are absolutely fantastic for kids and parents alike. Most of all, the Horizon Zero Dawn series are beautifully made, engaging, interactive games set in gorgeous worlds and backed by a great story. Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds features positive messages and role models with some violence fighting during your adventure. There are no sexual themes and a minuscule amount of profanity and reference to alcohol or tobacco.
One of the most notable and cool features of the Horizon Zero Dawn series is the strong heroine protagonist Aloy. Play as Aloy and fight machines taking over in a post-apocalyptic world with bow, spear, and stealth. Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds could be a little harder for some less experienced gamer kids. But it is sure to be enjoyed by parents and kids age 12 and up.
Moss
Moss is a stunning new game from Sony and made for PlayStation 4 and PS VR. This game is reminiscent of Stuart Little as players are immersed in a beautiful fantasy world playing mouse heroine Quill. An excellent choice for PS4 games for kids. Fun combat and environmental puzzles are core features of Moss piling up to hours of gameplay. Moreover, difficulty progression is steady and most kids should get through it with practice and without too much challenge. Moss doesn’t have any of the bad stuff apart from some violence and Quill provides a positive role model. Not only is Quill inspiring but the journey you go on to save the world shows how brave one can be in times of self-defense. Lastly, Moss is recommended for kids age 12 and up due to the use of VR equipment.
