I’ll be honest, my first attempt at playing video games with my toddler, Robbie, did not go how I imagined.
In my head, I pictured some wholesome father-and-son bonding moment. Sitting together playing games I loved as a kid. Maybe even starting a hobby we’d share for years.
What actually happened was complete chaos. Robbie mostly wanted to drive backwards into walls, press random buttons and ignore the actual objective completely.
Whenever I tried to help him to do things correctly he would tell me I was “doing it wrong.” Which, to be fair, I probably was. I’m no pro gamer.
After a lot of trial and error though, I realised something important: Most video games aren’t actually designed with toddlers in mind.
A lot of “family games” still expect:
- quick reactions
- complicated controls
- reading
- patience
- or understanding what’s even happening on screen
And toddlers are… not always known for those things. So instead of listing random games from the internet, these are the games that genuinely worked best for our family, including a few surprises along the way.
When I say toddlers here, I mainly mean ages 2–4. Some of these worked brilliantly at 3, while others were definitely better closer to 4 with a lot of parent help.
What Makes a Good Video Game for Toddlers?
I quickly realised toddlers enjoy games very differently from adults.
The games that worked best were usually:
- simple to control
- colourful and easy to follow
- low pressure
- forgiving when they made mistakes
- and flexible enough to let them “mess about”
Because honestly, toddlers rarely play games the “correct” way anyway.
Sometimes the fun is the game. Sometimes the fun is just repeatedly making a character jump into water for ten straight minutes.
1. Bluey: The Videogame (Best Overall Toddler Game)
Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC
This was one of the first games that genuinely felt designed for younger kids rather than just “family friendly.”
The controls are simple, the pace is slow enough for toddlers to follow, and the episodes-style gameplay works really well for short attention spans.
More importantly, Robbie actually recognised the characters immediately.
That makes a huge difference with toddlers.
Instead of spending ten minutes explaining who everyone is, they instantly understand the world and just want to explore it.
The actual storyline and time taken to complete Bluey is actually really short. Whilst most adults would see this as a negative with their own games, for a toddler this is not really a problem as they will happily replay levels all day long. Toddlers just love repetition!
What it’s actually like:
A lot of wandering off during objectives, pressing the wrong buttons, and laughing at silly animations.
Which honestly means the game is doing its job perfectly.
2. Paw Patrol Grand Prix (Best Racing Game for Younger Toddlers)
Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox
With Robbie being absolutely obsessed with cars, racing games were an obvious choice when we first introduced him to gaming.
I originally thought games like Mario Kart would be the obvious choice for toddlers.
Turns out even simplified racing games can still feel surprisingly fast and overwhelming for younger kids.
The first game we found was called ‘Racing Bros’ and was free in the PlayStation store. Robbie absolutely loved but I found it to be possibly the lowest quality game I’ve ever seen!
Honestly, if you crashed, your car would glitch wildly through the air for minutes on end. Robbie found this hilarious, I questioned how this game ever managed to slip through any quality control checks. But anyway… Paw Patrol,
Paw Patrol worked much better for us early on because the tracks are simpler and it feels a little slower paced than games such as Mario Kart. The controls are simple too and it was really easy for him to pick up.
It also helped that Robbie knew the characters and was always keen to try and unlock his next favourite dog.
That familiarity matters more than adults probably realise.
What it’s actually like:
Driving directly into walls while proudly announcing they’re winning.
3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Best for Older Toddlers)
Available on: Nintendo Switch
Once Robbie got a little older, Mario Kart suddenly became much more fun.
The assist settings genuinely help:
- auto-steering
- auto-accelerate
- forgiving tracks
Without those, it would’ve been impossible.
Even then, half the fun came from the chaos rather than actual racing.
Dad tip:
Turn every assist setting on immediately and don’t take it remotely seriously.
What it’s actually like:
They somehow finish 3rd despite spending most of the race facing the wrong direction.
Honourable Mentions For Racing Games
Hot Wheels – We played both Unleashed and Turbocharged and found the gameplay incredible. This just missed the list due to the amount of add ons and constant new car sales, which created daily arguments with Robbie asking for money!
Sonic Racing – For everything Mario, there must be a Sonic equivalent! We started playing this when the first Sonic film was released and loved the game. There are a few different characters and game modes too, which offers something a little extra from other kids racing games.
4. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Best Calm Game)
Available on: Nintendo Switch
This worked surprisingly well on quieter evenings. There’s no pressure. No real “losing.” No timer counting down.
Toddlers can simply run around and collect random things, talk to animals and explore at their own pace… Which is pretty much what Robbie does in reality most days!
Animal Crossing is far more suited to toddler attention spans than lots of traditional games. They can just get up and walk off at any time and nothing really gets lost.
What it’s actually like:
Spending twenty minutes collecting sticks while completely ignoring the thing you were actually trying to do.
5. Peppa Pig: World Adventures (Best Simple Adventure Game)
Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox
This is probably one of the most genuinely toddler-friendly games on the list. It’s extremely simple by adult gaming standards — but that’s exactly why it works.
There’s:
- very little pressure
- almost no punishment for mistakes
- simple movement
- familiar voices and characters
And honestly, toddlers care far more about seeing characters they love than complicated gameplay mechanics. Despite my own personal reservations about Peppa Pig (she’s just so rude) the game works so credit where due!
Why the Nintendo Wii Was Better Than Modern Gaming for Toddlers
Sorry to break the list but this really does need a mention. Unexpectedly, the best gaming experiences we had weren’t on modern consoles at all.
