Raising Is PBS KIDS Games safe for kids? What parents should know
Is PBS KIDS Games safe for kids? Apple's App Store rates it 4+ and lists it as made for ages 5 and under, and Google Play rates it Everyone. It's free, and the App Store lists no in-app purchases. PBS KIDS describes 280+ curriculum-based games for ages 2 to 8 with characters such as Daniel Tiger and the Wild Kratts. Common Sense Media, an independent nonprofit, lists it for ages 3 and up.
PBS KIDS Games at a glance
- –Official rating above age 7
App Store: 4+, made for ages 0–5 - –Contact with other players or strangers
No chat listed by app stores - –Purchases with real money
Free, no in-app purchases listed - –Paid random items
None listed - –Violence or scary content in rating descriptors
None listed - –Government lawsuits, fines, or safety warnings
None found
Each flag is a yes-or-no fact from the sources on this page. The number is a count of flags, not a safety score. How we count.
| Type | Free app from PBS KIDS with 280+ learning games starring characters from PBS KIDS shows |
|---|---|
| App Store (iOS) | 4+, "Made for Ages 0–5"; no in-app purchases listed source |
| Google Play | Everyone source |
| Common Sense Media | 3+ (an independent nonprofit's age guidance) |
| Cost | Free; PBS KIDS says the games are curriculum-based, for ages 2–8, in English and Spanish source |
Checked October 2026. Ratings and settings change; check the official source before you decide. What do these ratings mean?
Facts for parents, not medical or legal advice. If you're worried about your child, talk to your pediatrician.
What is PBS KIDS Games?
Short answer: A free app of learning games from PBS KIDS, the children's brand of US public television.
It has more than 280 games with characters from PBS KIDS shows, such as Daniel Tiger, Wild Kratts, and Carl the Collector. The games cover reading, math, science, and art, in English and Spanish, and PBS KIDS says new games are added often.
Is PBS KIDS Games safe for kids? The facts
Short answer: It's rated 4+, made for ages 5 and under, with no purchases or chat listed.
- App Store: 4+, "Made for Ages 0–5"; no in-app purchases listed.
- Google Play: Everyone, with no content descriptors.
- Chat: neither app store lists chat or messaging.
- Common Sense Media: 3+.
- Privacy: PBS KIDS points parents to its policy at pbskids.org/privacy.
The habit kids may copy: switching fast
With hundreds of short games, it's easy to tap from one to the next. Kids can get used to leaving a game the moment it gets hard.
Try tonight: name the feeling
Pick one game your child plays and ask how a character in it felt. Then ask about them: "How did you feel when it got hard?" In our program, this is the lesson "Weather Inside": naming what you feel.
Who makes it: PBS Kids. See what its other titles teach in the Kids' Media Publisher Index.
Why you can trust this page: the main facts link to their sources, a separate reviewer checks each page before it goes live, and the date shows when we last checked. How we review · Report an error
FAQ
Is PBS KIDS Games free?
Yes. The app is free, and the App Store lists no in-app purchases.
What age is PBS KIDS Games for?
Apple rates it 4+ and lists it as made for ages 0 to 5. PBS KIDS says the games are for ages 2 to 8.
Does PBS KIDS Games have chat?
Neither the App Store nor Google Play lists chat or messaging for the app.
Is PBS KIDS Games in Spanish?
Yes. PBS KIDS says kids can play in English and Spanish.
More from “Is it good for kids?”
Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood
Animated preschool series on PBS Kids by Fred Rogers Productions, since 2012
Khan Academy Kids
Free learning app from the nonprofit Khan Academy for ages 2–8
YouTube Kids
YouTube's separate app for children, launched in 2015
Feelings Chart for Kids (Free Printable): How to Use One, Ages 4–7
A feelings chart for kids 4–7, with a free printable: why 30 faces are too many at age 5, how many feelings to start with, and how to use a chart daily.
Read next →Raising Stoics is a 12-week program for ages 5–6, built on Stoic philosophy and developmental psychology. One lesson is "Weather Inside": naming what you feel.