They were on the old Nintendo Wii. I think that’s because toddlers naturally understand movement better than buttons. It also removes a little of the inevitable parent guilt of watching your toddler just stare at a screen.
Robbie was swinging his arms around, running on the spot and jumping about the living room. The whole thing more like active play than traditional gaming.
He particularly loved Wii sports and would spend ten straight minutes running on the spot during a Wii running game and absolutely loved it.
That’s a completely different experience from simply holding a controller.
Games like Wii Sports worked brilliantly because toddlers don’t necessarily care about scores, objectives or even winning.
They just enjoy moving and copying what they see on screen.
Half the time he wasn’t even following the actual rules properly, but it genuinely didn’t matter.
He was laughing, moving around, and completely engaged.
Why Motion-Control Games Work So Well for Toddlers
Looking back now, motion gaming probably made more sense than standard gaming for a toddler.
The controls feel more natural because:
- swinging a remote like a tennis racket is intuitive
- running on the spot feels like play
- movement keeps them engaged longer
- and there are fewer complicated button combinations
It also helped with one thing a lot of parents worry about with gaming:
👉 he wasn’t just sitting completely still.
It felt much more active and social than regular gaming sessions. But anyway, back to the list! Here’s a couple of games that toddlers will love to play on your tablet or phone, no console needed.
6. LEGO DUPLO World (Best Tablet Game for Younger Toddlers)
Available on: Mobile and tablet
For very young toddlers, touchscreens honestly make far more sense than controllers.
This worked well because:
- everything is tap-based
- there’s no complicated camera control
- and toddlers can interact immediately without constant help
That independence matters.
With console games, Robbie often needed help every thirty seconds at first.
With simple tablet games, he could usually figure things out himself much faster.
7. Toca Life World (Best for Imaginative Play)
Available on: Mobile and tablet
This feels less like a traditional game and more like a giant digital toy box.
There aren’t really objectives.
Toddlers can just move characters around explore wherever they feel. They can interact with objects and create silly little scenarios with no real meaning or goal in sight.
Which honestly matches how toddlers naturally play anyway.
Games That Didn’t Really Work for Us
Not every game that looks toddler-friendly actually works well for toddlers in real life.
A couple of games especially taught me that there’s a big difference between:
- a game kids enjoy watching
- and a game toddlers can genuinely play themselves.
Roblox
Ironically, this is now one of Robbie’s favourite games at age 7.
But as a toddler? It was simply too much.
On the surface, Roblox looks perfect for younger kids:
- bright colours
- simple-looking characters
- lots of silly mini-games
- endless variety
The problem is that Roblox isn’t really one game. It’s an enormous online platform filled with user-created experiences.
And that means:
- player vs player gameplay
- unpredictable content
- online interactions
- trolling
- and games that aren’t always suitable for very young children
Even with parental controls, I found myself constantly needing to monitor what was appearing next.
For older kids, Roblox can be brilliant. But for toddlers, the risks and unpredictability made it feel stressful rather than fun.
As Robbie has grown older he has become so obsessed with Roblox that he even made us throw him a Roblox themed birthday party!
Minecraft
This one was completely my mistake.
I genuinely thought Minecraft would be the perfect toddler game because the idea sounds amazing on paper:
- building
- creativity
- exploring
- making your own world together
What I didn’t fully appreciate was how complicated the controls actually are for little kids.
Managing:
- movement
- camera controls
- jumping
- menus
- crafting
- and understanding what items even do
…ended up being far too overwhelming for Robbie at that age.
Even with me helping constantly, he often struggled to actually do much independently, which quickly led to frustration.
Looking back, Minecraft is an amazing game for older children — but probably not the easy toddler introduction to gaming I originally imagined.
Are Video Games Good for Toddlers?
I think they can be — in moderation and when you’re actually playing together.
I completely understand why many parents worry about screen time now.
Personally, I’d much rather Robbie spend half an hour actively thinking, reacting and playing a game with me than endlessly watching kids video channels on YouTube.
Especially with games like Wii Sports, gaming sometimes became surprisingly active rather than passive.
I rarely left Robbie playing alone and always played with him where possible or sat beside him. For us, the best moments weren’t really about the games themselves.
They were about:
- laughing together
- taking turns
- being silly
- and sharing something I already enjoyed myself
There’s a huge difference between handing a toddler a screen and actually sitting down to play with them. The second one is far more meaningful.
What’s the Best Console for Toddlers?
Honestly, I’d probably say:
- Nintendo Switch – best all-round option for family gaming
- Nintendo Wii – surprisingly brilliant for active play
- Tablet/iPad – easiest for very young toddlers
The actual console matters less than the type of games you choose though.
Simple, colourful, low-pressure games nearly always work best.
Final Thoughts
Playing video games with a toddler is rarely smooth.
There will be:
- wrong buttons
- sudden quitting
- random crying
- complete confusion
- and moments where absolutely nobody knows what’s happening anymore
But when you find the right games, it genuinely can be a lot of fun.
Sometimes the best gaming moments aren’t about completing levels or winning races.
Sometimes it’s just watching your toddler proudly drive backwards into a wall while having the time of their life.
Latest Posts From The Diary Of Dad
Hi, I’m Steve. I’m a dad to a seven-year-old and the founder of The Diary of Dad. Having navigated everything from the newborn days to big-kid milestones, I share honest parenting advice and simple, low-prep kids’ crafts and activities to help other families make the most of every stage.